Life Coach Or Therapist: Which Is Right For Me?

Life coaching is relationship between the coach and client which helps the individual reach their fullest potential. Many successful athletes, coaches, business leaders, professionals, and CEO’s use life coaches to help take their career to the next level [4].

Therapists on the other hand, are licensed professionals who help clients explore emotional, behavioral, and mental health concerns. Both professions work to help clients become their best self.

Understanding the Differences

Therapists are licensed by their state, follow supervision, education of at least a Master’s degree from an accredited university, and maintain their licensure through continuing education. Life coaches may seek certification and specialized training, there is no accreditation for life coaching and a degree is not required for this profession.

Clients typically seek a therapist due to symptoms of a mental health disorder and/or are looking to feel and function in a healthier way. Therapy can provide insight and self awareness into unhealthy behaviors or thinking.

Coaching typically looks at the future and help individuals identify goals and obstacles to reaching their goals. Coaching does involve guidance and support, but places a high emphasis on accountability.

Determining whether a life coach or therapist is right for you is an important decision to make. Therapists typically work with individuals, couples, and families in areas of eating disorders, anxiety, depression, addictions, separation or divorce, trauma and grief as well as a wide range of other issues [1].

Coaches work with individuals who are typically of health functioning but not reaching their full potential. Coaching usually addressed an individual’s mindset and attitude by looking at beliefs and negative self talk that is a barrier to reaching agreed upon goals.

Life coaches believe that the client has the answers within him/herself and the coach’s job is to help the client discover the answers.

Effectiveness of Life Coaching

A study published in Public Management that looked at the effects of life coaching, showed that training alone compared to life coaching combined with training, showed an increase in productivity by 88% versus a training only group which showed a 22.4% productivity increase [4].

Life coaching can provide a person with accountability. Typically a life coach is in frequent contact with their client. It keeps the person accountable for their goals and staying on track with the steps to reach agreed upon goals.

Life coaches also offer expertise in setting specific goals that are applicable to the client. It can be making higher pay, adding structure to personal and professional life, achieve higher productivity, and so forth. Typically life coaching is utilized for less time than a therapist, due to the fact that a person is working on their future goals due to staying highly motivated.

With frequent contact between the client and coach, the person gains motivation, and accountability to stay on track. This allows the goal achievement to also happen much faster, which is appealing to many individuals.

Life coaching typically takes place over the phone but can occur in an office or online, texting, or a combination. Often times coaches prefer to work with clients on a weekly basis, but there are no set standards or expectations.

Therapists often takes place in an office and sessions are structured and last 45-55 minutes at least once a week to start. Therapists can operate in the State in which they are licensed. With therapists, insurance typically covers a part of the session and the individual is responsible for a copay.

Service fees can vary depending on the licensure level of the therapist, State level, and whether they are in private practice or part of a larger organization. Fees for a therapist are typically per session and are pay as you go.

Life coaches do not have insurance coverage available and it is typically an out-of-pocket expense. Fees can widely vary from coach to coach. Life coaches typically offer services as a package which can range from six weeks to six months or longer.

It is important to consider which option best suits your financial and commitment level. Another important factor to consider when deciding which option is best for you is that in the therapeutic setting typically a diagnosis is given for the issue you are being seen for, where with life coaches there is no diagnosis.

The Process of Therapy in Recovery

Therapy is a long term process where a person works with the therapist to diagnose and resolve problematic beliefs, behaviors, relationship issues, feelings, and physical responses, as well as any mental health concerns [5].

Therapy typically focuses on past traumas, and issues to change current self destructive habits and repair and improve relationships, as well as work through painful feelings. Therapy involves focus on the past, and introspection and analysis. Life coaching is a process that can be long or short term.

Many individuals report greater flexibility in coaching than in therapy [6]. While therapy relies on face-to-face interaction, coaching can occur in a variety of settings and locations.The coach works to clarify goals and identify obstacles to success and problematic behaviors to create an action plan to achieve client’s goals. Coaching works from where the client currently is and moves forward. Typically, as stated above, clients are not struggling with any mental health concerns and have healthy coping skills.

A therapist can work with a person on major challenges in a client’s life by exploring mental and emotional well being [5]. The therapist may focus on recovering from past traumas, exploring past and present relationships which could be (or been) destructive, work through mental health issues that may be affecting your ability to function at home, work, and in personal life.

The life coach can help with clarifying and achieving personal and professional goals, creating a business plan, working to improve communication skills, and achieving a work-life balance. Life coaches and therapists may help individuals with similar issues, their work is not the same [6].

In coaching sessions, boundaries are not the same as in the therapeutic setting. Often coaches can include clients in other areas of their life, as long as boundaries are respected. In the therapeutic setting, boundaries are clear and are within the therapist’s office.

In conclusion, coaching and therapy may at times overlap, but they are not the same. If you are looking for a process which will explore both past and current issues, assist with greater functioning from mental health symptomatology, than a therapist may be the right choice for you.

If you feel that you are in an emotionally healthy place, and are looking to be your best self through goals setting and achieving, then coaching may be the right choice for you. Either way, both can be beneficial and worthwhile.

 

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About the Author: Libby Lyons is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified Eating Disorder Specialist (CEDS). Libby has been practicing in the field of eating disorders, addictions, depression, anxiety and other comorbid issues in various agencies. Libby has previously worked as a contractor for the United States Air Force Domestic Violence Program, Saint Louis University Student Health and Counseling, Saint Louis Behavioral Medicine Institute Eating Disorders Program, and has been in Private Practice.
Libby currently works as a counselor at Fontbonne University and is a Adjunct Professor at Saint Louis University, and is a contributing author for Addiction Hope and Eating Disorder Hope. Libby lives in the St. Louis area with her husband and two daughters. She enjoys spending time with her family, running, and watching movies.

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References:

[1] http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/whats-difference-between-therapist-life-coach-0823165
[2] http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/benefits-of-therapy-life-coaching_us_567ac127e4b0b958f658d53a
[3] https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/what-is-he-thinking/200904/the-difference-between-coaching-and-therapy-is-greatly-overstated
[4] http://www.lifecoach.com/what-is-a-life-coach
[5] https://www.tonyrobbins.com/coaching/life-coach-vs-therapist/
[6] https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/features/cpb-1061-4087-53-4-229.pdf
[7] http://www.schoolofcoachingmastery.com/coaching-blog/life-coaching-vs.-psychotherapy-whats-the-real-difference

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The opinions and views of our guest contributors are shared to provide a broad perspective of eating disorders. These are not necessarily the views of Eating Disorder Hope, but an effort to offer discussion of various issues by different concerned individuals.

We at Eating Disorder Hope understand that eating disorders result from a combination of environmental and genetic factors. If you or a loved one are suffering from an eating disorder, please know that there is hope for you, and seek immediate professional help.

Reviewed By: Jacquelyn Ekern, MS, LPC on April 2, 2017.
Published on EatingDisorderHope.com