4 questions to ask to determine if you would benefit most from therapy or coaching.
Do you need a therapist or an executive coach? There is a lot of overlap between therapy and coaching. While both practices are goal-based, a therapist typically drives therapeutic goals while a coach acts as a guide to support a client’s identified goals.
The therapeutic relationship
Therapeutic goals address mental health issues and behaviors that meet the criteria for a psychological disorder. Often, these behaviors cause a significant disruption in the client’s daily functioning.
Because of this, therapy is based on an intervention model. Therapy typically dives deep into a person’s past to understand what is causing the current dysfunction. Some clients also experience emotional distress, which therapy is designed to address with long-term support.
The coaching relationship
Coaching, on the other hand, helps individuals manage thoughts and behaviors before they create dysfunction and impact relationships, work, school, and other life areas.
Coaches work from a prevention model. They look at what strategies can be put in place to avoid serious disruptions in their clients’ lives. They help their clients determine what each client wants to change in the present in order to attain future goals.
Related article: Why Seeing a Coach Should Be as Routine as Your Annual Physical
A strong coaching practice often emphasizes life coaching, where a life coach focuses on building confidence, enhancing leadership skills, and teaching effective coping strategies to handle challenges.
If an individual works with a therapist to reduce mental health issues, it is not uncommon for them to switch to working with a coach later (or to work with both professionals simultaneously). In these situations, there are key differences between therapy and coaching, but both can play an essential role in overall growth.
A coach supports the individual in maintaining their emotional and behavioral functioning, while working on the life or business goals the individual could not focus on when their thoughts and behaviors got in the way. In fact, many life coaches also specialize in leadership development to help clients thrive professionally.
In addition, for some people, working with a life coach has less stigma associated with it than working with a therapist, allowing for the work to be done more effectively without the cognitive block in the way.
How do you know what you need?
When one of my clients first called, she inquired about therapy because she was increasingly feeling sad and tired and struggling with mental health challenges.
She shared that over the past several months, her company had experienced some financial downturn, and the board of directors turned to her to oversee the layoffs planned as a response.
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The CEO advised her to write up a letter, leave it on the desks of those being laid off, and to call security if anyone gives her a hard time. My client was speechless. “I couldn’t even think straight.
I know he was trying to make the process easier for me, but I couldn’t picture doing what he had suggested as a real approach.”
She never considered overseeing layoffs as part of her role as Chief Operating Officer, but she had no choice. She felt trapped and overwhelmed, and assumed therapy was her next step.
After discussing her situation in coaching sessions and exploring options through executive coaching, she realized there were strategies she could implement to manage both her responsibilities and well-being.
Ask yourself the right approach
So how do you know what you need? When debating whether therapy or coaching is the right approach for you, ask yourself:
- Are my behaviors or emotions getting in the way of my daily life (therapy), or are they getting in the way of me achieving my goals (coaching)?
- Are my behaviors or emotions at a level where intervention is necessary (therapy), or am I looking to ensure my thoughts and emotions stay under my control (coaching)?
- Am I looking to get to a level of daily, functional behavior (therapy), or am I looking to get to a level of optimal functioning to achieve all the personal, academic, and professional goals I’ve been thinking about for months or years (coaching)?
- Do I need to explore my past to determine what influenced how I am feeling and functioning now (therapy), or am I looking to make changes in my present, which will allow for success in my future (coaching)?
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When I presented this information to my client, she indicated that her emotions were not inhibiting her daily functioning, but that she wanted to get them under control to handle the layoffs at her typical level of performance.
She also wanted to identify a way to conduct the layoffs in her own way, reflective of who she was as a leader, and which resonated with her values. In other words, her needs would best be met by coaching.
Over the course of our engagement, she created a plan for the layoffs and practiced strategies to control the thoughts creating the negative emotions. Her sadness lifted, and she was able to think clearly.
Therapy: Healing Emotional Wounds from the Past
When working with mental health professionals, therapy often involves exploring past events and processing childhood trauma or past trauma that continues to influence daily life.
A licensed therapist or skilled therapist can guide clients through the difficult process of emotional healing, helping them recover from emotional trauma and emotional wounds that impact overall well-being.
Licensed professionals with specific expertise can also provide a treatment plan that addresses severe anxiety, unresolved relationship issues, or other challenges.
Many people seek therapy as a way to strengthen coping skills while addressing unresolved pain and gaining self-awareness.
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The therapeutic process offers a safe space to dive deeper into past experiences, achieve behavioral change, and develop time management strategies that support positive change.
The ultimate goal is to create a clear understanding of one’s inner world, opening the path for growth, self-discovery, and healthier patterns that lead to better relationships.
Coaching: Growth Through Strategic Development
Unlike therapy, coaching focuses on the present and future by guiding individuals through personal development and professional development.
A strong coaching practice provides strategic advice to help clients develop strategies that enhance peak performance and prepare them for career changes or leadership opportunities.
Coaches often work with many clients to improve confidence and offer clarity during transitions, while upholding professional standards that align with industry ethics. Through tailored support, coaching enables individuals to achieve sustainable success and thrive both personally and professionally.
Choosing the Right Path: Therapy or Coaching?
The decision between coaching and therapy depends on whether a person is primarily addressing emotional challenges or striving toward forward-focused goals.
Therapy may be most helpful for those processing past trauma and working through difficult experiences. At the same time, coaching is often ideal for high-functioning individuals who want support in navigating career changes or achieving goals with peak performance in mind.
Some people even blend approaches, engaging in therapy to heal emotional wounds and then using coaching for goal attainment.
Others may look to certification programs to ensure their providers meet professional criteria. Ultimately, whether with a therapist or coach, the process fosters growth, resilience, and clarity.
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This allowed her to act consciously and creatively rather than reactively. She came up with a proposal to save 10% of the jobs, and the board accepted it. Three years later, when the CEO retired, the board offered her the position.
“Coaching didn’t make me into someone different,” she shared with me. “It allowed me to reconnect with the best version of myself and use my skills to dominate a situation.” So do you need a therapist or an executive coach? Based on this article. Share your thoughts.
