Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/146934
The power of coaching is helping [clients] look at what is and what they want for their life. To explain what a life coach does, Luoma invokes the image of an got none. At the end of three months, she tested both groups again original coach, a 19th century vehicle that physically carried people for measurable changes in life satisfaction and personal growth. from one place to another. "A life coach," she explains, "serves the "I hired a UW-Madison professor to do the analyses, and he same purpose metaphorically, carrying clients from where they are called me and said, 'Holy cow! This stuff works!'" she recalls with a to where they want to be." mix of pride and wonder. Soon after, spurred on by the results, she Navigating an ever-evolving journey through life's twists and started coach training. turns is well-plodded territory for Luoma. What began as a passion and part-time job, became a full time Although always drawn to helping people solve problems, it career in January of this year when Senator Kohl retired; but not was politics that captured Luoma's attention after college. Armed before sessions with her own life coach. A woman who exudes conwith a bachelor's degree and teacher's certification from UW-Eau fidence and strength, Luoma wasn't afraid to say she needed help. Claire, her first job brought the Minnesota na"I worked with a coach all fall, helping me tive to Madison where she worked in governmake the decision to jump," she says. "I was Get in the Game ment relations for the Wisconsin Education scared to do it because there's no safety net, no Association Council (WEAC). From there she health insurance." moved to a nonprofit public policy think tank, Her internal mental saboteurs, whom she A life coach focuses on the then a full-time job on the 2000 Gore presilaughingly refers to as her "itty bitty shitty whole person and works dential campaign. Returning to Wisconsin after committee," were out in full force. "But my holistically to help you identify the Florida recount, she went to work for Sen. coach helped me see that, right now in my life, goals and take manageable Herb Kohl as director of his Madison office and being aware of my passions, there's really no steps to find satisfaction stayed, taking a short leave to help run Governor alternative." Of coaching, she says with cerJim Doyle's transition team. tainty, "I believe in it. I walk the talk because and fulfillment. You can find How did someone with such a political bent it works." life coaches who focus on get into coaching? specific niches, such as career, "It was more like, 'How did I get into public A life coach is neither a therapist who examines relationships, parenting, policy?'" she says with a laugh. "Coaching is past, often painful, relationships and events, finances, spirituality, business my true passion. I just have always loved helping nor a mentor who paves the way. Rather, the people." coaching relationship is a collaborative effort in and executive development, The pull to help people pushed her toward which a coach helps a client identify a vision, set systems, fitness, nutrition, etc. graduate school and, after just a couple of years concrete, measurable goals, and take specific, with Sen. Kohl, she tendered her resignation. manageable steps to find fulfillment. With the The senator's response was, "You can go to grad coach helping to see the big picture and identify school, but I won't let you resign; so figure it out." blind spots, the client sets the course and makes the changes. Juggling work, family, sports and school, she completed a master's Extremely stressed in her job, Megan Cain was more than ready degree for working professionals in organizational development, to chart a new path when she came to Luoma. In the beginning of though she was a bit taken aback when her first thesis proposal, the coaching process, she asked herself, "How can I change the way on ethics in a gubernatorial transition team, was met with a yawn. I function in my job?" That was the first step. "Then, I decided I was When her advisor asked what really excited her, there was no hesigoing to leave the organization I worked for; and then I decided that tation: coaching. I was going to start my own business—so it was stepping stones to For her thesis, she studied a group of former U.S. senate interns. those different realizations with a few areas of work around each of After testing each subject to determine levels of satisfaction and those things…That's what you learn by coaching, it's like peeling fulfillment in their lives, she gave coaching sessions to half of them back the layers of an onion—the outer layer is 'this,' but then you (though she'd had no formal training at the time). The other half keep peeling and peeling and peeling." 44 BRAVA Magazine August 2013