Gay men seeking a professional coach now have a new resource — a no-cost online directory of professional coaches who are also gay through The Gay Coaches Alliance’s (GCA) new website, www.thegaycoaches.com. The alliance also launched a new Facebook page to elevate coaching awareness and access within the gay community.

The new website adds to GCA’s growing support and developmental offerings for gay coaches, which includes a monthly professional development and networking teleconference and an international conference slated for 2012. Plus, the new website offers an active developmental forum for member coaches. Currently, there are 16 professional coaches from throughout North America listed in the GCA’s online directory, and the list continues to grow.

Formed more than two years ago, the GCA has a three-part mission – to promote the field of coaching, especially for gay men to find a gay coach; to support individual gay coaches to develop and sustain successful practices; and, to form a global community to develop a greater presence of gay coaches in the world.

Alliance co-founders Dave Allen, Michael Cohen and Harry Faddis – each a professional coach with many gay clients – first conceived of GCA after noting that gay men can especially benefit from working with a trained professional coach. They also realized that there were many gay men who were powerful coaches and many more gay men who could be excellent coaches, but there was no centralized specific support available. They shared a belief that gay men have unique needs when being coached, but neither coaching organizations nor training programs specifically addressed them adequately, if at all. So the GCA formed to help gay men find a coach as well as encouraging and developing gay men who are coaches.

Why a gay coach?

Trust is essential in any coaching relationship, enabling client and coach to speak freely and explore the client’s beliefs and dreams without fear of judgment. But trust is especially important for coaching gay men; finding others who are trustworthy has been a lifelong challenge for most gay men. Shared experience often helps build rapport and trust more quickly. “A lot of gay men have been wounded by the process of growing up gay and have been cut off from their power – to choose a good life, to be in satisfying relationships, to make the kind of impact they want to make in the world,” explained GCA co-founder Michael Cohen. “By working with a gay coach there is no ‘translation of culture’ necessary; it’s easier when the coach and client have a common frame of reference.”

The high-trust environment allows clients to be truly authentic in sharing dreams and desires – perhaps for the first time in their lives. Gay coaches can also be excellent guides for men who are questioning their sexual orientation or men who are in the process of “coming out.”

“Coaching with a gay coach can be especially effective for gay men who feel cut off and alienated from other successful and strong men,” said Dave Allen, a GCA co-founder. “Being really ‘heard’ and respected by another man creates an expansive field of opportunity. To have another man – his coach – stay and be an advocate, cheerleader and guide is potent when experience has taught gay men to hide who they really are or else risk abandonment.”

Coaching works

Coaching is effective in increasing personal satisfaction and effectiveness in many contexts of life – work, relationship, education, and life stage transitions. Coaching is convenient and portable, often done by telephone, a few sessions per month. It is effective one-on-one, as well as for couples, groups or teams.

Working with a professional coach can supercharge a client who feels “stuck” to make choices, take action and move in the direction of their dreams. Some common activities within a coaching session include asking powerful questions, identifying alternative perspectives, challenging limiting beliefs and concluding with the client’s commitment to take specific action to move them ahead. “Coaching is for people who want to change, who are motivated to change and who are willing to stay the course,” Faddis said. “I think every gay man could benefit from working with a coach.”

To join the GCA, coaches can apply on the website. There is a nominal quarterly membership fee for coach membership, which covers his listing and eligibility for GCA programs. There is no charge to use the directory to find a coach.