Individual Coaching - DONE

I had a lot of fun in this class. There was a lot of techniques that were covered and I even tried some myself on some coworkers and even my own daughter. It's interesting how people don't look logically at what is the next steps they should make. I noticed a lot of emotional rather than rational thinking and that's OK. I'm even guilty of acting on my own emotions. It's nice to have someone else's take on the situation and help people look at it in another way. When we're anxious, depressed, or mad at a situation, it takes another person to make you look again with a different approach.

I ended this class with an A which makes me a 4.0 GPA student so far. I have four classes left and I'm currently in Research Methods. I don't know if I'll ever use it but it's good to have that knowledge under your belt. Especially if you want to publish something for the scientific community. Believe it or not, there is not much research done on Life Coaching since it is a very young science. I can, without any doubt, publish something that will help others in my profession in a peer reviewed journal. We'll see if I can contribute in the future.

Regarding politics: I don't discuss my own political leanings anymore. We're such a polarized society with an us versus them mentality, it's not worth it for me to discuss any further. I consider politics the equivalent to restroom habits; I DON'T WANT TO KNOW. I speak about politics in the voting booth. I noticed how much I don't post anymore on Facebook as a result of this change of personal policy. I'm actually questioning if I really need a Facebook account anymore, but we'll save that topic for another day.

Regarding life coaching: It's OK to dream. Dreams give us purpose and hope for the future. I understand how dreams can be squashed like a bug. I had a dream about becoming a pilot until I found out that if you're bipolar and diabetic, it precludes you from becoming a pilot. My Pinterest is filled with aviation photos and sites which I now avoid. I don't even look up at the air traffic going into Seatac airport anymore because it breaks my heart each time.

The solution? Find something else you are passionate about. I'm passionate with helping people overcome their problems. I love to play the electric bass. Mourn your dream loss but don't mourn too long because you'll be wallowing in your own misery. Look at today and see what you can do. Yesterday is gone, no matter what took place, even if it makes you feel shame, it's over. DONE. You cannot go back and change it. You can change your present. We're all time travelers going forward in time one second at a time.

Last Week of Individual Coaching Class

This class was my favorite class thus far. We actually got down to techniques and a little bit of how to start your own business in life coaching. My next class is Research Methods but I don't know why. I already took this class at Northwest University. Grand Canyon University insisted that I take this class. At least I go in knowing a lot about researching, considering that's all I do every week. My last assignments have been turned in for the course and the written assignment is worth a whopping 200 points (90-100 points is what it usually is). I have four classes to go including the Capstone course.

At this stage, I'm thinking about my future and I'm starting to get a little worked up. There are currently no life coaching jobs available in my region. Life coaches get into business for themselves and hardly hire anyone in. Do I have the stamina to start my own business? Possibly. Do I have the capital to start my own business? No.

There is a lot involved in starting your own business. I have most of the equipment needed: PC, printer/fax/copier, cell phone, and myself. The only things I need are a locking file cabinet, files, Firewall, and an office at home. Most of these I can get on Craigslist, Ebay, or the local posts on Facebook. The room, I do not have because I have all rooms occupied with kids. I would have to start my business as a part-time venture at first until I get too busy for the limited hours. Other things to consider is a business license, occupancy report, business and malpractice insurance, and a reliable vehicle.

I'm praying to God that He can help me in every way possible. Working for a non-profit organization with limited funds doesn't help my income stream much. A lot of things need to fall into place in order to make my dream come true. Prayers are appreciated!

Reflection on the Bachelor's Degree in Psychology

     In 2011, I embarked on an educational journey to obtain my Bachelor's degree in Psychology. There was a lot of work, classes that had NOTHING to do with psychology, frustration, and, ultimately, success. I graduated in May 2015 with two honors so I was pretty proud of myself. I thought I can step right into the psychology world and practice what I learned.
     Instead, there were not many jobs for people with a BA in psychology. There were case management positions and part-time ABA counselors for autistic kids. Everything else required a Master's or PsyD which paid a lot more. So I flooded the job boards and applied for anything with a BA in mental health. Two months later, I was offered a case management job in North Seattle starting at $15 an hour. This was a far cry from being a technical support technician making $25 an hour so our family took a big financial hit.

