What’s the Difference Between Therapy and Coaching?

Each modality has its place depending on you and where you are on your journey. After my husband died, I am thankful that I had a wonderful therapist and then another. As my life shifted, I was ready to work with a coach to transition to the next phase of my life. I was ready to take action, but felt stuck and unsure about where I was going. My coaches helped me to get unstuck. And helped me while I took action, moving into that exciting and frightening new life. I still see my amazing coaches – a good coach needs a good coach!

Coaching is an exchange between equals. A good coach is not trying to fix you or tell you to do what they did to be successful. A good coach listens. The process is rooted in the present, and is action oriented. A coach supports your self discovery. A coach facilitates the development of your inner skills. While working with you, a coach will look at the big picture of who you are as you decide which aspects of your life you want to shift. There is no magic pill and there is no one thing that changes everything. But working with a coach can shift your perception of just how powerful you are. You can work with a coach for short or long term issues.

In therapy, a therapist is the authority, evaluating a client and directing the therapy process. They have a professional degree  and training to evaluate and treat mental disorders. Psychiatrists can prescribe medication. Much of therapy examines the client’s past and its effects on the present. Working with a good therapist can also be wonderful for short term or long term issues.