How is Coaching different from Therapy?

As both a licensed mental health counselor as well as a Certified Professional Coach, I am often asked what is essentially the difference between the two professional hats that I wear. The difference has to do with emphasis and approach.  Coaching is distinct from traditional therapy because it is not designed to address a specific psychological diagnosis or issue. For example, someone with a clinical diagnosis of Depression, Anxiety or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder etc would be guided by me, the therapist through a specific treatment plan to help them better manage their clinical diagnosis. Coaching may augment traditional psychotherapy, but the work of coaching is meant to be done when major emotional and psychological wounds are already healing or healed. Thus, while emotional issues may arise during the course of a coaching session, the primary focus of the coaching is to help you identify your goals, achieve them, and develop constructive habits and skills. There is little emphasis placed on delving into the root cause of your emotional issues with coaching, but instead the focus is on creating what you want now and in the future.

In my work as a Certified  Professional Coach I offer a highly personalized approach tailored to each individual client. I will start with an initial assessment to clearly define your short and long term goals, everything from communication skills to personal acceptance. I will use these goals as a foundation to create a strategy for attaining specific objectives that you want to achieve.