The Life Coaching Handbook

Rating:
Summary: Don't Waste Your time!!
Review:
Nothing new. Old material covered by other authors and speakers.If you have been in sales or HR services it will not benefit you.

Rating:
Summary: This is JUST what I was looking for !!
Review: I have read quite a few books on coaching and then I came across this one. It told me EXACTLY what I needed to know. It is full of practical advice and is down to earth with no hype. I would recommend this book to anyone that is thinking seriously about starting a career in Life Coaching.

Rating:
Summary: You will find better value elsewhere...
Review: I purchased this book because I think that there are some applications of NLP and Spiral Dynamics (the two main models the author uses) that would be useful for coaching, however, I was very disappointed with what I found.

Usually what I have found with NLP practitioners / books is a desire to control reality (their own or someone else's) - this book is no exception. It provides numerous examples of how to typecast the coachee, control the coaching session and structure your business using NLP techiques - in contrast to something that provides an awareness of how to honour and respect the client, where they're at, how they experience the world and what they truly and deeply want. (For example, like many NLP books, this book uses the popular NLP technique of modelling someone else - which is in contrast to - empowering - a client to find their own sense of self and their own unique way of expression in the world)

It would be very difficult for a newcomer to apply the techniques outlined in this book and I would be very concerned if someone tried to do so without coaching training, supervison or at the very least participation in an NLP course - if this is your preferred model. I find most books are essentially a representation of the author's belief system, or at least the representation of reality they use for operating in the world. When reading this book I think it is important to have a good sense of descrimination when using the information, something a newcomer to the industry may not have quite developed.

Several points in the book concern me. For instance the author recommends getting testamonials from clients or friends and "If you are uncomfortable with this apporach, surf the internet and use the general quotes that feature in many coaching sites." The section on spiral dynamics is, in my opinion, very poor. Moroever, it shows a misunderstanding of the very basics and essence of the Spiral Dynamics theory. The book provides an interpretation (which the author acknowledges) of the work of Beck and Cowan ["Spiral Dynamics"] which ITSELF is to some extent an interpretation of the work of Dr Clare Graves. I would strongly encourage readers who want to use spiral dynamics in their work to go to as close to the source as possible - i.e. the 'Spiral Dynamics' book, or better still, Grave's own work (there are many poor interpretations of the theory being made elsewhere). This book again encourages the typecasting of people at various levels of the spiral and ways in which to deal with, understand and motivate them. The book constantly refers to the 'thinking' style of people at each of the levels, which even Beck and Cowan have said is not what Spiral dynamics is about. Readers who have read "Spiral Dyanmics" and done some degree of inner work will be very surprised at the representations and use of the theory that are made in this book. I would hope that people are not using the information as it is set out here.

The book does contain some basic information about starting a coaching practice that may be useful to the reader and a list of questions to use in a session that may be useful, however, this is a relatively minor part of the book and these can be found in other books. I do think there is a little value in some of the points in the book, although I'm really struggling to extract it.

In summary, this is a very basic book on coaching, it will be very difficult for a novice reader to apply and I would be concerned if people were using some of the methods described within this book. While I'm pressed to think of any 'great' books on coaching, there are certainly much better books around.

Rating:
Summary: not worth buying
Review: not a very well written book, chapter 2 talks about setting up your business - ah hello we just started talking about life coaching. But all you need to set up your business in the first place is a pen, paper were you can record details and a phone...
come this is a very basic book.
Many of the ideas in the book are not well explained. I suppose as a very basic book it might be alright but it's a rather grand title for such a basic book

Rating:
Summary: A First Class Book
Review: The Life Coaching Handbook is an essential part of my coaching library. It is so refreshing to finally read a book that is written from a practical standpoint. Curly takes you beyond the theory of Life Coaching and gives you a totally practical blue print to kick start your coaching business. The integration of practical marketing strategies and the benefit of the authors own experience make this a compelling read. Curly Martin has written a first class book about a very rewarding profression. The author is passionate about coaching and her own experience shines through.

Rating:
Summary: No easy transition to NLP in your coaching...
Review: There is no way this can be considered a "Handbook". It does not begin to compare with O'Neil's Executive Coaching with Backbone and Heart or Auerbach's Personal and Executive Coaching.

If you're hoping to discover a way to integrate NLP methods into coaching, you're going to need a lot more than this book. I'm not sure exactly what audience I could recommend this to. There are lots of other coaching titles out there that are readable and enjoyable as well as informative. If you're not already well versed in NLP this one's certainly going to be neither.

Rating:
Summary: How this book helped me.
Review: This book is easy to read and absorb. It may not suit the most academic of readers but for someone looking for a practical way to gain an insight into Life Coaching it is perfect. It gave me a good grounding in the key principles I need to master and a plan to develop my learning. It contains very practical advice about setting up your practice and developing a client base which many other books do not cover. I consider it to be amongst the best books on Life Coaching.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Book
Review: This is an outstanding book and exceptional value for money. It is full of practical information, models and methodologies for life coaches.

The author takes the reader through step by step what is involved in building and growing a life coaching practice.
There is not the usual padding of books of this nature and it is a reference guide for new or practicing life coaches.

It is quite clear that the author knows her stuff and her examples are easy to follow. She comes across as sincere, trustworthy and passionate about life coaching. A great book.


Rating:
Summary: Motivational
Review: Using her emotional intelligence the author has written a book which clearly and simply describes what the applications are, of various NLP models in the life coaching context and what life coaching is, how to set up a practice, some guidelines of conduct for a life coach, etc. And the book includes the index and the biography, essential from a serious readers point of view.
You would be a fool to consider a 250-page book will give you all the answers, and that just reading a book would make you a life coach - practical experience is essential. However, this book is easy to read and apply and will be a big step on the learning ladder of life coaching. I found it an inspiring and motivational book which gave me the confidence to consider life coaching as a career. Rather than the often stuffy self absorbed books which give the reader a feeling of inadequacy. I highly recommend this book if you are just starting out or doing research into life coaching.