academic Life Coaching
The Full Story
Dream Out Loud Academic Life Coaching Program is specifically designed to address the most challenging aspects of being a student and young person. Skills and tools addressed in the program focus on helping students be successful academically, as well as helping them gain life skills to lead effective and fulfilled adult lives.
The program as a whole is based on the four main challenges that students face.
1. Challenge: Stress Over Grades.
Life Skill to Develop: Managing Stress.
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​ 2. Challenge: Concern about Motivation and Involvement in School.
Life Skills to Develop: Understanding and Applying Useful Motivation Styles.
3. Challenge: Frustration in Relationships.
Life Skills to Develop: Proactively Creating Powerful Relationships.
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4. Challenge: Uncertainty About the Best Options Available or the Best Path Forward.
Life Skill to Develop: Creating Clarity and Following Through.
If you think Life Coaching sounds like the right opportunity for your student, now is a better time than ever to get started. Below you will find a step-by-step guide on choosing your coach, setting up an initial interview, discussing the process with your student, and starting the program.
How to Get a Life Coach for Teens
Step 1: Choose your Coach.
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Brenda Bowen completed her Life Coaching Certification through the ICF (International Coaching Federation) accredited Dream Releaser Academy. In addition, Coach Brenda earned a Master Degree of Education in School Counseling as well as a Bachelors Degree in Social Work from Cleveland State University. With a combined 19+ years of experience in Counseling, Youth Advocacy and as an educator in Early College, she understands first hand the difficulties and barriers which Teens and Young adults may be facing during certain transitional times. Also, as a minority female being the first to attend college in her family, she fully comprehends how certain road barriers may appear impossible to overcome. Coach Brenda is passionate about not only assisting teens and young adults succeed, but also to provide the much-needed extra support which both Parent and Child may be in need of. The great thing about Life Coaching is that if you are not local, Life Coaching also works just as well over the phone as it does in person. If this service is not in your area, there are additional options.
Step 2: Set Up an Initial Interview with a Coach.
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The point of the initial interview is for the coach to talk with your student about what they can expect to get out Dream Out Loud Academic Life Coaching Program. This meeting is an opportunity for the coach and your student to get to know one another, build rapport, try out a few coaching exercises, and determine if they are a good fit for each other. If you and your student decide to proceed with the coaching program after the initial interview, you and your coach can discuss the desired method of coaching (in person or over the phone), frequency and schedule of coaching sessions, and payment schedule.
Step 3: Talk to Your Student about the Initial Interview.
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Parents often ask the question, “How do I approach my child about life coaching?” Some students are really hesitant to meet with a life coach. Most coaches meet with students in public places, like libraries and coffee shops, which sets the tone for meaningful conversation in a comfortable setting. Via facetime, ZOOM, or over the phone is also an option. The best way to explain Dream Out Loud Life Coaching Program is not to explain too much. The simple explanation is that it looks at helping students understand how they study and learn best, as well as developing habits and skills that will help them succeed.
Step 4: The Initial Interview.
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Typically, Coach Brenda will suggest that parents attend the first 5 to 10 minutes of the initial interview with their student. The Life Coach will describe her background and ask both the parent and student what they are hoping to get out of the next three months or more of coaching. This initial question produces some useful starting points for the coaching. For the remainder of the initial interview, it is best if the coach and student meet one-on-one, without the parent, in order to give the student, the chance to experience what coaching is like.
Step 5: Discuss the Initial Interview and Make a Decision.
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Usually, it works best if you discuss the life coaching with your child immediately after the initial interview, while everything is still fresh. Parents find the car ride back from the coffee shop or library is a great time to talk to their student. If students are not interested in continuing with the Dream Out Loud Life Coaching Program after the initial interview, the program will likely not be successful, and you may want to consider an alternative option for your student.
Step 6: Start the Dream Out Loud Life Coaching Program.
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At this point, students and parents are usually eager and enthusiastic to begin the Program and to start experiencing results during this kind of work. Before you start, your coach will arrange payments and a coaching schedule. Coach Brenda will organize sessions and recommend various schedules, based on what they think is best for the student. Coach and Student can meet as frequent as once a week (Highly Recommended for accountability purposes) and at a minimum of once every other week for the duration of the program.