The difference between coaching and therapy
​Therapy takes you from non-functioning to functioning.
Coaching takes you from functional to exceptional.
Although some aspects of life coaching and therapy do overlap; such as confidentiality, providing support and raising awareness, they are very much separate methodologies.​​
The American Psychiatric Association describes psychotherapy as a form of treatment that can help individuals who are suffering an array of mental health conditions.
Psychotherapy is typically used to treat individuals who are suffering from mental illness, physical illness, addictions, bereavement and mood disorders such as depression, bipolar or anxiety.
Whereas coaching works on the basis that their client is generally healthy, albeit they may have mild anxiety or depression, however, they’re able to function in their day to day but wish to excel.
Functioning refers to an individual carrying out their typical daily tasks such as getting out of bed, showering, brushing their teeth, preparing meals, eating etc. Therefore, if someone is non-functioning, it means that they’re struggling to carry out those daily tasks.
If someone is non-functioning – therapy would probably be the most effective course of action.
If someone is functioning but not excelling – coaching would be the most effective course of action.
If you're functioning but mentally blocked by a past-event, emotional setback or trauma which is preventing you from accomplishing your aspirations, then you would benefit from therapeutic coaching.
Sometimes you can be functioning but suffering (e.g. suffering low self-esteem, overwhelm, procrastination etc) – in this case coaching or therapeutic coaching is for you.
Psychotherapy and Counselling
Therapists analyse their client’s past as a tool for understanding present behaviours. Whereas coaches consider past events but mostly identify and describe current problematic behaviours so that they can work with their client to defeat them.
A coach is able to get their client’s to achieve personal and professional goals, for example, becoming more confident, disciplined, structured, improving social skills, making more money, starting a new business, establishing a career path, losing weight, finding a life partner, working through challenges in current relationships, getting over a break-up etc.
A therapist on the other hand, offers guidance through focusing on ways to recover from past traumas. Explore why their client is unable to function on a day-to-day basis, work through severe depression, addictions and other mental health conditions that affect one’s ability to function on a day-to-day basis.
Coaching
Does explore the past but mostly focuses on the present and future.
Seeks to elevate self-development & professional development.
Works with client to enhance performance & focus on self-exploration.
Contact between sessions is frequent for accountability, guidance and encouragement.
Views their client as a ‘client’.
Driven by setting and achieving goals, and taking action.
Results-based and emphasises on exploring solutions.
Assumes their client is functioning and full of potential.
Seeks to elevate clients to the highest levels of performance and life satisfaction.
‘These are the cards you’ve been dealt, let’s work on playing the hand’.
​“Where would you like to be?”
Sometimes explores childhood.
Is an educational discovery-based process of human potential.
Uses the terms ‘mental blockages’ and ‘obstacles’ to denote what needs to be removed.
Helps clients design their life.
Coaching programmes are usually short-term (6 to 20 sessions).
Intends that once the client has finished their course of sessions, they’ll be able to maintain their highest levels of performance independently without requiring anymore coaching.
Provides clients with strategies, toolkits and techniques so that once the course of sessions has finished, the client can continue on to maintain their level excellence.
Therapy
Mostly only focuses on the past.
Seeks to alleviate suffering and heal emotional wounds.
Works with patient to recover from mental illness or emotional issues.
Contact between sessions is rare and only takes place in the event of a crisis.
Views their client as a patient.
Driven by unresolved issues and feelings.
Explores the root of the issues and comes up with explanations.
Assumes their client is sick or dysfunctional and needs to heal so that they can function normally.
Seeks to bring clients from a dysfunctional place to a healthy functioning level.
‘These are the cards you’ve been dealt, let’s identify which cards have caused you to suffer mental illness and trauma’.
“How does that make you feel?”
Continuously explores childhood.
Based on the medical model that suggests people have psychiatric disorders that need to be repaired.
Uses the term pathology to describe patients’ issues.
Helps patients heal to get through life.
Therapy sessions are typically long-term to ongoing (20 to 72 sessions).
Therapists don’t work towards getting their client in a place where they no longer need a therapist - healing is a long process. Often times, patients will see a therapist for 6-12 months. Feel better, then terminate sessions. However, after 1,2,3 or 4 years the traumas or mental health problems could return, then the individual will need to go back to therapy.
Works on the ideology that the client is too unwell to cope on their own. Moreover, it takes 6-8 years to train to become a therapist, therefore, the client cannot be taught to therapize themselves.