Can I Do This?

First of all, thank you, Melinda. I appreciate your honesty and your vulnerability. The short answer to your question is: Yes. Can you do this? Yes. It’s a hell yes.

The deeper question is: how effective do you want to be? That’s the soul of this whole series—I Want to Be a Better Coach. The work isn’t just about gaining new tools. It’s about looking within and asking: how much do I want to grow myself in service of others?

Almost anyone can be a coach, in a general sense. But if your intention is to hold space for deep transformation, to be present in a way that empowers your clients to awaken into their own potential, then your path will include your own evolution. That’s the territory we walk together.

I’ve mentioned before that I began as a therapist. And when I moved into recovery work, I quickly realized how central spiritual development was. So, I studied spiritual guidance at the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology (now Sofia University). When I later transitioned into coaching, it felt like a whole new world—even though I had nearly two decades of experience as a therapist and as a spiritual guide. Why? Because it required me to show up differently. Less directive. More present. More attuned.

I still remember a conversation with one of the founders of ITP, James Fadiman. I had just finished my PhD and said, “I’m training to be a life coach.” He looked at me and said, “That’s deep work.” And he was right. Coaching isn’t about fixing. It’s about being fully present with another person’s unfolding. That’s a sacred responsibility.

So, Melinda, yes—you can absolutely do this. But here’s what it requires: a clear sense of your intention. What do you want from this work? How much are you willing to evolve, to meet the depth of your own being, so you can meet your clients in that space?

And this brings up another question that often comes up in tandem: Can I make money doing this? That’s a real question, and I’ll address that more fully in another post. But for now, I want to say this: if money is the higher priority than your presence as a coach, that will shape how you show up. No judgment—just clarity. Where are your values leading you?

You see, the true Dilemma isn’t whether you can coach. It’s whether you’re willing to allow yourself to shift–to notice the ways fear gets in your way.

To ask: what am I listening for in a session? Am I worried about how I sound? Whether the client will come back? How much money I might lose if they leave? These are real concerns—and they’re your growth edge.

The most powerful way to support your clients is to be someone who is continually asking: What gets in the way of my presence? What is mine to own and tend to, so I can sit more cleanly, more courageously, in the seat of the coach?

Coaching is an invitation. First to yourself. Then to others. And you can coach from any place on that journey. Some people want to coach within a clearly defined box—that’s beautiful, if that’s what you want. But if you want to coach the whole person, including the spiritual and expansive self we each are—then you’re being called to a deeper kind of work.

And not everyone wants to go there.

In fact, I’ve had people attend my webinar—The 10 Essential Truths of Transformational Coaching—and say, “Yeah, no. That’s too deep. I don’t want to work that hard.” They weren’t ready to do that level of personal excavation. And that’s great information. It’s good to know your level.

There’s no right way. But there is your way. And knowing that—getting honest with yourself—is one of the greatest gifts you can give to your practice.

So yes, Melinda. You can do this. You can be every bit as effective as I am—and more. The question is: are you willing to meet yourself along the way?

If you are, the journey will unfold. And I promise—it’s a journey worth taking.