Therapy takes a broad and clinical approach by starting in the past and working its way towards the present. It is a regulated industry that focuses on healing trauma and mental illness.

Coaching, on the other hand, is specific and non-clinical by starting in the present and working towards the future. It is an unregulated industry that primarily focuses on troubleshooting personal issues as well as setting and achieving goals.

Coaching also tends to be more action-oriented than therapy. Assignments, tasks, or goals are often completed between each session.

When people hear the term holistic, they sometimes think it’s something new age or “woowoo.” And don’t get me wrong. I love me a good woowoo. But holistic is a pretty straightforward and standard school of thought.

Holistic means that the whole is more than just the sum of its parts, and the parts are interconnected and affect one another. My coaching practice recognizes the four systems of mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual (not religious). A single issue has the potential to effect each system or, in some cases, manifest in more than one system at a time. So, a holistic approach serves as a more comprehensive way to address our needs and concerns.

“Integrative” is defined as serving or intending to unify things that are typically separate. In other words, it means to integrate. In my case, an “integrative approach” to life coaching means to integrate modalities from both coaching and therapy in my practice.

An integrative framework is necessary when coaching from a holistic standpoint. Because the different systems can affect one another, the work benefits from techniques and exercises from various types of practices.

I always want to emphasize that I am not a licensed therapist and I do not do clinical counseling. But unlike standard life coaching, I utilize therapy based tools in a non-clinical way to help clients move forward in their challenges that don’t require a clinical approach.

No. I work with all men in the LGBTQ+ community (minus the “L” obviously). But one of my goals is also to support other coaches from our community who may better serve clients with their experiences and expertise. So, if a client could be a better fit for another LGBTQ+ coach, then I’ll offer to refer clients to them in order to help their business (rather than hoard clients for myself).

I proudly received my certification from The Integrative Wellness Academy (IWA), which is currently the only life coaching program that utilizes a holistic and integrative approach. I also have additional certifications in fitness coaching and nutrition coaching from The Nutrition and Fitness Academy.

Being “unregulated” means that life coaches (unlike therapists) do not require a specific type of education or licensure. Therefore most legitimate coaches seek out certifications from highly reputable programs.

Some practitioners may state that coaching is a regulated industry by the International Coaching Federation (ICF). However, this claim is not accurate. A regulated industry requires a license to practice. Therefore, ICF does not and cannot provide any type of licensure. Rather, they have created a standard of curriculum for programs that seek their stamp of approval.

The ICF has strict rules that life coaches cannot use any therapy based modalities. Since I work from a holistic and integrative approach, I choose not to seek ICF approval. But my coaching education and certification with IWA does meet their curriculum standards. My certification just goes above and beyond what ICF requires by using certain therapy based modalities in a non-clinical way.

The great thing about coaching is that no two sessions are alike. With my work, we begin with a comprehensive process to make sure we are looking at any issues or challenges from all possible angles. From there, we work together to hone in on what feels most significant to you, and start tackling it in ways that are personally tailored to your life.

Typically, coaching sessions are closed-ended (meaning only the intended topic/goal is discussed) where as therapy is open-ended (the client can come to table with whatever feels most important to them that week). My goal is to meet the client where they are at. I do not decide what is most important for them. They do. And so sessions can be either closed-ended or open-ended.

Coaching sessions are typically one hour and done on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. We can meet virtually or in-person (if you are located in or near Denver, CO). Because coaching is more action-oriented than therapy, we figure out action steps to take in between each sessions. Think of it like homework. Except, unlike high school geometry, this is stuff we actually would use in our daily lives.

Whether sessions are open-ended or closed-ended, the action steps are an incredibly important part of the process and your ability to find resolution. This is because true change does not just come from the insights, but from the choices and practices we make based on those insights. So, an investiment of both time and energy are necessary to move forward in your growth.

Similar to my practice, I take a different approach to costs for sessions than other coaches, and do so in a client-centered way. In order to make this work more accessible, I begin with a sliding scale model (based on your income). Then, we work together to figure out what is the most appropriate cost for you. For more information, please feel free to send me a message or book a free consult.