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The images of a life coach assaulting a 9-year-old boy with autism in Kadıköy drew a huge public backlash. Experts said life coaches cannot do medical treatment and psychological therapy and urged parents to be careful in choosing a coach.

*** This release is originally published in Turkish.
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ISTANBUL (TR) - On 30 May 2018, a new discussion began with the appearance of a 9-year-old boy with autism who was subjected to violence by a life coach in a sports hall in Kadıköy, Istanbul. Professional Qualified Coach (PCC) Fatih Elibol said “In order to become a life coach, some qualifications and national and international organizations such as ICF (International Coaching Federation) should be accredited. They are not those who judge, criticize, coerce you and tell you what to do. Coaches are not doctors who can prescribe to improve your health or psychologists for psychological support. Life coaches are those who support you, achieve success, and help you find the answers to your questions as you move towards your goals”

“The events are extremely sad ”

Fatih Elibol, who made evaluations about the incident in Kadikoy, said, “Apart from the gravity of the incident, we were saddened by the fact that someone called himself a life coach. What happened is unacceptable and is totally contrary to our ICF ethical values ​​and droughts. We try to raise awareness by putting our hands under the stone against the diversion and discreditation of coaching. We need to know that coaches can help to manage people's potential in the most efficient way and cannot provide medical and psychological therapy in any way. These are not the tasks of the coaches. Hundreds of corporate executives, professional coaching from my adventure in Turkey and the world, CEOs, actors, athletes, and I gave support to ordinary people. I've also implemented training and certification programs for candidates who want to coach under the umbrella of the ICF in many regions of Turkey. As I have experienced in all of them, the coach plays a role in identifying, clarifying and aligning with the issues you want to achieve, encouraging you to discover yourself, developing solutions and strategies, holding you responsible. Coach is not the person who tells you what to do but makes you find him”

“Make sure your support partner is a real coach ”

Fatih Elibol, who wants to get support from the coaches and especially the parents should have information about the coaching process and areas of expertise, said, “Learn more about the coach's experience, characteristics, title, and training when choosing a coach. It is of great importance to choose people who have been included in training programs that comply with international occupational criteria, who have continuously developed their coaching competencies through training, and who have fulfilled their profession in accordance with ethical rules and who have received training from professional organizations.”