The Difference Between Therapy and Coaching

Therapy/Counseling and Coaching both endeavor to assist people in making changes for a happier and more fulfilling life.  While the structure and approach are different, both are valid methods of making personal change.   The fundamental differences between Therapy/Counseling and Coaching are:

Therapy/Counseling provides a safe and nurturing environment (in person) in which a person can:

• Seek to understand the "why" of a given situation

• Resolve internal conflicts

• Resolve relationship conflicts

• Release difficult emotions

• Examine familial and relational patterns

• Discover how the past remains alive in the present

• Grieve a loss

• Delve into the personality

• Find meaning in life

• Learn new communication skills

• Increase functioning in any given area of life

• Deal with mood, anxiety or other diagnosable disorders

 Coaching provides a dynamic, action-oriented environment (on the phone or in person) in which a person can:

• Engage in a partnership for the purpose of enhancing and balancing life

• Focus on the present with orientation towards future achievement or new way of being.

• Assess the "large picture" of one's life, examining career, relationships, marriage, play, spiritual growth, and health

• Discover and focus on passion, vision, purpose and values

• Increase awareness of and find solutions to roadblocks to successful living

• Create goals and plans to further any aspect of life

• Receive gentle accountability for commitments to action

• Expect honest and direct feedback

• Find external solutions for internal or external challenges