After experiencing a very emotionally challenging time dealing with my wife’s health, I started to see a therapist. After a few months, I felt as though my therapist and I focused less on the trauma, and more on the future. Having an objective “sounding board” to talk through my thoughts of the present and future became an amplifier to my life. It only took another month or so during this phase for me to decide that I wanted to support people in this way. As I began to take courses to become a Certified Life & Relationship Coach, I learned there are a lot of people who are currently seeing a therapist, when a coach would suit their needs well. That led me to start to ask if people knew the difference.

Let’s do a brief breakdown:

I. Who They work With…

Therapists.
* Clients are dealing with dysfunctions that diagnosable are like depression, anxiety, dissociation, addictions, personality disorders, etc.
* People dealing with old pain, old issues, or current traumas in their lives.
* People who are having difficulty functioning.

Coaches works with…
* People who are healthy and generally happy with their lives and there is no diagnosable mental state or disease.
* People who are designing their future based on their values and desires.
* People who want more income, have more joy in life, get the most out of business and life pursuits, etc.

II. How They Approach…

Therapists do:

1. Typically face-to-face sessions.
2. Helps the patient resolve old pain and cut through old defenses (coping mechanisms)
3. Helps patient correct cognitive distortions.
4. Offers guidance and suggestions.
5. Teaches patients how to be less reactive by changing behaviors.
6. Supports by empowerment.
7. Listens and reflects.

Coaches Do:

1. Meetings usually conducted by phone, sometimes in the office, or on the internet.
2. Working with the client takes many forms such as: active listening, powerful questioning, direct communication, creating awareness, offering observations, other perspectives, intuition, stretching and asking for forward movement.
3. Coach is careful not to give advice or suggestions outside of their own expertise and then only with permission.
4. Coach is not attached to the client’s outcomes.
5. Refers clients for therapy, counseling, and other needs.
6. Assists the client to learn new skills and tools for building and growing business, career, and life.
7. Works with the client to get clear on his/her values (what is important) and matches future goals and outcomes with those values.
8. Encourages and requests proactive behavior.
9. Supportive of the client and encourages self-empowerment.
10. Listens, reflects, and creates awareness. Does not allow for large amounts of negative time.

III. The Relationship…

Therapist:
* Therapist-patient relationship is an alliance totally related to the knowledge of the patient’s issues. The growth of the therapist is not considered.
* Patient is not allowed to know the personal particulars of the therapist
* Strong boundaries involving stated legal and ethical limits and guidelines.
* The therapist is required to handle patient emergencies.
* Therapist may list their cell phone so they can be reached immediately for emergencies.

The Coach:

1. Coach-Client Relationship is an equal partnership-
2. Coach may share some personal information.
3. Many times coach experiences personal growth simultaneously with client (coaching is inter-developmental).
4. Coach and client share relevant information while the coach is assisting the client towards deeper understanding, clarity and growth.
5. Awareness of stated boundaries. High level of ethics in place.
6. No emergencies. No pager or cell phone needed for those reasons.