Life Coaching vs Therapy
“What is the difference between Life Coaching and Therapy?”
Life coaching and Therapy are like cousins, sharing similar traits in many aspects while using different approaches. Both facilitate change in a person and assist them in gaining perspective on personal roadblocks that are keeping them from living life to its fullest.
A therapist guides a client through the process of evaluating and resolving the past and deep rooted emotional pain and trauma that are likely affecting her/his present self and inhibiting growth and the ability to lead an emotionally and mentally healthy life. A therapist holds a master’s degree and follows years of university study and internship in assessment, diagnosis and treatment of mental and emotional conditions and disorders.
Life Coaching is a Now and Future minded practice that facilitates the inner exploration of what is working and going well in a person’s life and what might be getting in the way in order to go from merely functioning to really thriving in life. Life coaching is a partnership between Client and Coach, working together in discovering blocks and challenges that are keeping you from reaching your desired goals/outcome using positive psychology methodology, mindfulness and mindset reframing. A reputable Life Coach will have received training and certification through an International Coaching Federation accredited program.
Why should I choose one over the other?”
One should always choose a therapist when in crisis! If you find yourself struggling or have thoughts of harming yourself, seek a mental health professional. Once you and your therapist have determined that you are safe and ready to move forward, that is when you may decide to hire a life coach to get you from baseline to where you ultimately want to be in your future.
HOWEVER….
Life Coaching and Therapy can and do work hand in hand beautifully and here is how…
As we enter our 2nd year of the Covid pandemic, it is no secret or surprise that we are, as a society, experiencing a very real mental health crisis. According to a close friend of mine, who is a therapist, people are really struggling and are reaching out to therapists in record numbers for their children, their teenagers, as well as themselves and the waitlist for counseling is incredibly LONG.
If you are feeling overwhelmed and lost during the wait for treatment, life coaching can bridge the gap and offer a soft place to process and grow while waiting for counseling. While coaching does not dwell on the past, it is a safe place to begin to unravel traumatic triggers and limiting beliefs in order to get you to a more comfortable state of being.
Also, if you have been in therapy in the past and have a good sense of your mental health and emotional triggers, but you are finding it difficult to move forward, choosing life coaching may be the correct path for you. Oftentimes, we just don’t have the tools we need to put the forward momentum into motion. As I mentioned above, a life coach can help you identify the blocks and triggers and, through positive psychology methodology, mindfulness, and mindset reframing, give you the skills to reach your desired outcome and thrive in your future.
We all enter adulthood with old wounds and beliefs from our past that can get in the way, keep us small and quiet, and hold us back from reaching higher and expecting more. And it takes tremendous courage to address our mental health issues and face our obstacles! But within each of us is the wisdom and strength to unlock our fullest potential, to let go and move forward. You owe it to yourself to explore your options and seek help.
BECAUSE…
You’ve got this one precious life. You deserve to be happy!
In Gratitude,
Bonnie