Before hiring a life coach or mentor, ask how they work week to week, who exactly you will be working with, how contact works between sessions, what it costs and how you can stop, and what falls outside their scope. Good providers answer these plainly. Vague answers, pressure to commit fast or promises of results are reasons to keep looking.
Why the questions matter
Life coaching and mentoring are not licensed professions in the United States. Anyone can use the title, and approaches vary widely. That is not a reason to avoid them, but it means the intro conversation is where you do your homework. The answers tell you whether the structure fits the person and whether the provider is honest about limits.
About the approach
- What does a typical session look like, start to finish?
- How do you set goals, and how do you track whether they are being met?
- What kinds of people and problems do you work with most?
- What happens when someone does not do what they said they would?
- How long do people usually work with you, and how do you know when it is time to stop?
About the person you will work with
- Will I work with one dedicated person, or whoever is available?
- How do you decide who is a good match, and what happens if the fit is wrong?
- What experience does this person have with people in my situation?
- How are your mentors or coaches screened and supervised?
About structure and contact
- How long are sessions, and how often do we meet?
- Can we meet by video, in person or both?
- Is there contact between sessions, by text or phone? What is the expected response time?
- What is the cancellation and rescheduling policy?
About cost and commitment
- What does it cost, and what is included?
- Is it billed weekly, monthly or as a package? Is there a long-term contract?
- How do I stop if it is not working?
For a full look at pricing, read how much life coaching costs.
For parents of teens and young adults
- How are parents involved at the start?
- What do parents hear about progress, and how often?
- What stays private between the mentor and my child, and what would you tell me right away?
- Will you coordinate with professionals already involved, like a therapist or school counselor, with permission?
See also mentoring for families and does my teenager need a mentor.
About limits
- What is outside your scope?
- When do you refer someone to a therapist, doctor or other professional?
- What do you do if someone is in crisis?
A good answer is clear and specific: a coach or mentor is not a therapist or doctor, does not diagnose or treat, and points people to licensed care when it is needed. In a crisis, call or text 988.
Red flags
- Promises of specific outcomes or results
- Pressure to sign up on the first call or pay for a long package up front
- Claims to treat anxiety, depression, addiction or other conditions without a clinical license
- No clear answer about who you will actually work with
- Reluctance to explain how they handle privacy, parents or a crisis
How Blackburn answers these
Our process starts with a short five-minute assessment that our team reviews personally, then a free intro call where you can ask every question on this page. Each client is matched with one dedicated mentor. Sessions are 30 or 60 minutes, weekly or several times a week, on a weekly plan billed week to week or a monthly plan, by video anywhere in the US or in person in Los Angeles. Mentors stay in touch by text and phone between sessions. With permission, they share progress with family and coordinate with professionals already involved. For high school students, a parent or guardian is always part of the process. Read more in how mentoring works and our FAQ.
Related
- How mentoring works
- How much does life coaching cost?
- Mentor vs coach vs therapist
- What happens in a first mentoring session
Common questions
Do life coaches need a license?
No. Life coaching is not a licensed profession in the US, so it is worth asking how a provider screens and supervises the people doing the work.
What is a reasonable trial period?
A month of consistent sessions is usually enough to see whether the relationship and structure are working. Ask how easily you can stop if it is not.
Should my teen join the intro call?
It helps. At Blackburn, a parent or guardian joins the intro call for high school students, and hearing from the student directly makes the match better.
Get started
Have questions of your own? Call (888) 305 5422, email contact@blackburnmentoring.com or start with a short assessment. A member of our team reviews every assessment personally and sets up a free intro call.