4 Myths Debunked to Help You Decide

Clients often struggle with understanding the difference between a Therapist and Coach and determining which would be most beneficial to reaching their personal goals. Both play important roles in the lives of their clients in different, but complementary, ways.

I happen to be both a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and a Board Certified Coach (BCC) and from where I sit, I believe that you can’t go wrong by choosing to have one or both of these types of services to help you on your path to wellness. Debunking the following myths are meant to help provide clarity between the two professions and help you decide which option is best for you.

Myth #1: Therapy and Coaching are basically the same

FALSE. Below are some of the basic differences: 

Therapy is aimed to help the client heal. Therapy provides a space for clients to do a deep dive into their psyche and connect the dots between who you were in the past, who you are now, and why you are the way you are. Much of therapy focuses on the past and is often met with clinical analysis, a clinical diagnosis, and a treatment plan aimed at healing from the traumas of the past. 

Coaching is aimed to help you succeed and is often focused on your future development. Coaches help you discover your own answers through engaging and thought-provoking conversation, creative processing, and action-oriented steps toward personal and professional fulfillment. Coaching helps you stay accountable to those goals through strategic planning and reviewing specific measurements of progress.

Myth #2: Credentials Don’t Matter

By nature (and years of education), therapists have the training and skillset to counsel and to coach. Most therapists however, choose to provide only clinical services due to insurance restrictions and client needs. Because insurance companies do not consider Coaching a clinical or medical necessity, they do not pay providers for these services. 

Most coaches, unless trained and educated to provide clinical services do not have the credentials required to treat mental health disorders or to diagnose. In the rare occasion your coach is also a mental health professional, it is important to identify what role you want them to play. This role cannot be changed and should you require mental health services, it is the coaches duty to refer you to a mental health provider. 

Although Coaches are not required to obtain certification, many do. If certification is important to you, the most popular credentials in the coaching profession are the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and the Board Certified Coach (BCC). Each of these certifications require extensive training, supervised practice, and the passing of a comprehensive examination. 

Myth #3: You Should “Complete” Therapy before Starting Coaching

Put plainly, this just simply isn’t true. In fact, I believe that the two professions can and should work closely together. Although a client may complete their therapy goals, the healing that occurs through therapy goes deep, so it’s hard to suggest that work is ever really “done.” That said, for clients who have decided that they want to focus on their performance or productivity goals, it’s a good idea for mental health professionals to have a few go-to coaching referrals for their clients. 

Conversely, it isn’t uncommon for mental health issues or concerns to arise in the coaching relationship. Due to the limitations in expertise in treating mental health conditions, it’s important that coaches also maintain a couple of go-to counselor referrals for clients needing to process or create healthy coping mechanisms. 

The truth is, if you need therapy, coaching is unlikely to work without it. But if you don't need therapy, you can choose coaching or therapy. You don't have to do both or do them in a certain order.

Myth #4: Coaches Need to Have Lived Experience to be Effective

Coaches do not need to have lived through or experienced the specific area you are seeking coaching for in order to provide insight and clarity. Consultants are often mistaken for coaches, but better fit this description. Consultants lead with their expertise and give advice, but coaches (and therapists) avoid giving advice about how to accomplish specific goals. A coach’s role is practical and focused on helping clients identify their inner strengths and resources to better work toward progress through strategy and action-oriented steps.  

Coaches come equipped with a broad skill set. Some coaches (and therapists) become more specialized and niche, but often you will find that coaches rarely limit themselves to a specific topic because no matter the subject, a coach’s job is to help you clarify and work toward your overall life vision. 

There is a different kind of coach for just about every kind of need. A few examples include, but aren’t limited to:

• Spiritual coach

• Creativity coach

• Writing coach

• Financial coach

• Performance coach

• Business coach

• Career coach

• Health coach

• Wellness coach

• Fitness coach

Summary

Therapists and coaches should be seen as allies — both helping professions — both with the common goal to help their clients become improved versions of themselves. 

Only therapists are qualified to provide mental health care. Therapists are the better option when you're seeking to heal emotional pain or when you need a quiet, private space for yourself to figure things out. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by your thoughts or emotions, therapy may be a better fit.

Coaches specialize in mobilizing clients into action. They keep you motivated and inspired and hold you accountable to the goals you set for yourself. If you’re struggling to get going or you have a hard time knowing what the next first step is for you, a coach might be the perfect choice. 

Choosing between coaching or counseling isn’t about choosing between the “better” profession. It’s about choosing which service is better for you.

Authored By: Jamie Darling Hall
Psychotherapist & Personal Development Coach