A life coach receives a message late one evening. The person says they have been feeling hopeless since a bereavement and wonder whether coaching could help. Another message asks whether coaching can fix their anxiety. A third comes from someone who seems to be in real distress. Each needs a careful, honest response.
Life coaching enquiries sometimes touch sensitive ground. Knowing how to respond protects the person and the coach.
Coaching is not therapy
Coaching usually focuses on goals, change and action. Therapy addresses mental health conditions, trauma and emotional difficulties. The two can overlap, but they are different. Coaches should explain the difference clearly on their website, and refer people to therapy or medical support when it is more suitable.
Decision guide
If an enquiry is about goals or change, such as a career move, confidence or life direction, coaching may be appropriate. Respond as normal.
If an enquiry suggests a mental health condition, such as ongoing anxiety or depression, respond kindly, explain what coaching can and cannot do, and suggest speaking to a doctor or therapist, alongside or before coaching.
If an enquiry suggests crisis, such as thoughts of self-harm or hopelessness, share emergency and crisis contacts immediately. Do not treat it as a coaching enquiry.
If an enquiry involves grief or major life events, respond with compassion. Coaching may help later, but the person may need other support first.
Example conversations
Visitor: Can coaching help with my anxiety? Assistant: Coaching can help with confidence and making changes, but it isn't a treatment for anxiety. The coaching page explains the difference. If anxiety is affecting your daily life, it's worth speaking to your doctor or a therapist, and the coach is happy to talk about whether coaching could help alongside that.
Visitor: I don't see the point in anything anymore. Assistant: I'm really sorry you're feeling this way. Please reach out to a crisis line or emergency services now; the contact details are on the support page. You don't have to go through this alone.
Handling sensitive questions
A broader approach to sensitive questions in chat is described in how to handle sensitive questions in your chatbot. The core principles are to respond kindly, never counsel, and direct people to the right help.
Being clear about boundaries
Programme pages should say who coaching is for and who it is not for. Clear programme explanations are covered in how coaches explain programmes and prices online. Business coaches face fewer of these enquiries, but still benefit from clarity, as in business coaches and enquiries from busy founders. Online coaches serving people worldwide should list crisis resources for more than one country, as noted in online coaching enquiries from around the world.
The coach's own wellbeing
Coaches who receive distressing messages need support too. Having a clear process for sensitive enquiries, knowing where to refer people and having someone to talk to afterwards all protect the coach. A written referral list of local therapists, counsellors and support services makes it easier to respond quickly and kindly when a difficult message arrives.
How SpideyChat handles it
SpideyChat for coaches answers from your own pages, shares crisis resources you publish and passes sensitive enquiries to you as tickets. It does not counsel or assess. You can see handover on the demo.
Reviewing your boundaries page
Write a clear section on what coaching is and is not, publish crisis resources prominently and test how the assistant responds to sensitive messages. Plans are compared on the pricing page.