Frequently Asked Questions
About Life Coaching in New Zealand
Below you’ll find a list of the most common questions people ask — from what sessions look like to how coaching differs from counselling.
Feel free to explore the topics that matter most to you, or simply scroll through at your own pace.
What does a life coach do, and how can they help me?
A life coach is a trained professional who helps you overcome difficult times by supporting you to move forward with a clear action plan, while gaining clarity and confidence. A life coach in New Zealand uses various coaching modalities, primarily powerful questioning techniques, to help you find your own way forward.
How is life coaching different from counselling or therapy?
Life coaching is primarily future-focused and goal-oriented. Whether your goal is tangible (like making a career change)or emotional (such as feeling happier or accepting your body) life coaching helps you create a clear, actionable path forward.
In contrast, counselling and therapy often explore past experiences and traumas to understand and heal emotional wounds.
Unlike therapy or counselling, which are focused on diagnosing and treating mental health conditions, life coaching emphasizes personal growth, goal-setting, and creating actionable steps for the future. Coaching is typically shorter-term and structured, aimed at clients who are ready to move forward.
Life coaching includes tangible action steps designed to empower you to achieve your goals. For example, coaching can support you in making peace with a difficult relationship, overcoming body image shame, or cultivating greater self-acceptance. The coach facilitates this transformation, but you—the coachee—are the one who actively moves through the process and owns your change.
A key benefit of life coaching is that it equips you with a practical “toolkit” to build mental resilience and future-proof your wellbeing.
Life coaching is behavior-oriented, addressing unhealthy mindsets and patterns to help you move forward. It’s important to note that mental wellbeing coaching, a specialized form of coaching, goes beyond mindset work by addressing deeper root causes to create lasting change.
Coaching is a partnership: the coach acts as a navigator, while you remain the captain of your own ship.
Although coaching focuses on the future, it sometimes requires looking back at past experiences to understand the root causes of behaviors, so you can let them go and move forward with freedom.
How do I know if I need a life coach?
Life coaching can benefit anyone who's ready for change, growth and support. Whether you're feeling stuck or simply want more clarity and direction, a life coach in New Zealand can help you move forward with purpose.
If you answer “yes” to any of the questions below, life coaching may be the right next step:
Do you feel stuck, flat, or disconnected from your life right now?
Do you want to make a change but feel unsure where to start?
Do you sense that life could offer more — more meaning, joy, or connection?
Do you feel like you’ve tried everything, but nothing seems to shift?
Do you crave more alignment between how your life looks and how it feels?
Do you long for someone to truly listen, without judgment or advice?
Do you know how you want to feel but don’t know how to get there?
Coaching offers a supportive, structured space to reconnect with yourself and create real, lasting change on an emotional, mental and practical level.
What happens in a life coaching session?
Each life coaching session is a safe, confidential space that’s all about you. You’re invited to show up exactly as you are. There is no judgement and no pressure just an open space to be seen, heard, and supported.
Together, we explore what’s underneath your stress, disconnection, or self-sabotaging behaviours. This helps us uncover what might be keeping you stuck, such as limiting beliefs or subconscious patterns, so we can start to shift them.
From there, we co-create a clear goal and break it down into manageable, practical steps. You’ll leave each session with:
Greater clarity and self-understanding
A sense of lightness and emotional relief
Tangible action steps to move forward
A renewed belief in yourself and your capacity for change
Whether you're navigating body image challenges, burnout, anxiety, or just feeling stuck — life coaching in New Zealand can help you reconnect and rebuild from a grounded, empowered place.
Find out what past clients have said about their experience →
How much does life coaching cost in New Zealand?
Life coaching prices in New Zealand vary depending on the coach’s experience, location, and the type of support offered. My standard rate is NZ$125 per session, and I also offer coaching packages at a reduced rate for those ready to commit.
