COACHING vs THERAPY
Coaching
Coaching is designed for people who are basically functioning well in their lives and relationships. The focus in coaching is mostly to help clients clarify their purpose and goals; understand what’s holding them back; and take steps to create meaningful change.
Coaching assumes the client is ready and able to make changes in their lives in a relatively short period of time - as long as they have the appropriate support and guidance (i.e., weeks or months rather than years).
Coaching focuses more on the client’s present and future. Coaching sessions may step into issues from the past, but only if that is relevant to the client’s current patterns or future aspirations.
Coaches come to coaching through many different pathways. Some have received special education and training, and are board-certified. Others coach clients using their personal and professional experience and knowledge as their base.
Therapy
Although people seek therapy for many different reasons, compared to coaching, therapy is intended more for people seeking help coping with daily life and/or healing deep emotional pain and mental health issues.
Because it often leads to an exploration of childhood and the past, therapy often takes place over a longer period of time than coaching (i.e., months or years).
Therapists are trained to diagnose and treat mental health issues. They are required to have Master’s level or PhD degrees and extensive coursework in psychology, human behavior, therapeutic techniques, and other subjects.