How Coaching is Different from Therapy
Relationship coaching is a professional client-focused service. The individual or couple is assumed to be healthy, powerful, and able to achieve relationship goals with effective support, information, and guidance. There are significant and sometimes contrasting differences between therapy and coaching. These differences better highlight the strengths of coaching.
In short, coaching is a results and goal-oriented methodology. Coaching assumes the client is functional and fully capable of success. Meanwhile (psycho)therapy is a healing profession trained and licensed to diagnose and treat mental, emotional, and psychological disorders. Coaching and therapy can complement each other very well. It could be said that coaching starts where therapy ends, making coaching a good fit for personal growth-oriented therapists.
| Therapy | Coaching |
|---|---|
| Assumes the client needs healing | Assumes the client is whole |
| Roots in medicine, psychiatry | Roots in sports, business, personal growth venues |
| Works with people to achieve self-understanding and emotional healing | Works to move people to a higher level of functioning |
| Focuses on feelings and past events | Focuses on actions and the future |
| Explores the root of problems | Focuses on solving problems |
| Works to bring the unconscious into consciousness | Works with the conscious mind |
| Works for internal resolution of pain and to let go of old patterns | Works for external solutions to overcome barriers, learn new skills and implement effective choices |