Life Coach vs. Therapist
How to decide?
Although life coaches and therapists occasionally help clients with similar problems, their work is not the same. In order to get the right kind of professional expertise, it is crucial to know which kind of guidance will serve you best. Do you need a therapist, or do life coaching services better suit you?
The fundamentals of life coaching are what distinguishes it from therapy. Life coaches do not diagnose the people they work with, while therapists determine illnesses and pathologies so their patients can be clinically treated. Therapists analyze their client’s past as a tool for understanding present behaviors, whereas life coaches simply identify and describe current problematic behaviors so the client can work to modify them. In other words, therapists focus on “why” certain behavioral patterns occur, and coaches work on “how” to work toward a goal.
Simply put, a therapist puts people in the box but coaches believe that it is no box. Coaching is about empowering, clients have all what it takes to solve any problem.
Naturally, the decision to seek out a therapist or a life coach is a very personal one. It might help to imagine yourself getting ready to climb a mountain. You could either hire an expert Sherpa and guide for your expedition or a doctor. Which should you choose? Which one will be most helpful during your specific journey?
If you are physically unwell, or would be in danger if you even attempted the climb, a Sherpa and guide wouldn’t do you any good. You need to be at a baseline level of good health before you can make the climb at all, so if you’re not, you might need to see the doctor before trying something that challenging. However, if you’re healthy and just need someone to help you with climbing strategy, carrying the load of supplies and finding the best path, the Sherpa and guide is the best bet.
In this example, the therapist is the doctor. He or she gets you well enough to take on major challenges in your life by exploring your mental and emotional well-being. The life coach is the Sherpa and guide. He or she has an expert knowledge of your climb and can help you reach the summit.
