What Is a Life Coach and How Can They Help You?

Shinebright
Jul 29
8 min read

Updated: Oct 6

Feeling stuck in your life or career? Wondering if there’s more out there for you — or asking yourself, 'what is a life coach and could one help me?'

You’re not alone. Many people reach a moment when they realize that something doesn’t feel quite right — that the path they’re on no longer fits. That’s where a life coach can help you most.

At Shinebright, we provide support that balances real strategies with space for personal insight. Our approach is about you — your story, your values, your next step. We don’t just help you make a plan — we help you reconnect with what truly matters and move forward with clarity and confidence.

What is a Life Coach?

If you’ve ever wondered what a life coach is and whether working with one could help you move forward, you’re not alone.

A life coach is a thinking partner — someone who walks beside you as you navigate decisions, challenges, and change.

Instead of offering quick fixes or telling you what to do, a coach helps you pause, reflect, and connect with what really matters to you. Life coaches use thoughtful techniques to help you better understand yourself, overcome what’s in the way, and take meaningful steps forward.

Through deep listening and the right questions, they create space for clarity and insight. They’re here to support you as you set goals, build confidence, and shape a path that feels authentic. At their best, life coaches don’t just help you achieve more — they help you become more you.

Which Type of Coach is Meant For You?

Life coaches support different areas of your life, depending on what you need most right now. You might come across different types of coaches, such as:

Career coaches: Help you navigate career changes, find clarity in your professional path, and build a career that aligns with your values
Relationship coaches: Support you in building stronger connections — whether at work, at home, or with yourself
Health coaches: Focus on habits, wellness, and how your physical wellbeing supports your goals
Personal growth coaches: Help you rediscover confidence, resilience, and what makes you feel most like you
Executive coaches: Partner with leaders looking to grow their impact while staying grounded in their purpose
Financial coaches: Guide you in managing money in ways that feel aligned, not overwhelming
Spiritual coaches: Offer space to explore deeper meaning, beliefs, and a sense of direction

At Shinebright, we specialize in career coaching with a whole-person approach — especially for anyone seeking a trusted life coach in Los Angeles and beyond. Because your career isn’t separate from who you are — it’s a big part of your story.

And your story isn’t just words in a resume. That’s why we help you make career moves that don’t just check boxes, but feel like a natural next step. The kind that comes from reflection, growth, and a deeper sense of what you really want in your career and life.

What Does a Life Coach Do?

Many people ask, what does a life coach do exactly? The answer varies — but always starts with you.

Coaching isn’t about fixing you — it’s about supporting the version of you that’s already capable. A life coach helps you move forward with clarity, confidence, and care. Here’s what that might look like:

Making space to understand what really matters to you
Turning big, overwhelming ideas into small, doable steps
Helping you stay focused and accountable — with compassion, not pressure
Building skills that support your growth (like time management or communication)
Untangling self-doubt and replacing it with confidence
Exploring your options when you feel stuck or uncertain
Celebrating your progress — because every step counts

At Shinebright, our one-on-one coaching sessions are designed with you in mind.

We offer a safe, thoughtful space where your questions and goals can take shape — together, we explore what’s next for you. Whether you're job hunting, pivoting, or simply exploring what fulfillment looks like for you — you don’t have to do it alone.

What to Look for and How to Find a Life Coach

If you’re trying to figure out how to find a life coach who’s the right fit for you, here are a few things to keep in mind:

Choosing the right life coach is a deeply personal decision — and it makes all the difference. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you explore your options:

Experience and training: Look for coaches with solid credentials and a track record of meaningful results
Coaching style: Do they feel like someone you can open up to? Trust your gut
Specialization: Choose someone who understands the area you want to focus on — whether that’s career change, growth, or life balance
Personal connection: Coaching works best when there’s real trust and comfort between you and your coach
Clarity of approach: A good coach should be able to explain how they’ll support you and what the process looks like
Professional ethics: They should honour your privacy and operate with integrity
Ongoing growth: Great coaches keep learning — for your sake and theirs

At Shinebright, our coaches bring deep expertise in career change and personal development — but just as importantly, we bring heart. We’re here to support your goals and your growth, every step of the way.

What You Get With A Life Coach

When you feel supported, understood, and encouraged — big things can happen.

Working with a life coach isn’t about fixing you; it’s about helping you move through change with clarity and strength. Here are just a few of the shifts our clients experience:

A deeper sense of confidence and self-awareness
Clarity around what matters — and a plan to follow through
More balance between work, rest, and life outside the office
Stronger communication and more fulfilling relationships
Increased motivation and focus
Tools to navigate stress, change, and uncertainty
Creative problem-solving skills
Stronger leadership presence and professional growth
A renewed sense of purpose and possibility

When you reconnect with yourself, everything else — your relationships, your work, your wellbeing — starts to shift, too.

What You Get With A Life Coach

“Growth isn’t about becoming someone else. It’s about coming home to yourself.”

