What is the difference between Coaching and Therapy?

I love this question! So many people wonder, what is the difference and therefore don't know which one they need. The simple answer is probably both! In fact, I strongly believe that one works better with the other. However, it is not always possible. due to time and money, to be able to do that.

So let's talk about both and where you may want to start.

Therapy - Google says it is "treatment intended to relieve or heal a disorder." And I like this definition however it is missing a few things. If you have any mental disorder, then you must be under the care of a medical provider. However, therapists also treat trauma and any trauma-related symptoms. This is especially important if you are still dealing with PTSD and the damaging effects of your childhood or a traumatic event. I usually recommend that a client begins with either Rapid Transformational Therapy or EDMR [there are many therapists worldwide who provide this type of therapy]. However, cognitive behavior therapy is also helpful. The key is to shop around until you find a therapist that suits you. They are not one size fits all, so it may take a few tries to get the right fit for you.

Coaching - Like therapy, "Coaching" takes many different forms but what I am talking about here is pure life coaching, not business coaching or other types of mentors who call themselves coaches. Mentors teach and instruct primarily, whereas, a trained Life Coach is all about helping you dig down the route of the problem [this is what I practice]. Coaching is all about figuring how what is getting in your way and then taking actions to uplevel your life!

In short, therapy is about figuring out your past and coaching is about figuring out your future. They work really well together because the results will amplify if you are doing both at the same time! It is wicked to see the transformation that occurs. On every discovery call with a potential client, part of my job is figuring out if coaching is right or whether therapy would be more beneficial. I always want every person I come into contact with to have the care they need the most, especially if resources are scarce. If you are interested in figuring out where you need to begin, book a 30-minute free discovery call here with me!