Though life coaching can include counseling, therapeutic modalities, mentoring, teaching, training, or consulting, its primary premise is that the client just needs to learn how to re-connect to their own spirit, mind, and body to solve any life issue/goal they are struggling with. In the process, the client will learn how to ask the right questions in order to discover the right answers. This is where a life coach can help. As a result, life coaching sessions are very self-empowering as the client discovers, often for the first time, how wise, intelligent, resourceful, and incredibly powerful they really are. The goal of a coaching session should be to put an end to the need for further coaching sessions, to be free of all wounds and insecurities as humanly possible by knowing what they are and their root causes and how to heal them using the power of their conscious and unconscious mind, body, and spirit. As the client achieves greater inner freedom, they will naturally stop giving their power away (be a slave) to other people, substances, addictions, obsessions/compulsions, products, services, institutions, belief systems, or paranormal forces. It does not mean that the client will no longer need people, material things, or services, but that the client will do so in a way that is balanced and healthy.
Life coaches usually employ methods (e.g., Therapeutic Alliance, Unconditional Positive Regard, Motivational Enhancement Therapy, etc.) in the beginning to ensure the client take actual steps towards their goal as a way to keep the client motivated until the client can reach a point where they are inspired to take action. The word inspire broken down means in–spirit or coming from Spirit or from within. Once the client has reached this stage of development, there is no longer a need for a coach.
Health Coaching
Health coaching is a relatively new, but rapidly growing specialty in life coaching due to the increasing cost of health care and increasing rates of death from chronic health conditions. It is different from personal training in that it does not only entail achieving a certain physical fitness condition through physical exercise activities, but it takes into account all contributing factors to body health including diet, detoxification, eliminating exposure to environmental toxins, and mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Health coaching sessions are typically geared towards healing a health condition, or to achieve a specific level of health or health goal.
Spiritual Coaching
Spiritual coaching is also a relatively new, but rapidly growing specialty in life coaching due to many people being forced by the deterioration of our physical world to seek non-physical answers and solutions. Spiritual coaching sessions are typically geared towards the goal of spiritual connection, self-realization, increasing inner freedom from mental and emotional suffering, and the realization or experience of the true nature of self and Reality.
Holistic Life Coaching
The word holistic has popularly been associated with the use of natural herbal remedies for disease and sickness. However, the actual definition of holistic is “considering a person or thing as a whole, rather than as separate parts” which can be applied not only to medicine but also to coaching. Since there are three aspects of a person: spirit, mind, and body, coaching sessions are significantly more effective and changes tend to be more permanent when all three aspects of a person are addressed and integrated. Oftentimes, when only one aspect of a person is worked on, the desired change or achievement is temporary either creating a relapse or transferring a problem to another area.
What to Look For in a Coach
In addition to the above description of a coach, look for a person who has already achieved what you are looking for. For example, if you need life coaching for a relationship goal or issue, look for someone who is already in a happy and healthy long-term relationship. If you need health coaching, look for someone who is full of energy, vitality, and is physically healthy for their age (graceful aging is good). If you need spiritual coaching, look for someone who has achieved about 80% inner freedom (i.e., being free from as many wounds and insecurities as is possible in a physical human body in a time of suboptimal external living conditions), not just full of book knowledge from years of reading self-help and spiritual books. Unfortunately, it is a human tendency for someone to want to pursue a career in coaching specializing in an area that they actually need the most help in as a way to either cover up that deficiency or as a way for them to learn through other people how to solve this issue. Have you ever met a therapist, counselor, or psychologist who could really use their own services? Projection is this human phenomena of seeing in other people what you actually have in yourself, also known as the mirror effect. It can be very beautiful if what the coach has inside is unblocked Love, Beauty, Grace, and Peace; however, if the coach still has fear, insecurity, frustration, or other trapped emotions inside, it can be very harmful to the client and further propagate the denial of the coach that it is in someone else and not inside them.
Look for an intuitive coach or a coach who is emotionally intelligent and as free of wounds and insecurities as humanly possible due to their many years of intensive and successful personal shadow work. A coach who is very aware of their wounds and insecurities and their root causes is more likely to be able to free themselves of them and can therefore help you do the same. Intuitive does not necessarily mean psychic or able to predict future events with accuracy. Intuitive means that the coach is capable of having a clearer connection emotionally and mentally to the client which helps direct the coach to ask the client key questions that can lead to illuminating and insightful answers in the client resulting in major breakthroughs.
