Coaching vs. Therapy

Here are some basic differences between therapy and coaching:

Therapy

• Deals with identifiable dysfunctions in a person
• Deals mostly with a person’s past and trauma, and seeks healing
• Helps patients resolve old pain
• Assumes emotions are a symptom of something wrong
• The Therapist diagnoses then provides professional expertise and guidelines to provide a path to healing
• Progress is often slow and painful

Coaching

• Deals with a healthy client desiring a better situation
• Deals mostly with a person’s present and seeks to help them design a more desirable future
• Helps clients learn new skills and tools to build a more satisfying successful future
• Co-creative equal partnership (Coach helps the client discover own answers)
• Assumes emotions are natural and normalizes them
• The Coach stands with the client and helps him or her identify the challenges, then partners to turn challenges into victories, holding client accountable to reach desired goals
• Growth and progress are rapid and usually enjoyable