Life Purpose Coaching: What It Is, How It Works and How to Find a Coach

Life purpose coaching helps you work out what matters most to you, what gives you energy and meaning, and how to turn that into concrete choices about your work and life. A coach doesn’t hand you a purpose. They ask the questions, offer the structure and hold you accountable while you find it yourself.

Who is life purpose coaching for?

  • You feel successful on paper but unfulfilled, or as if you’re “going through the motions”.
  • You’re at a turning point: a career change, a move abroad, children leaving home, retirement or recovery from burnout.
  • You have several directions in mind and can’t decide between them.
  • You want your work to reflect your values, not just pay the bills.

What happens in a life purpose coaching session?

Most coaches start with a free introductory session to check whether you work well together. A typical programme then follows a few broad steps:

  1. Explore: your values, strengths, what energises you and what drains you, and the moments in your life that felt most meaningful.
  2. Clarify: a short statement of purpose or a personal vision that you can test against real decisions.
  3. Decide: what to change, start or stop, from small experiments to bigger moves.
  4. Act: concrete next steps, with your coach supporting and challenging you between sessions.

Sessions usually last 45 to 90 minutes and can take place online or face to face. Many people work with a coach for a series of sessions over several months.

How is it different from therapy, career coaching or mentoring?

  • Therapy can diagnose and treat mental health conditions and often explores the past. Coaching looks forward and assumes you are well and capable.
  • Career coaching focuses on jobs, applications and career moves. Purpose coaching starts wider, with your life as a whole, and often leads into career decisions.
  • A mentor gives advice from experience in a specific field. A coach helps you find your own answers.

Read more in our guide to the types of coaching and what a life coach does.

How to choose a life purpose coach

  • Credentials: look for an International Coaching Federation (ICF) credential: ACC, PCC or MCC.
  • Experience with purpose work: check whether values, meaning and life direction are part of their practice, not just goal setting.
  • Fit: trust matters most. Use a free introductory session to see whether you feel heard.
  • Practicalities: language, time zone, and price.

Life purpose coaches on Koach

  • Manuela Ciaccio (ACC), Lisbon: trained with the Life Purpose Institute and helps clients identify what matters to them and take practical steps towards meaningful change.
  • Eilian Huisman (PCC), Haarlem: transformational coaching with a focus on personal and professional vision and purpose.
  • Jan Bowen, United States: helps clients reconnect to joy, purpose and meaning, and align life and leadership with their values.
  • Roxana Borcsa (PCC), Brașov: helps clients regain self-confidence and self-worth and step into a meaningful purpose.
  • Ksenia Ermakova (PCC), Johannesburg: supports clients in aligning with their life purpose and finding more meaning in life and work.
  • Jenna White, Vancouver: a supportive space to discover your life’s purpose and grow into it.
  • Paolo Rovelli (PCC), Barcelona: uses purpose as the engine of personal and professional growth.
  • Sahana Ravindranath, Bangalore: helps you set a vision, align with your purpose and build on your strengths.

Purpose and career

  • Anita O’Connor-Roberts (PCC), Abu Dhabi: helps you find your purpose and a clear sense of direction towards a fulfilling career.
  • Matt Mills (PCC), Los Angeles: helps early to mid-career professionals bring clarity, fulfilment and purpose to their careers.
  • George Bragadireanu, Bucharest: helps you clarify your values and purpose and the next steps that follow from them.

See all life coaches on Koach and book a free first session.

Frequently asked questions

How many sessions do I need?
It depends on where you start. Some people gain clarity in a few sessions, while others work with a coach over several months as they make changes.

Can life purpose coaching be done online?
Yes. All coaches on Koach work by video call, so you can choose a coach anywhere in the world who speaks your language.

How much does it cost?
Prices vary by coach and package. Many coaches on Koach offer a free introductory session so you can try before you commit.

Is life purpose coaching the same as therapy?
No. Coaching is forward-looking and assumes you are well. If you’re struggling with your mental health, speak to a doctor or therapist first.