Last year, I had unexpected health and emotional crisis. Health, career, relationships were slipping away from me. Although doctors were trying to find the cause of my condition, something inside me was telling that it is not only physical or psychological. Ngoc was the only person who could understand what I was going through. Looking back now, I feel grateful to have known her. Like a very loving friend, she listened to me with great patience and non- judgment. I felt that I can open up to her and that really helped me to start seeing deeper side of myself. Ngoc truly initiated this beautiful journey of self-discovery for me. ~ Former Client
I’ve known Ngoc for more than 15 years now, she has been a friend and a mentor and an inspiration to me. In different areas of my life like relationship, live paths, love, health, nutrition and even parenting (I don’t have kids, but I always been amaze by her 3 kids I’ve seen them growing up to be Extraordinary and Happy. I have never seen this kids fight, or be mad at each other). As a coach she has always been a great listener, open minded and very insightful. ~ Former Client
What to Expect From Sessions With Ngoc
Sessions with Ngoc can be in-person at her office in Barre, Vermont weekdays 9am-5pm but by appointment only (no walk-ins), or via video/phone weekdays and weekends 7am-7pm EST. Between session support or communication is provided via a HIPPA-compliant secure messaging platform that only Ngoc and the client has access to. Between session secure messaging support is at no additional cost; however, responses from Ngoc are subject to Ngoc’s availability. To avoid confidentiality issues, standard text or email communication with Ngoc should be limited to appointment scheduling, reminders, or other types of information that do not require high levels of security.
Crisis counseling may also be available at the same rate below but is subject to Ngoc’s availability. Request crisis counseling via secure messaging, if possible; otherwise, standard text/call/email may be used if information is limited to requesting a crisis-counseling appointment). If Ngoc happens to have a reschedule or no-show (or if the request is outside of hours and Ngoc happens to be available), Ngoc will invite client for crisis counseling, and if client still has the need, a crisis counseling session can be immediately scheduled. In the event of an emergency, client should never wait for Ngoc to respond since Ngoc may not be available at that moment (Ngoc cannot practically provide on-call emergency services) and instead client should also call one of the following 24-hour crisis hotlines for help, and Ngoc will follow up with client as soon as Ngoc is able to:
- Clara Martin Center 800-639-6360 for Orange County
- Washington County Mental Health Services (WCMHS) 802-229-0591 for Washington County
- Howard Center 802-488-7777 for Chittenden County
- Northwest Counseling Services 802-524-6554 for Franklin and Grand Isle Counties
- Counseling Service of Addison County (CSAC) 802-388-7641 for Addison County
- Suicide Prevention & Crisis Hotline call or text 988 (or text HOME to 741741) from anywhere in U.S.
- 911 for medical, fire, or police emergencies
Though Ngoc may not be able to respond to all inquiries, ideas, or comments between sessions, client is encouraged to journal, share progress or insights, or submit questions or feedback via the secure messaging platform to maximize the use of time for the client in the next session, which may help reduce the number of sessions needed overall. To be eligible for secure messaging between session support, sessions must be scheduled no more than one week apart. Web-based support and communication automatically ends when no more sessions are scheduled.
In addition to the life/health/spiritual coaching, sessions with Ngoc may optionally include (if client is open to trying them since client has full control over what they want to learn or do) but is not limited to Numerology readings; Emotional Intelligence, Pranayama, Yoga, and Meditation training; Holistic Health Consultations; and other practices as the need arises. No two coaching sessions are ever alike. They are as unique, inspired, creative, and spontaneous as the individuals who participate in them. The client has 100% control over what they want to explore, work on, or discuss. Ngoc will ask the client for opinions on various suggestions or ideas if they come up and if client wants to hear them. Clients can bring in other people into the sessions as needed for the benefit of the client.
Schedule a Session
Contact Ngoc via email or phone listed on the Contact Ngoc page to schedule a session.
See Psychology Today profile for fees and insurance