In the world of wellbeing and personal growth, there can be a bewildering array of options. One that often confuses is the difference between coaching and therapy. Understanding the similarities and distinctions can help you make a more informed decision about which is best for you…
Recently, I spoke with a potential client who wondered if she might need therapy. Later that day, I was asked at a networking meeting about the difference between therapy and coaching. As this is a question that often comes up, I thought it worth some clarification.
Introduction
Mental health is a hot topic that is very much at the forefront of the employee wellbeing agenda, as well as being something that individuals are choosing to prioritise for themselves. So how do you decide if you would benefit from seeing a coach or a therapist, and which would be better?
But first, let’s sort out the terminology! Therapy is an encompassing term that includes physical therapy as well as therapy for mental wellbeing. The more correct term in the context of this article would be psychotherapy. However, for ease of reading, I will continue to use the word therapy.
As for coaching, there are many types of coaching categories, with the most well known probably being in the field of sport. Other major distinctions in coaching tend to be between business coaches (who help you achieve business targets), executive coaches (focused on the role of an individual as a leader) and life coaches (almost anything else!). The latter is probably the broadest category, since life coaches can (and do) specialise in a huge variety of areas – menopause, divorce, money mindset, burnout, lesser spotted hamster breeding, you name it. OK, I made the last one up!
Therapy (and counselling, by the way) tend to be reparative in nature, whereas coaching has more of a developmental focus. In other words, you are more likely to benefit from seeing a therapist if there are things in your past from which you need to heal.
Some people think that therapists work on issues in the past and coaches focus on the future, but that’s too clean a distinction. Our lives are not that clear cut and where we find ourselves today, in terms of our situation and who we are, is always a product of our past. Sometimes we need to work on those things in order to be able to move forwards in a more resourceful way.
Coaching
Generally speaking, life coaching is a collaborative process aimed at helping individuals achieve specific goals, enhance their personal and professional lives and unlock their potential. Coaches work in partnership with their clients to identify obstacles, establish action plans and maintain accountability.
There are many topics that life coaches cover. The following list is by no means exhaustive!
- Communication
- Improving work-life balance
- Career transitions and advancement
- Developing leadership skills
- Personal development
- Health and wellness goals
- Self-awareness
- Building confidence
- Enhancing productivity and time management
- Reducing stress
- Overcoming challenges
- Problem solving
- Decision making
And if you’re not really sure what you want, a coach can help you gain clarity by exploring your satisfaction with the different areas of your life, as well as looking at your values and beliefs to identify issues that might be holding you back.
Coaching normally takes place over a series of weekly or fortnightly sessions, often with some kind of “homework” in between sessions. Sometimes, depending on what the client needs, it may only take one or two sessions. Other times, if the work is quite involved and the client has the budget, it can run on for several weeks or months. You should always feel able to discuss your progress with your coach. In turn, a good coach will be focused on helping you achieve your goals as quickly as possible.
Therapy
Therapy, on the other hand, focuses on understanding and healing from past experiences and traumas, as well as managing mental health conditions and developing healthier coping mechanisms. Therapists are often qualified in specific modalities such as CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy), EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing), mindfulness, family systems, psychodynamics and many more. Hypnotherapy is also a mode of therapy.
In the UK, therapists are not able to diagnose conditions or prescribe treatment – that requires a GP or psychiatrist. However, therapists have long been part of the referral system within the NHS, whereas life coaches have not, although that is starting to change.
Therapy is ideal for issues such as:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Trauma
- PTSD
- Relationship issues
- Grief and loss
- Behavioural and emotional disorders
Therapists are often available through the NHS or via the private sector. For privately-funded appointments, you don’t usually need a referral from a medical professional.
How to decide
What outcome are you seeking?
If you are looking to improve specific aspects of your life, such as career progression, fitness or personal development, then life coaching is definitely your best option. However, if it’s understanding and healing that you need, then therapy is probably more suitable.
Where are you now?
Are you feeling stuck or unmotivated but otherwise mentally healthy, then you’re more likely to benefit from life coaching. For anxiety, depression or any other mental health issue, you will be better off with a therapist.
A combined approach
In some cases, it can make sense to combine life coaching and therapy. A therapist can help you heal from past issues, whilst a coach can guide you towards achieving future goals. If running concurrently, both parties would need to be in agreement for this approach to be effective.
NLP coaching
So far, I’ve talked about life coaching as a general term, but there is a particular kind of coaching discipline that involves an element of therapeutic work: NLP coaching. In NLP (neuro linguistic programming), we learn how to use tools and techniques that often have their root in other therapeutic modes such as family therapy, Gestalt therapy and clinical hypnotherapy. NLP has its detractors and is sometimes labelled as pseudoscience, but NLP-based psychotherapy was recognised by the UK Council of Psychotherapy in the 1990s, and many aspects of NLP are incorporated into therapist training programmes.
As an NLP Master Practitioner myself, I don’t claim to be a therapist but I do find myself working very effectively with clients who, given what I’ve written in the above sections, should potentially be considering a therapy route. You can find a full list of coaching areas that I cover on my website.
Summary
Deciding which option depends on where you are now and what kind of result you want to achieve. If you have mental health issues and/or feel you need to do a lot of work on resolving past issues, then I would suggest therapy as your first port of call. If your main focus is on making changes in your life moving forwards, then go for coaching. Most therapists and coaches offer a free consultation to assess your needs and determine if they are the right professional for you.
Note that both life coaching and psychotherapy are unregulated industries, meaning that anyone can call themselves a life coach or a therapist! As such, it’s important to check for qualifications and professional membership when considering working with either.
Click here if you would like to talk to me about coaching.
As a Personal Excellence Coach, I believe everyone has the power to achieve greatness, and every business has the right to employ great people!
Every day is a chance to grow, to learn and to be better than yesterday.