A coach can mean many things to many people.

The ICF defines a coach in the the following way:

“Partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.”

Merriam Webster defines a coach in this way:

“An advisor who helps people make decisions, set and reach goals, or deal with problems .“

Wikipedia defines a coach in this way:

“Coaching is a form of development in which a person called a coach supports a learner or client in achieving a specific personal or professional goal by providing training and guidance.”

Over the years coaching has evolved and many of the lines that used to exist for coaches are now being blurred.

While some in the industry feel it is important for coaches to remain true to the original structure of the methodology, many are now blending other practices into their coaching.

For example, many therapists and counselors are now providing coaching because they see how it can benefit their clients.

Because coaching focuses on helping the client move forward with their life, it only makes sense that if a counselor or therapist are going to help their client address an old emotional wound or trauma, that they also have the capability to provide some coaching.

On the other hand, many coaches are now being trained in other modalities such as hypnotherapy, NLP, Reiki, Emotional Freedom Technique, biofeedback, meditation, yoga, and other alternative modalities that coaches are now using to support their clients.

We here at The Coaching Institute define personal and professional coaches as people who…

• Have dedicated their lives to personal development and well-being
• Are experts in a certain area of life or business that can be beneficial to others
• Help you identify your goals and achieve them
• Hold you accountable on your commitments
• Support you when you feel stuck or overwhelmed
• Can provide guidance when difficult decisions need to be made
• Inspire and motivate you to become your best self

Simply put, the goal of any coach is to help you accomplish something that would otherwise be too difficult to do on your own.

Because there are many areas of expertise that a coach can support their clients such as relationships, finances, business, health, fitness, marketing, parenting, and so on, these days the meaning of a coach is a blend of someone who is an expert , mentor, and consultant who uses coaching techniques and methods to support their client in gaining clarity and achieving a goal.

See also: What is a life coach?