Life Coaching vs. Therapy: How to know what’s right for you . . .
As a therapist who is also a life coach, I often get asked: “what’s the difference?” or “why would I pursue a coach, when I can go to therapy for just the cost of a co-pay?”
These are valid questions, and indicate a problem many of us struggle with . . . we just don’t know exactly WHAT to expect when we choose Coaching or Therapy, and so we aren’t sure what’s the best fit for us to be our best selves.
Allow me to help de-mystify the two . . .
Life Coaching: Strategic Guidance + Accountability for when you are stuck + struggling
Coaching is all about the PRESENT and the FUTURE. It’s about understanding where you feel stuck in your life + helping you come up with a CONCRETE game plan to overcome what’s holding you back.
Whereas therapy focuses more on the past, and WHY YOU ARE THE WAY THAT YOU ARE . . . Life + Business Coaching focuses on the future and HOW TO GET YOU TO WHERE YOU WANT TO BE.
Much like an athletic coach, it is a Life + Business Coach’s job to see where you natural talents lie, and to instruct you in how to utilize those talents to your fullest potential, and then it’s your job to put that feedback into practice.
A Life + Business Coach won’t do the actual work for you, but they will show you what’s getting in your way. They will learn to understand your strengths + weaknesses, so they can instruct you on how to be better. And they will give you concrete guidance, advice, or constructive feedback to get you WHERE you want to be in business + beyond.
Note: when choosing a Coach, it is important to know that Life, Business, and Career Coaching are not credentialed, licensed, and regulated the same way that a therapist is. To choose a trustworthy Life, Business, or Career Coach, consider the following strategies . . .
Ask friends, family, and colleagues if they have ever used a Life, Business, or Career Coach and if they would use that same Coach again. Collect names and contact information.
Do your research. A good Coach doesn’t necessarily need to have a website or strong social media presence, but should be open + willing to happily share client testimonials, contact information for colleagues they have worked with, or to put you in touch with previous clients who can authentically share their experience.
Look for credentials when you can. Real talk: not all Coaches choose to seek optional credentials. Why? Because collecting credentials takes time + money, and some Coaches choose to put this time and money back into their clients, rather than fancy training programs and letters after their name. However, there is something to be said for experience and accountability! When looking for a Coach, look for any unbiased evidence that they can provide about their skillset — for example, therapists can make good Coaches because many of us have years of training in changing mindset + behavior, and we are required to update our training every year or two. There are also credentialing organizations that certify various kinds of coaches, and you can easily find these with a quick Google search. When all else fails, ask any potential Coach for a complimentary consultation, and ask questions you have about credentialing! A trustworthy Coach will be able to share what credentials they have (or don’t) and why they operate the way that they do.
Therapy: A path to healing + self-compassion
Whereas a Life + Business Coach focuses on the present and future, therapy work will focus primarily on the past + the present.
As therapists, it is our goal to help you understand how you came to be this current version of yourself, and help find compassion for who you are in the here and now. We also are required to diagnosis you with a mental health disorder, if you are using insurance.
When we find self-compassion, we also naturally will often find more freedom in pursuing our future goals. However, whereas Coaching focuses more on direct feedback and problem-solving, therapy expects that these life goals will start to come naturally, when you feel better.
Some people feel like therapy only gets them so far . . . it will help them find healing + acceptance, but won’t direct them on how to figure out what’s next, or how to get to exactly where they want to be.
In addition, because therapist are often required to diagnosis you with a mental health disorder there are people who believe that prioritizing a diagnosis like anxiety or depression actually prevents you from focusing on broader goals, and ends up keeping you focused on the parts of you that feel broken, rather than the parts of you that are already whole. Think of it like the old “is the glass half-full or half-empty” dilemma.
This is why some people choose to work with a therapist AND a Life + Business Coach, either simultaneously, or at different points in their life.
Therapy is not “better” than Coaching and Coaching is not “better” than therapy; they just serve different functions.
Can my therapist also be my Life + Career Coach?
Generally, it’s not recommended that you have a therapist who is also your Coach. This is because they serve different needs, and one person can not be responsible for giving you all of the healing + guidance that you need to be your best self.
This is why determining what kind of professional you need to work with, based on your goals and your needs, is the first step in your journey to feeling more Powerful, Peaceful, and Productive.
The chart below can help you make your decision about Coaching versus Therapy. I hope you find it helpful as you think about what’s best for you. Of course, if you need more help making this decision, I’m happy to hop on a call to help you make the right choice. Just use the “Contact” me form to reach out!