While it can feel like a significant investment, coaching is usually a short-to-medium-term process that equips you with powerful tools, strategies, and mindset shifts to support lasting change. Think of it as an investment in your future, one that helps you build resilience.
Is online life coaching effective?
Yes — online life coaching is just as effective as in-person sessions.
While I love welcoming clients into my space (and making you a cup of tea!), virtual coaching sessions via video call offer the same depth, connection, and results. In fact, many clients find online sessions more convenient and just as transformative.
Whether you’re based elsewhere in New Zealand or simply prefer the comfort of your own space, online life coaching allows us to work together with flexibility and ease — without compromising on quality or impact.
Do I need to have a specific goal to start coaching?
No — you don’t need a specific goal to begin life coaching!
This is a common myth. Most people who start coaching with me don’t come in with a clear, defined goal. Instead, what matters is a genuine desire to shift something in your life that isn’t working or feels painful, and the readiness to do the inner work.
Whether you feel stuck, uncertain, or just want more clarity and ease, coaching can support you in discovering what matters most and creating meaningful change — even if your goals aren’t yet clear.
What qualifications should a life coach have in NZ?
Life coaching is not a regulated or registered profession in New Zealand, which means anyone can call themselves a coach. Because of this, it’s important to be discerning when choosing a life coach.
A professional life coach should have a recognized coaching certification from a reputable training provider. However, the quality of these certifications can vary widely. To ensure you’re working with a qualified coach, consider asking for:
Their coaching qualifications and certifications
Client testimonials or success stories
Whether they are accredited with a professional coaching body such as ANZCAL (Australian and New Zealand Coaching Association), which offers quality assurance and ethical standards.
My own qualifications include a Diploma in Life Coaching with Excellence, a Diploma in Inner Child Healing with Distinction, and I am an accredited coach with ANZCAL.
How many sessions will I need with a life coach?
Most clients typically work through their main goals or challenges within 5 to 7 coaching sessions. After this initial period, many choose to schedule 6-monthly check-ins or occasional sessions to maintain progress and stay on track.
The exact number of sessions depends on your unique needs, goals, and how deep the work goes. Some clients may prefer shorter, focused coaching, while others benefit from longer-term support.
Can life coaching help with anxiety, burnout, or feeling stuck?
Absolutely. Life coaching’s practical, goal-focused approach is especially effective for managing anxiety, stress, burnout, low mood, and the feeling of being stuck.
In addition, coaching supports increasing confidence and improving body image, as well as navigating big life transitions like career changes, relationship shifts, or personal growth challenges.
Through coaching, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of your unique relationship to these challenges and develop practical, tailored strategies to overcome them. My holistic approach includes nervous system healing, somatic practices, mindset work, and subconscious exploration — essential tools to help you reduce burnout, boost confidence, improve your relationship with your body, and manage stress and anxiety effectively.
What’s the difference between mental wellbeing coaching and traditional life coaching?
At their core, both mental wellbeing coaching and traditional life coaching share the goal of supporting personal growth and positive change. However, mental wellbeing coaching is a more focused approach that specifically supports clients’ mental health and emotional balance.
Mental wellbeing coaching is ideal for people who feel they need support but don’t require clinical therapy or counselling. It helps with improving confidence, body image, managing stress, anxiety, low mood, and moving swiftly through big life transitions all while building resilience — providing practical tools to improve mental and emotional wellbeing.
Traditional life coaching tends to be broader, covering a wide range of personal and professional goals such as career growth, goal-setting, and accountability.
In essence, mental wellbeing coaching is a specialized niche within life coaching, tailored for those seeking to enhance their mental health and overall emotional wellbeing.
How do I book a free 15-minute discovery call?
I’d love to connect with you. Simply fill out the contact form, and I’ll be in touch to arrange a time for your free 15-minute life coaching discovery call. It’s a no-commitment opportunity to ask questions, share what’s going on for you, and see if mental wellbeing coaching or life coaching is the right fit for your needs.