Therapy or Coaching?

As the uncertainties and challenges persist, you find yourself considering therapy or coaching.

But which?

Let’s first consider what is the same about therapy and coaching. With both services, you rely on another person to serve as a guide to get you to a new way of functioning in life. Whether you pursue therapy or coaching, the relationship’s trust and safety are significant factors in outcomes. So, even if one of your goals for the work is to better trust yourself, trust your gut enough to assess the fit with the provider. It is always ok to change your mind, change your approach. You are the expert of you.

An additional commonality is that outcomes also depend on your readiness for change and your motivation to engage in what the guide has to offer. Let’s face it, both therapy and coaching work only when you’re ready to take a hard look at yourself. Herein lies the first difference between therapy and coaching – therapy is more likely to surface what is getting in the way when you want to change and just cannot. Particularly body-mind modalities that tease apart the inner dynamics. Getting under the hood is messy and brings sustainable outcomes.

The following table highlights differences that are most relevant as you decide which to use:

The lines continue to blur. Mindfulness, cognitive reframing, and emotional 'intelligence' can be found in both. Coaches can get trained in basic elements of therapy models like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or Internal Family Systems. Therapists seek certifications from professional coaching associations.

More importantly, therapy is being re-invented through neuroscience and interpersonal neurobiology research. This expands the understanding that

     1. Your current mental and emotional wellness are artifacts of your life lived thus far and

     2. Your body/brain can restore and continue to expand its regenerative capacity.

Your neurodevelopment is the root of your wellness and underlies your journey through therapy or coaching, whichever you choose. If you want to get most quickly to the root of your stress and struggles, you will gravitate to body-mind therapies.

As an entry point to therapy or coaching, consider our unique therapeutic coaching (theracoaching) framework for harmonized growth. It’s designed to bring you a sense of safety to face each day with ease, even when chaos and uncertainty surround you in the present. You CAN creatively and courageously show up to your work, your family, and yourself!

Does the perfectionist in you have you stuck, avoiding the decision to do anything? Start your change journey by accepting there’s no right or wrong decision – just the one you make! Decide, learn, adapt on your unique journey of harmonized growth.