Should I work with a coach or a therapist?
What are the similarities and differences between working with a Coach versus a Therapist?
This is an EXCELLENT question. And one that I get often. Here's the deal. There are costs and benefits to working with therapists and there are costs and benefits to working with coaches.
Personally, I had a difficult time calling myself a coach when I first started my second business because the coaching industry is highly unregulated. So a lot of people call themselves "trauma informed coaches" or "somatic coaches" but don't have the proper training or experience to support clients in crisis. However, I have worked with some truly remarkable, magical coaches who are highly skilled at their craft and who were worth every penny in terms of what they taught me.
6 MAIN DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THERAPISTS AND COACHES IS THAT TRADITIONAL PSYCHOTHERAPISTS...
Tend to be past oriented (though less traditional therapists are more present and future/solution focused)
Tend to be more reactive/responsive to clients in crisis
Can diagnose and treat mental disorders.
Require licensure to practice clinically.
Are covered by insurance (though some are private pay).
Can only practice clinically in states where they are licensed.
COACHES, ON THE OTHER HAND...
Tend to be more present and future oriented (though some explore past traumas)
Tend to be more proactive and preventative rather than reactive/responsive to crisis
Cannot diagnose or treat mental disorders.
Do not require licensure or certification.
Take pay out of pocket only (are not covered by insurance).
Can practice anywhere regardless of location.
To elaborate on #4, licensed therapists have completed at least 6-8 years of higher education (if not more) plus thousands of hours of practicum and supervision to receive their licensure. Coaches don't have the same requirements since there is no licensure process, although many have completed coaching certifications and programs to better support their clients.
In my professional opinion, the most effective therapists and coaches are those who are continually learning and investing in their own professional learning and development.
To elaborate on #5, most therapists (but not all) take insurance, so it can be less expensive to work with a therapist if you only have to pay a co-pay. Coaches on the other hand are purely pay-out-of-pocket and sometimes have astronomical prices (which is a whole other issue I won't get into today). However, a benefit of working with a coach is that they often offer unique structures for their individual sessions and group programs outside of the traditional 45-60 minute psychotherapy session, such as intensives, workshops, courses, retreats, etc.
With that said, many therapists (like me) are adding coaching to their business model because the one-to-one therapy practice model is not sustainable in terms of time, energy, or money. And with our world in crisis, there are simply not enough therapists to meet the growing demand.
Keep reading to learn more about the differences between working with me as a therapist versus working with me as a coach…
Part of this challenge is that as a Licensed Therapist (LCSW), I am legally and ethically only allowed to practice therapy with clients who reside in the state where I am licensed (Hawaii). This means that the modalities I use most, including CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy, which helps clients connect and restructure thoughts, feelings, and behaviors), DBT (dialectical behavioral therapy, which incorporates somatic elements of breathing, mindfulness, etc. for emotional regulation), and somatic trauma healing techniques (like Brainspotting), are used as part of a treatment plan to alleviate the client's symptoms, which have met the criteria for a DSM-V-TR diagnosis. But again, I can only offer this to you if you live in Hawaii.
As an Embodiment Coach, there is no diagnosis and no treatment. However, we explore presenting issues and design a roadmap filled with science backed tools to help you achieve your goals. Thus, I use a more psychoeducational model to teach my coaching clients all of the brain and body based tools in my toolkit to support their healing and wellness. This means I teach elements of CBT, DBT, somatic techniques (such as breathing, mindfulness, meditation, yoga, restorative yoga, yoga nidra, gazespotting, resourcing, expansion, etc.) in my programs to help my clients move from a state of nervous system dysregulation to regulation. I can offer this to you regardless of where you live because it is psychoeducational not therapeutic.
Remember, in order to set yourself free physically, emotionally, and spiritually, you have to heal from a somatic place.
So if you struggle with physical, emotional, or mental health issues, your nervous system is dysregulated (likely from stress or trauma). The SOLUTION is to work with a qualified practitioner - either a Licensed Therapist or trained Coach - who can used evidenced based techniques and tools to move you from a dysregulated to a regulate state.
One last note - you can work with a therapist AND you can work with a coach. But your therapist cannot also be your coach and your coach cannot also be your therapist (because it blurs boundaries). However, there can be major benefits to having a therapist and also having a (separate) coach because they may address different issues using completely different approaches.
So if you are searching for a solution to your brain or body based issues (like anxiety, insomnia, fatigue, chronic pain, perfectionism, people pleasing, body image insecurity, or codependency), click the link below to learn more about my game changing Mālama Membership Circle, a mental health membership for women. Or schedule a FREE Coaching Consultation below so we can talk story to see if/how I can best support your holistic health.