Frequently asked questions

What is coaching?

Coaching is a process in which a coach and client agree to partner that is thought-provoking, creative, and designed to inspire the client to maximize their potential.

The client may be an individual, a relationship or partnership (such as co-founders or a romantic relationship), or a team.

What is the difference between coaching and psychotherapy?

Psychotherapy is a healthcare service designed to assess for, diagnose, and treat mental health disorders. It sometimes focuses on the past. Coaching is designed to help people close the gap between where they are and where they want to be. It focuses on the present and future, and it is not a healthcare service.

As an analogy, a coach is like an athletic trainer, while a psychotherapist is like a sports medicine doctor. The trainer works from the assumption that the athlete is healthy and wants to improve. The trainer will refer the athlete to a doctor if there is reason to believe the athlete has an injury.

What is the difference between coaching and consulting?

A consultant provides a client with advice, direction, and guidance based on the consultant’s expertise. A coach empowers a client to set and achieve goals using the client’s own resourcefulness and creativity.

What kind of training is required to be a coach?

Anyone can call themselves a coach, even individuals with no formal training. That’s why it’s important to understand a coach’s qualifications before deciding to work with them.

Ben has completed over 250 hours of ICF-accredited coach training. Much of this training has been with the Co-Active Training Institute (CTI), which has been training coaches for the past 30 years, including employees in more than a third of Fortune 100 companies.

Do you have any professional certifications?

Yes, Ben has earned his Professional Certified Coach (PCC) credential from the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and his Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC) credential from the Co-Active Training Institute (CTI), and his Certified Team Performance Coach (CTPC) credential from Team Coaching International (TCI). Ben is also certified in the Hogan personality assessments and has been trained in Organizational & Relationship Systems Coaching (ORSC) by the Center for Right Relationship.

Do you use a particular coaching model?

Yes. Ben uses different coaching models depending on the type of client he is working with.

When working with individual clients, Ben primarily uses the Co-Active Coaching model. Highlights of this model include holding each client as naturally creative, resourceful, and whole, and aiming to help clients move forward not only in what they are “doing”, but also how they are “being” in relationship with others and themselves. Ben also draws influence from Internal Family Systems theory in his individual coaching.

When working with relationship clients, Ben uses the Organizational & Relationship Systems Coaching model. Highlights of this model include holding each relationship as naturally intelligent, generative, and creative, and holding reflecting the relationship to itself as the coach’s top priority.

When working with team clients, Ben uses the Productivity/Positivity Model developed by Team Coaching International. This model holds that high-performing, sustainable teams score high on both productivity factors (e.g. alignment, accountability, goals & strategies) and positivity factors (e.g. trust, communication, valuing diversity).

What does a coaching engagement look like for individuals?

Ben’s coaching engagements for individuals begin with a Foundation Session to establish the coach-client relationship and set high-level goals for the partnership. After that, we meet weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly via video chat to collaborate on topics chosen by the client. These topics are typically obstacles to achieving the client’s goals. During each session, we work together to generate insights, action plans, and accountability structures related to the topic. Between each session, we stay connected using a web-based platform. At the end of the coaching engagement, we celebrate progress and reflect on key learnings, and the client makes commitments for the future.

What does a coaching engagement look like for relationships or partnerships?

Ben’s coaching engagements for relationships or partnerships (e.g. couples, co-founders) are very similar to his coaching engagements for individuals. The key difference is that throughout the engagement, Ben will not be coaching an individual or even two individuals. Rather, Ben will be coaching the relationship that exists between the two individuals, also known as the “third entity”. To get a better understanding of this concept, please schedule an introductory phone call. Ben would love to connect with you.

What does a coaching engagement look like for teams and organizations?

Coaching engagements for teams and organizations are highly customized to the needs of each client. Engagements may involve diagnostic assessments, stakeholder interviews, individual coaching, team coaching, and more. To discuss how Ben might be able to support your team or organization, please schedule an introductory phone call. He would love to connect with you.

Where are you based?

While I am based in Boston, Massachusetts, I work with clients from across the United States as well as internationally.

Do you work with teens?

I work with clients ages 18 and older only.