The book is elegantly laid-out, easy to follow and powerfully practical. The heart of the message is that caring for and WITH people truly matters. Whether we are labeled as "mental health practitioners" or "spiritual ministers" or coaches, we all use highly sophisticated skills, some that are ancient and timeless, and others that are new and scientifically "proven," to help people transform their lives.

The book is directly aimed at "helping professionals." The message is that what mental health professionals do is IMPORTANT, even if insurance companies and (at times) our culture fails to appreciate it. Williams and Davis present practical, do-able paths that allow professionals to reclaim their independence and do the work they love and are trained to do well.

The exciting part of the book for me, as a Psychologist who has already transitioned into coaching, was the delightful, passionate reminder of what coaches actually DO! While this is an introduction or over-view of coaching, I found the reminders, the affirmations, and the passion extremely helpful. As "people experts" it is good to be reminded of how much we know, how skilled we are, how many "tools" we have in our toolbox!

I found the book easily readable, very well-thought-out, and helpful. I highly recommend it for (1) anyone considering entering the field of coaching, (2) mental health professionals who are tired or restless and looking for a new challenge, and (3) for coaches who want a helpful survey of the skills and strengths we bring to our work. All three groups will get a tremendous lift and find it a helpful read.


You Have to Read This Book!   December 9, 2003
 14 out of 15 found this review helpful

There are 3 kinds of people who must read this book:
1. Therapists who are looking to add professional coaching to their list of services or who are making a transition away from traditional therapy into life coaching.
2. Professional Coaches who specialize or want to specialize in life coaching.
3. Established Life Coaches.

There is something for everyone in this book, but particularly for these 3 groups of people there is NO BETTER BOOK AVAILABLE to help you make this transition in the fastest and most efficient way possible.

Pat Williams is one of America's Top Professional Coaches. In addition to his nationally recognized coach training program (lifecoachtraining.com), he is also on the board of the International Coach Federation (coachfederation.org), one of the top speakers in the field, and on the cutting-edge of standardizing and professionalizing the field of coaching.

I can't recommend this book high enough. I firmly believe this book should be on the bookshelf of every professional life coach.


You Don't Have to be a Therapist to Benefit from this Book.   June 12, 2003
 13 out of 13 found this review helpful

This book goes far beyond helping therapists transition into life coaching. It gives the reader a very clear and exciting introduction to this new and upcoming field. It was my first real introduction to coaching, yet after training in the field and went back and read it again and got even more out of it.
The book explains the difference between coaching and therapy, and also helps the reader decide which is best for her/him. Exercises are provided to help the reader's decision making. The way the book is put together the authors quite effectively coach the reader toward the possibilities and the joys of coaching. They also spend a good number of pages on how to start a coaching business. I loved it. As an aspiring life-coach I say "thank you."


Therapist as Life Coach   December 7, 2002
 10 out of 12 found this review helpful

This is an excellent book for those of us who have been practicing therapists and have a desire to do what we actually intended when we chose this profession in the first place. The book is well written. It provides a comprehensive discussion of the differences between coaching and psychotherapy or counseling. After defining what this new and exciting field is all about, the authors have given us newcomers to the field a wonderful manual to assist us in establishing a coaching practice. You couldn't really ask for more... unless you want even more of a headstart; you might enroll in Pat's Life Coach Training course, a 30 hour course which supplements the book. A complimentary introductory session is available by going to the Institute web site,...Life coaching is a natural evolution from traditional therapy practices. Moving into this field has transformed my life. Thank you Pat and Deborah!