Coach with me
I'm one of the life coaches here, not the only one. If you've got life experience and you want to help somebody who's in the middle of something you've already been through, I'd like to hear from you.
Who I'm looking for
People who have lived some life. That's the whole qualification. You don't need a certificate, a degree, or a practice — I don't have any of those either. What matters is that you've been through something real and came out the other side with something worth passing along.
Any stage of life, and any part of it. Raising kids. Losing a business and starting over. Getting sober. Getting divorced. Caring for a parent. Starting again at fifty. Coming home from service. Burying someone. Being young and having no idea what comes next. All of it counts, and none of it is too ordinary.
It's volunteer work
Nobody here is paid, myself included. We don't charge the people we talk with, so there's nothing to pay anyone out of. You're giving your time, and that's understood on both sides.
You set the hours
One conversation a month is a real contribution. There's no quota, no shift, and no penalty for stepping away when your own life needs you. Say what you can actually do and we'll work with that.
We talk first
Before anything else, you and I have a conversation — about your story, what you'd want to help with, and what you'd rather stay away from. If it's a fit for both of us, we go from there.
Tell me about yourself
This opens your email app with the message filled in, so you can see exactly what you're sending before it goes.
Rather write it yourself? Email mark@markhope.com directly.
What the role is
Listening, mostly. Asking good questions. Being honest with someone about what you see, and being clear that it's your view and not an instruction. Telling a person the truth about whether you're the right one to help them.
What the role isn't
Volunteer coaches here are not licensed clinicians, and the same limits apply to all of us: no therapy, counseling, diagnosis, or treatment, and no legal, medical, or financial advice. If someone needs a licensed professional, our job is to say so early and help them think about finding one — not to try to be one.
Please don't use this form if you're in crisis. If you need help right now, contact emergency services or a crisis line in your area rather than waiting on a reply. In the US, you can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, any time.
One more thing
If you're reading this and thinking your experience isn't special enough to be useful to anybody — that's usually the person I most want to hear from. Write to me anyway.