Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How is Life Guidance different from counseling?
A: Though counseling and Life Guidance share some similarities in that both involve a one on one relationship that includes sharing and support, beyond that, they diverge down quite different paths. The fundamental difference can be found in the word change. The objective of counseling is to facilitate change behaviorally, emotionally, mentally or all three. In fact, the success of a counseling relationship is judged by the changes made. Life Guidance, on the other hand, is not about facilitating change, but rather it is about inviting and encouraging what is authentic to manifest, be seen, and expressed. Counseling seeks to alter what is, while Life Guidance seeks to bring forth what is. Life Guidance sees the issues people are confronting in their lives as a result of losing touch with who they are or their soul or essence, which usually leads to poor choices and intense feelings of discontent. Counseling sees these same issues as problems needing to be fixed, rather than recognizing that changing the outer behavior can still leave the soul or higher self unrecognized and unfed.
Q: How is Life Guidance different from coaching?
A: According to the International Coaching Federation, professional coaching is defined as “an ongoing professional relationship that helps people produce extraordinary results in their lives, careers, businesses or organizations. Through the process of coaching, clients deepen their learning, improve their performance, and enhance their quality of life.”
The emphasis here is on results, which by its very nature implies changing something. Life Guidance goes beyond traditional coaching in that the primary focus is not about results. Results are important because they help us determine what's working and what's not working in our lives, but they are not a place to start. Instead, Life Guidance is an exploration and partnership of discovery into the gestalt of what is, inviting what naturally wants to emerge to emerge without hindrance, so that it can be fully supported. This keeps the attention focused on the truth of what is in the moment rather than entering into a session in a past-based or future-based framework, or with preconceived ideas and agendas. This also creates a sacred safe space for people and frees them to explore their inner world, while at the same time, provides a mirror to reflect back and validate their observations and insights. What emerges is typically surprising and far deeper and more profound than what occurs when it is directed and determined by an outer plan.
This is not to say that coaching does not serve a valid purpose. In fact, Life Guidance offers intuitive coaching as one option of services. There are indeed times, when people want support reaching clear, tangible goals. But with a Life Guide, coaching is fluid and broad and incorporates a doing comes out of being approach rather than an achieving approach.
Life Guidance sees the outer results or manifestation as a reflection of the inner, so when working with a Life Guide, you begin with what is true in the moment. The outer results that most of us are seeking come from working on the inner. This is uncharted territory for most people, which is why it is helpful to have a guide escort you on your journey. Not to direct you, but simply to be there support you into the unknown with the intention of restoring your connection with yourself, so that before long, it will become second nature and you will feel confident in venturing there alone.
Q: How do I know Life Guidance is right for me?
A: Ideally, you are seeking Life Guidance if you are looking for one or more of the following:
- A catalyst to initiate a major shift in one or more areas of your life
- A guide to share, witness and validate your deep inner exploration
- A support person to assist you during a major life transition or crisis
- A partner who can help you reconnect to your highest vision of yourself
Life Guidance is for those who are serious about self-exploration. This type of work has a way of stirring things up in unexpected ways, which, while exciting, can also be a little unsettling. It is not a decision that should be taken lightly. It is a major commitment to step out of your comfort zone and open doors within yourself that may have been closed for a very long time. It can bring up things you'd forgotten about and create a dramatic shift in your perspective about your current life situation. For many people, this can be a little intimidating, unless, however, you have tried working on your own or with other formats of support and you are frustrated and ready to do whatever it takes to open yourself up to the inner wisdom that will help you live an authentic life.
With that said, Life Guidance can offer you benefits rarely found with other personal growth methods. To get a better feel for what I'm talking about, I highly recommend you read several pieces on my blog. This will help you determine if working with me is the right "fit" for you at this particular time.
Q: How do I decide which of the Life Guidance Options is right for me?
A: Unless one option resonates with you and you’re clear that is the focus of the work you want to do, I recommend that you keep it open and wait and see what emerges during our first session. In addition, the options are just a general outline of areas to focus on. Often, we will incorporate several options in our work together as the need and interest arise. The important thing to keep in mind is that our work together is an exploration of a number of key issues in your life. The work itself often determines which direction to take.
Q: What if something important opens up during a session, and I want to extend my session another hour?
A: This happens quite frequently, so I book my sessions with at least an hour buffer built into them in case this situation arises.
Q: I don’t live in the Puget Sound, but I’d be more comfortable meeting with you in person than speaking on the phone. Do you see clients in other cities?
A: Yes, I am currently developing a client base in several locations throughout the US and Europe. My plan is to travel to those places a couple of times a year to see clients in person. I will also offer groups and workshops in those areas to clients who are interested in a group experience. Please contact me to discuss options in your area.
Q: Do you offer workshops or work with groups?
A: Yes, I've been facilitating groups and leading workshops for the past 17 years. For a current listing of workshops, please visit the Workshop Page. I'm always developing new groups and workshops, so please check back often. If you're interested in sponsoring a workshop for your group or organization, please call 206-930-9129 for more information.
Q: Your blog has a lot of writing on it, how come you haven’t written a book?
A: The blog was created with the intention of finding an online outlet for my writing that would allow people to access it without the necessity of purchasing a book. The writing I post there is very fluid and intuitive and never done with a pre-conceived plan or agenda. This gives me the freedom to write whatever I want whenever I want, without restrictions. It also allows my clients to get inside my head before they work with me. A book is something that may evolve out of the blog eventually, but for now, I’m enjoying working in that format.
Q: What kind of training do you have to be able to offer the services you do?
A: My style of working evolved quite naturally through my intensive immersion in spiritual work and inquiry. The early seeds of it began to sprout over 25 years ago, when I was first trained in massage therapy. At that time, I became aware of some very strong gifts that I had in the areas of healing and intuition. I was young and wasn't comfortable with fully exploring or expressing those gifts. It has only been recently as a result of some deep inner work and in partnering with other healers, that I felt ready to express those gifts. As part of the process of doing the healing work, I discovered that I am an empath, and I began to learn to work with people's energy both within and around them and in the spaces where they work or reside. To put it simply, I saw the need and did the work, and when people responded that what I was doing helped them, it reinforced my desire to continue doing this for people. My work and my services are all an expression of something that comes naturally to me, and Guided Wisdom is my way of making it available to more people.
