How Life Coaches Can Use ChatGPT Without Losing Their Human Touch
Coaching is a profoundly human practice. Whether guiding clients through significant life changes or helping them clarify their values, we rely on presence, intuition, and empathy. So, it’s understandable that many coaches feel unsure about using AI tools like ChatGPT.
There’s a fear that using AI might dilute the personal nature of what we do, that it might come across as inauthentic—or worse, replace the meaningful parts of the work. I’ve come to see ChatGPT as something different. It is not a threat to what makes coaching valuable but a support system that frees up time and energy for the things that matter most.
ChatGPT isn’t the coach—you are
ChatGPT can’t build trust with your clients. It doesn’t have instincts. It doesn’t know when to pause, reframe, or ask the question that helps someone shift their perspective. Those are your skills. That’s the work only you can do.
But ChatGPT can help in all the areas surrounding the actual coaching: writing content, brainstorming ideas, organizing your thoughts, or even generating materials that support your practice. It’s beneficial when you hit a wall or need a place to start.
It’s not here to do the coaching. It’s here to support the coach.
If you’ve been curious but unsure where to begin, here’s how I think about it—and how I use it.
Writing support
It’s good at rough drafts, whether for a blog post, a short social media caption, or an email outline. Sometimes, I’ll write a paragraph and ask ChatGPT to tighten it up. Other times, I’ll describe what I want to say and let it suggest a starting point I can then shape into my own voice.
Using ChatGPT to start writing projects this way is to get the momentum going, not achieve perfection in the tool. It helps me move from the idea to the first draft faster.
Brainstorming content
If you ever sit down to write and can’t figure out what to say, ChatGPT can help you generate topic ideas based on your niche. For example, you can ask for “ten blog post ideas for life coaches who work with mid-career professionals” and use what comes back as a starting point.
Some ideas won't work. Others will be surprisingly useful. Either way, it gets you unstuck.
Designing programs or tools
I’ve used ChatGPT to draft early versions of new coaching offers, frameworks, and worksheets. It helps me quickly explore structure—what a six-week package might look like, for example, or what kind of reflective questions I might include in a workbook.
As I do with all output from ChatGPT, I’ll adjust the tone and approach to match my own, but having that initial scaffolding makes the creative work less heavy.
Writing better emails
It’s easy to overthink emails—especially those that need to be warm, professional, and clear. ChatGPT can help you write messages that strike the right tone without sounding generic or robotic.
A prompt like “Help me write a follow-up email for someone who expressed interest but hasn’t booked yet” can give you something to work within seconds.
I often write a stream of conscious what I want to say, then put it into ChatGPT with a prompt to clarify what I’m saying for my audience.
Where to draw the line
It’s worth stating clearly: AI can’t replace the coach-client relationship. It can’t be trauma-informed. It doesn’t understand identity, emotional nuance, or human complexity in any real way.
This is why I don’t use ChatGPT to generate coaching questions or try to replicate real-time dialogue. I still prepare for sessions with my own notes, instincts, and presence.
ChatGPT is a tool, not a teammate. It’s only helpful when you decide what role it plays.
Getting started doesn’t have to be complicated
You don’t need a library of prompts or a deep dive into AI ethics to begin. Pick one small task you do often—writing a caption, brainstorming a post, outlining a session series—and try using ChatGPT to help.
Talk to it like you’d talk to a colleague. Be clear about what you want, and don’t be afraid to tweak what it gives you. You’re still the editor. You’re still the one in charge of the message.
If it helps you move faster, think more creatively, or spend less time stuck—great. If it doesn’t, let it go.
Final thoughts
I’m not using ChatGPT to replace any meaningful parts of my coaching work. What it does help with is reducing the friction around all the other parts—content, communication, creative brainstorming—so I can stay more present for the work I care most about.
Used thoughtfully, it becomes part of the infrastructure that supports your practice—not a replacement for your voice, ethics, or presence.
And if it buys you back a little time and energy each week? That might be worth exploring.
Want help figuring out how ChatGPT fits into your coaching workflow? I offer one-on-one consults specifically for coaches. Nothing complicated—just a conversation about how to make the tool work for you, in your voice, on your terms.
Let me know if you want to chat.