Coaching is a partnership — and every journey is unique, from one person to another. But here’s a general idea of what it might look like:

Discovery session: You’ll explore where you are now, what’s on your mind, and what you’d like to change or create.
Goal setting: Together, you’ll clarify what matters most and set meaningful, achievable goals.
Regular sessions: You’ll meet consistently (often weekly) to reflect, brainstorm, and keep taking steps forward.
Between-session reflection: You’ll work on small, purposeful steps between coaching sessions — this is where real growth happens.
Ongoing check-ins: Your coach will help you stay accountable and connected to your progress.
Skill building: Along the way, you’ll build tools like boundary-setting, decision-making, and resilience.
Mindset shifts: You’ll start to see things differently, with more confidence, perspective, and possibility.

Remember: Coaching isn’t about doing everything perfectly. It’s about showing up for yourself with honesty, curiosity, and a desire to grow.

At Shinebright, we create a space where your goals matter and your growth does too. You bring your story, and we bring the support. Our strengths-based approach helps you deeply understand your strengths so you can move forward with clarity and confidence.

How Is a Life Coach Different From a Therapist?

Life coaches and therapists both offer meaningful support, but they focus on different parts of your journey.

Focus: Life coaching is about where you are now and where you’re headed next. Therapy often helps with healing from past experiences and emotional challenges.

Goals: Coaching is future-focused and action-oriented — it helps you move forward. Therapy often centers on emotional wellbeing and mental health.

Methods: Coaches guide you with tools, reflection, and accountability. Therapists may use clinical techniques to treat deeper issues.

Credentials: Therapists are licensed mental health professionals. Coaches have specialized training in goal-setting, motivation, and growth, but they don’t diagnose or treat mental health conditions.

Timeframe: Coaching is often shorter-term and goal-driven. Therapy can be longer-term and open-ended.

At Shinebright, we offer career-focused coaching with a holistic lens — meaning we support your whole self, not just your resume.

If you’re facing mental health concerns, a therapist may be the right next step. And sometimes, the two go hand-in-hand — therapy for healing, coaching for growth.

Wherever you are, just know: you don’t have to figure it out alone.

Tips to Get the Most Out of Coaching

Coaching works best when it feels like a partnership, grounded in trust, reflection, and action. Here are a few ways to make the most of your experience:

Be real: The more honest you are, the more clarity you’ll gain. This is your space, come as you are.
Show up consistently: Growth comes with momentum. Keep showing up, even when it’s hard.
Take action, even small ones: Tiny steps matter. You don’t have to leap, small steps count.
Give yourself grace: Change isn’t always linear. It’s okay to stumble as you move forward.
Speak up: Let your coach know what’s helping, and what’s not. Your feedback makes the experience stronger.
Set clear intentions: Go beyond vague goals. What does “success” actually look like for you?
Be open to trying new things: Sometimes the smallest steps, taken just beyond your comfort zone, lead to the biggest breakthroughs.
Reflect often: Journaling or even voice notes can help you track progress and insights.
Be kind to yourself: You’re learning. You’re growing. And every step forward counts.

At Shinebright, we’re here to help you build confidence and find clarity, not to add more pressure. You already have what you need within you. Together, we’ll uncover it, shape it, and help you move forward with a clear sense of direction and purpose.

What Challenges Might Come Up in Coaching?

Coaching can be powerful, but it’s not always easy. Growth rarely is. That’s why it helps to go in with open eyes and an open heart.

Here are a few things to be mindful of:

Expecting instant results: Coaching isn’t a quick fix. Real change takes time, reflection, and effort.
Feeling overly dependent: A great coach will empower you, not make you reliant on them.
Mismatch in style: Not every coach is right for every person. Trust your instincts, connection matters.
Financial investment: Coaching is an investment in yourself. Make sure you’re clear on what you want out of it.
Emotional discomfort: Growth can stir up resistance or hard truths. That’s not failure, it’s part of the process.
Lack of clear goals: Coaching needs direction. Work with your coach to set goals that feel both meaningful and motivating.
Forgetting who’s in charge: Your coach is your guide, not your boss. You get to decide what’s right for you.

At Shinebright, we’re upfront about what coaching is and what it isn’t. We’ll always check in to make sure our approach feels right, and we’ll encourage you to take ownership of your journey.

Because our goal isn’t to keep you dependent. It’s to help you grow strong enough to move forward on your own.

What Challenges Might Come Up in Coaching?

Growth can feel overwhelming. But with the right support, it becomes something else: possible.

So, what is a life coach? The simple answer is that they help you reconnect with what matters, uncover what’s next, and build a life that truly fits who you are personally and professionally. Whether you’re navigating career uncertainty, craving more balance, or just feeling ready for a change, you don’t have to figure it all out alone.

At Shinebright, we offer a blend of compassionate curiosity and powerful breakthroughs. We believe in your story. We believe in your potential. Our strengths-based approach helps you deeply understand your strengths so you can step into your potential one insight, one conversation, and one decision at a time.