While masses are enlightened about coaching, skeptisism grows

"Life coaching has been around since the mid-'80s but was mostly an elite option for corporate execs. But these days, anyone who believes in positive thinking can promote themselves as a life coach. Unlike therapists or counselors, life coaches are virtually unregulated.

You don't even have to leave home to use their services. Many coaches give advice over the telephone or the Internet, at a cost of $50 to $150 an hour. Homework usually includes completing exercises and creating an action plan."

Although it may sound like a quote from the same Scottish-written article I mentioned below, this was written by our very own Oregon newspaper, called The Oregonian.

The words in the 2nd paragraph make me especially cringe: "give advice over the telephone or the Internet." Just like one of those 2-week courses you can take online and be able to perform marriage ceremonies (remember Joey from "Friends?").

That's why I think it's so important to develop an arsenal of credentials for coaches, with some background or specializations to back up coach training. Coaches are dime a dozen on the Internet, and with articles like this one, our credibility is getting diminished by the hour.

Yeah, I know, it's promoting the "Starting Over" show, but I sense the writer's opinion on coaching is not too favorable...maybe I am reading too much into it:

"I feel enlightened already. Look out, world, I'm watching some TV. What have I got to lose? Besides fear, excuses and false expectations? What a reality."

Life coaches help people's lives unfold, by Renee Mitchell