Q: Why should I work with you?
A: I bring over two decades of real married and family life experience, along with formal training in marriage and family sciences. My approach is practical, personalized, and faith-informed: I help you identify what is not working, understand why, and take concrete steps that strengthen your relationship in everyday life.
Q: Do I have to be Catholic in order to work with you?
A: While I don’t require you to be a practicing Catholic, please know that my Catholic faith heavily influences my view of marriage. So I will be sharing wisdom from this worldview, as this is the one I’m best qualified to speak about. However, I believe that my faith teaches universal truths, so anyone could benefit from my mentoring and coaching services.
Q: What is the difference between coaching and therapy or counseling?
A: Excellent question. Here’s a quick summary of the differences (thank you AI).
| Feature | Coaching | Counseling/Therapy |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Present and future, goal-oriented | Past and present, holistic, emotional |
| Goal | Achieve specific outcomes, improve performance | Address mental health issues, improve coping skills |
| Approach | Action-oriented, strategy-focused | Empathy, understanding, evidence-based therapies |
| Relationship | Coach and client as equals | Counselor/therapist as expert, patient-centered |
| Training | Training in coaching methodologies | Extensive education and licensure |
| Diagnosis | No | Yes, for mental health conditions |
In addition to coaching, I also offer courses focused on specific areas of marriage preparation and enrichment. These are more instructional in nature, though always personalized to your specific circumstances.
Q: Do you work with couples or singles?
A: This depends on the situation. For example, I will work with an engaged couple, but sometimes I will work with one of the spouses if the challenge calls for it. This is something that we can decide as we enter into a coaching relationship.
Q: Will we meet in person or online?
A: I offer both options. I live west of Toronto, Canada. If it makes sense to meet in person, I would LOVE to do that. Zoom allows me to meet with people from all over the world, which is amazing. Technology does have its perks.