When people are at a crossroads in their professional careers, they can turn to a coach based in Ridgewood who can help them figure out the next big step forward in their lives.
Janet Forest has been a certified life coach for just over a year and is using her experiences changing careers — from learning journalism in school, to being a successful office manager at a real estate firm, to transferring to running her own pet sitting business, to becoming a life and career coach — to help others find clarity in what they want to do in their lives.
As part of her coaching business, Forest has been educating people on what exactly a life and career coach is, what they do, and what exactly she does to help people.
“Coaching is a relatively new field and I would say a majority of people have never worked with a coach and don’t really have a lot of knowledge around it,” Forest explained. “So there’s a lot of people don’t know what to expect. So a lot of the past year has been just educating people on what coaching is and what I do.”
During her sessions, Forest asks tons of questions to figure out exactly what people need, what they are looking for, and the best way to get them out of their comfort zones and get them on the right track to what they want. By asking a lot of questions, Forest said, she puts the work on her client by making them think about what it is they really want, rather than her telling them what to do.
“Mostly I’ve been working with people who have some professional experience under the belt regardless of what it is,” Forest said. “They have life experience and professional experience. And they’ve developed skills and strengths, and now they’re in a position to leverage those to do something that they find more fulfilling.”
Forest offers several different options for clients ranging from an Energy Leadership Index (ELI) assessment, single “Coaching over Coffee” sessions, or a three-month package.
The three-month package includes 12 weekly 45-minute sessions over the phone or on Skype, where Forest will work with the client to clarify and set goals, work through emotional blocks, and celebrate progress and success.
Forest’s “Coaching over Coffee” sessions are $25 for 25 minutes at a local coffee shop so clients can see if coaching is right for them.
“It gives people a little taste of what coaching is, how it works, and what they might get out of it,” Forest said of the “Coaching over Coffee” sessions.
To find out more about Forest and the services she offers, visit her website, janetforest.com, or her coaching Facebook page.
