Positive thinking without a smile: Self and care in Israeli life coaching.

  This dissertation examines how life coaches in Israel construct their professional and personal identity by navigating global narratives of self-fulfillment and governmentality. The study is based on extensive multi-sited ethnographic fieldwork conducted between April 2010 and September 2012, including observations in three different life coaching training programs, various coaching workshops, professional conferences, and behind the scenes of a coaching-related radio show. Since the early 2000s, life coaching has gained immense popularity in Israel, attracting tens of thousands of Israelis—particularly middle- and lower-middle-class women—as both trainees and practitioners. Simultaneously, coaching has become a sought-after profession; in 2011, Israel had the highest number of trained life coaches per capita in the world. Key Findings:

1. Life Coaching as a Promise of Self-Realization – Many coaches and trainees perceive coaching as a tool for personal growth and meaning.
2. An Unregulated Industry – The high number of life coaches in Israel, coupled with a lack of formal oversight, has resulted in a dynamic but loosely defined professional field.
3. The Role of Gender in Coaching – Women constitute a significant majority of both coaches and clients, highlighting the link between coaching, career shifts, and self-fulfillment aspirations among middle-class women.
4. The Tension Between Personal Authority and Individual Freedom – Coaches teach clients to take responsibility for their lives while simultaneously exercising professional authority over how they should do so.

Conclusions and Recommendations:

• Recognizing Coaching as a Broader Cultural Phenomenon – Life coaching is not just a self-improvement tool but a reflection of contemporary social and economic values.
• The Need for Regulation and Professional Definition – The rapid growth of the coaching industry in Israel calls for clearer training and certification frameworks.

A Critical Examination of Self-Fulfillment – It is crucial to question whether coaching truly fosters independence or merely reinforces existing social norms. Link to the full article >>