Life Coaches Encourage, Assist
Two Southwest Florida practitioners have far-reaching impact
Listen to any coach at a baseball game, a tennis tournament or even during an event at the Olympics, and you’ll likely hear him or her saying, “Well done!” and “Keep it up!” and “Excellent work!” Such words of encouragement help instill confidence, provide support and show pride—which in turn help the players perform better.
Getting behind an athlete, helping him or her develop an action plan and encouraging the player to see it through are what makes a great coach. These same principles are behind the thinking of life coaches, who help clients get from point A to point B—whether it is making a career change, increasing one’s income or turning around a marriage.
For nearly 40 years, David Essel has made positive impacts on many lives, including celebrities such as Jenny McCarthy and Kenny Loggins.
David Essel is an author, speaker, radio talk show host, counselor and life coach. Based in Southwest Florida, he has a worldwide reach. He combines the qualities of a counselor and the attributes of a life coach.
Essel is heralded by Psychology Today as a top counselor and life coach in the United States, and verified by marriage.com as one of the world’s top relationship experts. For nearly 40 years, he’s made positive impacts on many lives, including celebrities such as Jenny McCarthy and Kenny Loggins. His newest book, Focus! Slay Your Goals, came out in February and is available from his website and online booksellers.
Essel explains that he starts off with a 30-minute introductory session to see if there is a “right fit” in terms of compatibility between him and the client. Then, if it “syncs,” they figure out an action plan.
Essel’s love of leadership began at an early age. His website notes he played junior varsity basketball at Syracuse
William “Bill” Tollefson, Ph.D., earned four life coaching certifications to expand the more traditional counseling methods he’d been using.
University, and was offered a position on the varsity team during his junior year, which he declined. Essel created a successful career in fitness before transitioning to sports psychology. In 1990, “I become a counselor and a life coach, helping people from all walks of life to achieve their goals,” he explains.
Some have been so inspired by Essel they’ve also become life coaches. William “Bill” Tollefson, Ph.D., is a certified master life coach with offices in Cape Coral and Boca Raton. He met Essel at a seminar; then earned four life coaching certifications to expand the more traditional counseling methods he’d been using. “I found that as a life coach, I could assist individuals by teaching positive life skills and methods, and can change their mindset more effectively and faster than in therapy,” Tollefson says.
He focuses on helping clients recover from trauma, abuse and post-traumatic stress disorder. Tollefson also assists with a wide variety of other life issues for all kinds of clients, such as those seeking to better their finances or to improve their career or relationships.
Tollefson has a blog, radio show and a series of videos. He’s authored several books that are available from his website and online booksellers, and offers a variety of self-help programs and DVDs. “I find this type of work very rewarding—not only for myself but also for the clients I have helped throughout the years,” he says. Ann Marie O’Phelan is a Southwest Florida resident and a frequent contributor to TOTI Media.