Life Coaching ≠ Therapy
For not the first time, someone referred me a prosepct that was looking for a psychotherapist.
Let me first say, I’m soooo flattered! The idea that someone would recommend me to help a friend or colleague with potential mental health issues is humbling. I am touched that I would be seen in such an impactful light.
I also think it is a disservice to, well, anyone to mistakenly equate the two career fields. Therapists aim for you to feel better; I aim for you to do better. And that's exactly how I focus my work with my clients.
It's certainly not that I don't believe in therapy. In fact, I include in my introduction to working with clients that therapy done concurrently with coaching is recommended! They are highly complementary of each other. Also, it's probably relevant to hear that I've been in therapy for more than five years! I very much appreciated and, for me, I desired the insight that therapy brings in order to move forward in my own life. It is my opinion, though, that insight only provides 30% of the results. The majority of results are accomplished through experience. This is where coaching excels.
As I shared in a previous blog, therapy and coaching are a Venn diagram in terms of modality and conclusions. At some level, we're both doing our best to have someone lead a healthier and happier life.
Comparison
In therapy, the impetus is an understanding of why something happens so as to get to a solution. Consider--every human has had a one-of-a-kind upbringing with a unique result--you. This result has created a human unlike any other human that has lived before--again, you. We also have a lot of unconscious patterns and thoughts that have aligned to help create our personality and habits. These factors do not always work in our favor—and this is where therapy comes in. Naturally, as social beings, it is understandable to want to discuss your personal factors and to be understood by others. Talk therapy does a good job at holding space for these stories.
Coaching, meanwhile, is based in the art of production. We are not only social, but we are creative. We find more benefit and power in successfully doing something then we do just ruminating or thinking about something. It is undeniable that witnessing change is more powerful than just hearing about change. It's why we have phrases such as, “Actions speak louder than words”. Or, “Believe what they do, not what they say”. Our minds are trained to accept what we see. I leverage this tool in coaching. If you can't seem to believe it, I promise you will start to once you begin doing it. Visualizing only takes you so far.
Benefits of each modality
There are benefits to both. Benefits of therapy:
The focus is on mental health and emotional healing.
It requires a lot of backward reflecting.
It focuses on mental symptoms such as debilitation via depression, anxiety, trauma, or disordered eating, for example.
It helps understand and heal from past hurts or trauma.
It supports you in navigating emotions.
It addresses your struggle with interpersonal relationships and assists you in learning strategies to feel less impacted by others.
It can provide a diagnosis.
Meanwhile, here are some benefits of coaching:
Coaching focuses on setting and achieving goals.
It requires a lot of forward planning.
Through the core energy coaching process, I help you to improve performance, develop your potential, help you with solutions, provide direction, and assist in goal setting.
I can assist you in getting “unstuck”.
I can accelerate your next step in your career.
I can help you get out of a rut and break out of your comfort zone.
I will identify your Gremlin voice and teach you strategies to overcome the negative self-talk.
I provide guidance on ascertaining your purpose and meaning in life.
I can help clear confusion about your next chapter in life.
I can move you from “looking good on paper” to feeling grounded and satisfied.
I will help you tap into your inner motivation.
I will hold you accountable to what you’d like to do.
The modalities and results are complementary but separate.
How to describe life coaching
So what’s the answer when people ask about the work you do with me? Easy. Just tell them your results. What has changed?
“Working with Leigh helps me stay balanced, focused on my priorities, and feeling in-tune with my purpose.”
“Leigh is fun and an awesome cheerleader. Who doesn’t want that?”
“Leigh helped me complete my goals, including the one I’ve been stuck on forever!!!!”
Ain’t nothin’ but a hairflip, right?
(By the way, those are actual quotes from clients.)
