Coaching vs Counseling

What’s the actual difference between coaching and counseling (psychotherapy)?  I asked this very question myself when I began looking into coaching. 

Truth is, there’s a lot of overlap (which is awesome for me, because I’d already had the counseling background)!  However, through practice I’ve discovered that I actually prefer to coach individuals rather than provide counseling as my way of helping people change (I’ll explain why).

Let’s first get a quick glimpse at the resemblance between counseling and coaching.

Similarities between Coaching and Counseling (Psychotherapy):

Now let’s check out some of the differences between the two services.

Differences Between Coaching & Counseling (Psychotherapy):

Keep in mind there are many schools of thought and therapeutic approaches, some more similar to coaching.  This is a sweeping generalization, and every therapist and coach works differently .

Counseling work is focused on uncovering problems and processing emotions.  Diagnosis and treatment are very important parts of counseling.  I preferred operating from a Person-Centered approach (Carl Rogers is the man!)- which allowed my clients to openly explore and lead the sessions.  However, depending on the presenting problems and the type of client, I’d often need to take a Cognitive Behavioral approach to be more conducive for cultivating behavior changes.   I met with many different individuals and focused on problems like depression, anxiety, eating disorders, familial turmoil, breakups, death, grieving, cross-cultural integration, addiction, personality disorders, legal problems, etc.  Sessions individualized and booked “as needed” based on their needs, level of care, etc.

In Coaching, someone is motivated to make change in their life. Emotional distress is certainly a driving factor, but we are usually focused on creating habit change and restructuring lifestyle behaviors.  I enjoy the ability of being on a peer-to-peer level in coaching, which gives the power back to the Client (after all- it is their life in their hands)!   We focus on habits, identity and belief shifting and examples of the focal desired outcomes include things like weight loss, increased energy, improved self-confidence, breaking through career or relationship plateaus, redefining personal boundaries, lifestyle shifting, ritualizing self-care routines, reclaiming personal identity, etc.  Each session is structured with specific exercises and new information, and personally tailored to each client.  Sessions are built into a structured program (ex: 12 weeks). 

As I’d mentioned- I personally enjoy working as a Coach more than as a Counselor.  Not to say one is more impactful than the other- they meet entirely different needs. It’s the TYPE of work done during coaching that I’ve found to be more engaging, action-oriented, and client-empowering, which is why I ultimately gravitated toward coaching.

As a Coach, I am attracting clients who are self-motivated and looking to create change to improve their lives.  I also feel I’m able to be more of a catalyst for change from a Coaching position- as I am not concerned with diagnosis or treatment, but rather co-creating action plans and holding my clients accountable to the personal goals they set to achieve.  It is self-perpetuating and motivating.  We are focused on taking action toward habit-change, vs processing emotions and finding meaning and connection. 

While counseling work is extremely powerful and beneficial for those struggling through a transition or seeking treatment for an active mental illness- coaching can cultivate powerful change in lifestyle habits, personal beliefs and underlying identity transformation.