Brolly attack on life coaches ‘shocking’

■ Sir —I regularly access the independent.ie site as I have deemed it trustworthy and informative and has a really good balance of news, lifestyle and well-being information. And the Sunday Independent is also my Sunday newspaper of choice. However, I was shocked at the recent article by Joe Brolly on life coaches.

Life has thrown me some curve balls and as I can struggle some days, it is a breath of fresh air to have the encouragement of life coaches, especially Tara Rafter. Is it not a great skill of theirs if they can provide some guidance and reassurance for people that are going through a difficult time? How is it OK to attack the entire profession — and one person in particular?

Like every profession I’m sure there are those that are good at their job and some not so good, so to tarnish an entire profession with one brush is rather harsh.

I’m actively teaching my children to always be kind and not bully and report bullying, with the support of their school and teachers. However, it is horrible to think a national newspaper can launch a personal attack on one person. That’s bullying too, would you not agree?

Our lives are difficult enough, especially at present, so please don’t dismiss as nonsense a source of comfort and reassurance for so many people.

I understand that you must have a balanced source of information and news.

In a world where you can be anything, be kind.

Sylvia,

Cork (full name with editor) is full of books about success and successful people which literally contain no kind of idea and scarcely any kind of verbal sense”.

He did entertain the hope that he would live to see the demise of this ridiculous genre: “At least let us hope that we live to see these absurd books about success covered with a proper derision and neglect.”

He was wildly optimistic, but only in terms of the timescale. Joe’s article could hardly have been more derisive, but written far too late for Chesterton, who died in 1939.

Jim O’Connell,

Blackhorse Ave, Ashtown