Coaching and Therapy: Considering Differences Through a Personal Lens

exploring differences

Coaching and therapy is often used in personal development contexts simultaneously. Many think coaching and therapy are the same thing, or even that coaching is maybe a softer form of therapy.

After taking interest in executive coaching and following with trainings centered in embodiment, I deeply observed how therapy and coaching are notably different. We’ll explore a few key takeaways I noticed from experience through my own coaching work as well as working with clients.

The aim of this article is to give you context through a personal and professional lens, as this is a key question I often hear asked in the field. Always consult a trusted clinical professional first if you feel you are unsure of where to start.

1. goal oriented

Therapy is about clinically managing deeper emotions, trauma, and lifestyle from a medical model. Therapy felt a lot more process oriented and relationship oriented in my experience.

Whereas having a good relationship/fit with a coach was also important, it didn’t feel like that was fundamental for change. It was more about the coach’s skillset and training and ability to facilitate transformation around your goals.

Coaching is performance based, future-oriented, and is trying to get you to your goals in the quickest, most effective way. Therapy functions to heal your wounds, give you a safe space to unwind, and work on your past.

2. much shorter timeline

With good coaching, I remember experiencing changes that I had been exploring in therapy for years in what felt like a few moments in key areas, such as productivity, procrastination, and overwhelm. It’s like things suddenly clicked. It also really reflected the power of a good tool and facilitator.

I remember a lot of my colleagues, who had experienced coaching, reporting the same effects. It’s as if quick awareness led to much faster goal setting and getting, and in a more aligned way.

The results of the sessions were often not what was expected. Sometimes I was fixated on a certain reason for why my growth or goal was not what I wanted it to be, and I suddenly would realize the reason was actually much simpler than what I expected. I was too keyed into my story to even consider the possible other outcomes.

I realized sometimes we get so tied to our blocks we don’t realize the narratives we’re telling ourselves to hold us back.

3. tougher but lasting

When I was exploring coaching sessions for myself, they did feel very direct, open, and quick. Although we didn’t necessarily dive very deep for too long, it was a lot of change at once, because it is designed to facilitate transformation.

Sometimes it would be quite personal with question after question leading us to a very interesting revelation. Sometimes it would be deep inner meditation that would lead to a surprising insight. Since it is designed to be more performance oriented than process oriented, I would bring in the present issue and delve right in.

I did find myself coming back to these mindset shifts that I had, whenever I began to doubt or stop myself from getting further in my goals. In my client work, this was also reflected to me by my clients in our work together at various checkpoints after our work was completed. They also noticed their visions and new practices sticking when it came to specific patterns or career goals.

4. Unregulated and ethics

Coaching is an unregulated profession, meaning unlike therapy, there are not official standards in place that everyone must adhere to if they practice as a coach. If you’ve read my other post on my coaching journey, you know that my first coach and several others I encountered in my research when I was first investigating the coaching industry, seemed incredibly self-serving and with questionable integrity.

It did take a long time to find coaches that I could really see as mentors, who were working for the good cause. But they did exist, and as I started working with them, I felt a sense of relief in areas that were much more centered around my personal goals.

I also saw first hand the impact good coaching and resilience work had on neurodivergent, BIPOC/global majority, and the alternative healing these venues provided as a result. This inspired me to further pursue my trainings and certifications towards this career path, and ultimately become certified.

The shortcomings were too deep in the healthcare model and industry to enact real change for much of the clientele I worked with. I was grateful to find an alternative avenue to deeply create impact and transformation in a way that was uplifting and non-pathologizing.

its similar but different

Both can help personal development, but they serve different functions and follow different structures. Therapy follows the healthcare model and is clinically regulated, whereas coaching is generally unregulated, but ideally follows International Coaching Federation or other board standards.

Therapy is designed for deeper work and trauma resolution as detailed above, whereas coaching is best for goal-directed personal development and professional growth.

It’s also important to consider that there are also many different types of coaches that address different areas from life to executive coaching. There are also many kinds of specialties for therapy. If you’re ever uncertain about what to choose, it’s best to consult with your medical provider for your personal needs to gain clarity on best next steps.

If you’re curious to learn more, you can always connect with us via email or contact us.