What is the difference between Coaching and Counseling?
Coaching and Psychotherapy are different modalities of counseling, and it is important that you, as The Client, understand the differences between them. Although goals of both Coaching and psychotherapy are to increase awareness, knowledge of human behavior, motivation, behavioral change, and in both, interactive counseling techniques are utilized, there are some major differences in the focus, and level of professional responsibility.
The primary focus of Psychotherapy is to identify, diagnose, and treat nervous and mental disorders. The goals include alleviating symptoms, understanding underlying personality dynamics which create symptoms, changing dysfunctional behaviors which are the result of these disorders, and helping clients to process and cope with their psychological problems.
Coaching, on the other hand, focuses on perceived issues and how they might impede goals for the future. Coaching is directive, requires accountability from you, The Client, is goal oriented and solution focused.
Although it is advantageous to be a Coach with counseling experience, as a Coach I will remain in the role of the Coach and refer you to another therapist if the need arises. In some situations as a condition of my continuance as your Coach, I may request that you enter into therapy.
On the contrary, as your therapist I may incorporate coaching techniques if I feel you would benefit from that approach.
Following is the International Coach Federation’s definition of coaching quoted in part and which is as follows:
Professional Coaching is an ongoing professional relationship that helps people produce extraordinary results in their lives, careers, businesses or organizations. Through the process of coaching, clients deepen their learning, improve their performance, and enhance their quality of life.
In each meeting, the client chooses the focus of conversation, while the coach listens and contributes observations and questions. This interaction creates clarity and moves the client into action. Coaching accelerates the client’s progress by providing greater focus and awareness of choice. Coaching concentrates on where clients are now and what they are willing to do to get where they want to be in the future. Coaches recognize that results are a matter of the client’s intentions, choices and actions, supported by the coach’s efforts and application of the coaching process.
You can expect that I, your Coach, will be honest and direct, asking straightforward questions and using challenging techniques to help you move forward. You are expected to evaluate your own progress: and, if the coaching is not working as you wish, you should immediately inform me, your Coach, so that we can both take steps to correct the problem. As with any human endeavor, coaching, as well as therapy, can involve feelings of discomfort and frustration which may accompany the process of change and growth.