[TRANSCRIPT]:
A question I get all the time is “What’s the difference between a life coach and a therapist?”
There’s some obvious confusion here, because there’s a lot of overlap between the two disciplines. The biggest difference between coaching and therapy is the time element.
The Time Element
The main goal of therapy is typically to help people to deal with traumas of their past in order to come to a healthy and functional present.
As a life coach, I typically deal with people who are, for the most part, healthy and functional right now, but they’re in a place where they’re stuck, or they have a lack of clarity, or they’re really in this area of life where they’re asking themselves “What now? What’s next for me?” Or maybe you want to live a life that’s deeper with more meaning; get more clarity on which direction to go; maybe have more peace in your life, and do more of the things that you want to do. These are areas where a life coach can really help.
Life Coaching Definition
The International Coaching Federation defines coaching as:
“…partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and
creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and
professional potential.”
Look into Therapy if…
If you have some past traumas to deal with if you’ve been diagnosed with depression, if you have suicidal thoughts, if you want to have healthy relationships, or maybe you’ve had a hard time holding down a job, those are areas where a therapist is probably the best professional to seek out.
I should add that there are many coaches who have a background in psychology and may even be licensed, and there are also many licensed psychologists who have decided to add coaching to what they already do to help people.
So I hope this video helped to clarify the differences between a life coach and a therapist, so that way you can decide what’s right for you.
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p.s. – Is Life Coaching right for you? Book a FREE trial session and find out.
Paul Strobl, MBA, CPC
Owner of Confide Coaching, LLC
Paul is a Master Life Coach for GenX and GenY executives and business owners. Originally from Houston, Texas, he has been location independent for most of his adult life. He currently resides in the Rhodope Mountains of Bulgaria near the Greek border with his brilliant wife, 13-year-old stepson (officially adopted in 2021!) and a Posavac Hound rescue.