"Case Management"
     So I started at a long term residential (LTR) facility for mentally ill clients. The job duties are janitorial, cooking, dishwashing, fetching cups (with ice), driver, med distributor, getting yelled at by mentally unstable clients, and, of course, case management. About 95% of my job is for everything other than case management. In essence, it's mainly a caregiver job with a nursing certification. It was not what I envisioned what I would be doing, especially with a four year degree and thousands of dollars in debt.
     Was it worth it? The noble thing to say is that it was worth it and I'm helping others. The reality is spending $50,000 to become a janitor, dishwasher, cook, and caregiver making minimum wage in Seattle was definitely NOT worth it. They didn't teach us this at the university. We were left to find out on our own. I don't feel like I'm making a difference to these people who are just happy to sit around and do nothing.

Master's Degree
     So I decided to get my Master's degree and spend another $40,000 for my education. I'm going to get a degree where people WANT to be helped out of bad situations. Life coaching seems like a great fit to me. Will this work out in the end? That remains to be seen.  Stay tuned.

Another A

     I got another A for week six of the Individual Coaching class. This one has been a fun class with lots of techniques on coaching. The positive psychology aspect of it has been affecting me in a good way. I now look at what can be done versus what is holding me back. Being depressed all the time is no fun but this class has impacted my depression in a positive way.
     Take my blog URL: Miracle Life Coaching. That's what I intend to name my practice when I'm certified. I believe in miracles and we see them all the time. One of the techniques, which I have used as a question for all of you, is called the miracle question: If the sun, moon, and stars all align in your favor and a miracle happened, what would that look and feel like? This question is intended for what "impossible" situation you may be in that needs help figuring out. It also brings out answers out of people that they never expected. It's an "AHA!" moment for them and lets them think outside the proverbial box.
     There are a lot of subtlties in coaching and you have to be a quick thinker. A good sense of humor helps as well, but it's mostly empathy. If you don't feel what your client is feeling, you're in for a rough time.
     Now, back to my studies...
   

Embarkation to Life Coaching

Hello,

My name is Moises  (Moses) Ferreira. I've spent most of my years in technical support helping people resolve problems with their equipment. I was very good at it and I enjoyed it to a point. I found that fixing equipment was not gratifying. I found that helping people reaching their potential is what really mattered to me. After I got my Bachelor's degree in Psychology at Northwest University, I was hard pressed to find jobs that fulfilled my capacity in helping others. I then became a case manager at Firwood House (Community House Mental Health Agency) in North Seattle. I help people everyday, including cooking, cleaning up, dispensing meds, and counseling individuals. During my course here, I decided to study Life Coaching at Grand Canyon University.

I'm doing very well at GCU with a 4.0 GPA after five classes. What fascinates me about Life Coaching is he positive psychology involved. Let me explain: life coaching is not about what you can't do, but finding a way to do it. As coaches, we try to get the best out of the clients and address their capabilities so we can work with them. Coaches do not try to cure mental illness, that's referred to a counseling psychologist. We try to make your goal reachable and talk you through the steps. Once you feel confident enough to make your goal, you can decide to stop coaching or get coached on another subject.

Life coaching encompasses many things; work/life balance, health, executive, and career coaching. Coaches have a "niche" or specialty. My niche will be in work/life balance and career coaching. I will be graduating on 3/13/2019. During this time, I will be getting certified in life coaching through the International Association of Coaching.

I would like to start my own practice but that will take capital. Capital I do not have. I've been working from paycheck to paycheck with my current humble salary. There are currently no life coaching positions available in my geographic area so I will be hard pressed to find something to begin with.

I started this blog to chronicle my journey as a life coach.
Stay tuned!