Coaching or Therapy?  What is the difference? 

Coaches and Therapists have similar skill sets and can be interchangeable, but there are some fundamental differences as well. I had a therapist for 14 years and was life changing for me, so I would be the first person to attest the value of therapy. Yet, there are some differences and with that knowledge is why I chose to become a Transformational Life Coach. One being, with my therapist, I barely knew anything about her and after our hour was up, that was it. I often felt I left with much to process and figure out alone. As a coach, I personally like interaction and the equal partnership with clients as opposed to the therapy model which can position the therapist as the expert and client making decisions or accepting advise based on a diagnosis. I fundamentally believe, YOU are the expert of your life, YOU have an inner guru within and YOU have the answers, and it is my ONLY intention to help draw that out of you for you to move forward in your life and make a plan to do so.  

In a nutshell, therapy tends to deal and focus on those with mental health issues and dysfunction in which they offer diagnosis to treat.  That is not to say it isn't conversational based and can offer ways to move forward, but is a great option if you do a mental health issue you need to address. Whereas, Coaching is about TRANSFORMING life and forward movement. It tends to help you discover potential disruptive patterns, behaviors or obstacles with the focus to bring you in the NOW and help discover ways to move you forward, with an inspired action plan to do so. Certainly coaching deals with past experiences, trauma, repetitive patterns and behaviors to better understand your underlying beliefs and how your history has led you to where you are, however, the focus is to reframe, readjust and reclaim your inner dialogue, take responsibility for your life, free you to be true to who you really are NOW and what YOU want, not necessarily focus on "the why" the past happened or treat the symptoms of the issues with a diagnosis.    

A note about GRIEF Coaching, it is with the same intent to help you navigate your way through your grief, heartache and loss that you didn't see coming at your own pace and that feels right for you. Grief is not a mental illness or an issue to "fix".  It is a NORMAL transition as you try to move ahead in your daily life while facing the awful pain of loss. However, where a professional mental health therapist can be beneficial is if you do find yourself overwhelmed in your grief, deeply depressed or feeling out of control of your emotions causing you to be unable to function in your daily life or even suicidal (see national suicide hotline information below).  

I hope this answers some general questions of the differences, but more importantly I encourage YOU to follow your intuition and your heart as YOU know what the best approach is for yourself.  Whether therapy, coaching or both, I applaud you for your willingness to seek ways to better YOURSELF and your life. Feel free to contact me if you have any other questions or need help determining your next best step here: 

With all this, I want to be clear, my support and services are based on Trauma Informed, Transformational Life and Grief Coaching practices, my personal insight, story, spiritual modes of healing, my education and information and are not meant to diagnose or act as medical treatment.  

If you are in crisis or suicidal, call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, a free, 24-hour hotline, at 1.800.273.8255. If you have an emergency, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.