Life Coach vs. Therapist: What's the Difference?
Takeaway: If you’re looking for help working toward your goals, both life coaches and therapists can help. However, there are key differences among both types of professionals that are important to be aware of. Here, I break down the difference between life coaching and therapy so you can make an informed decision. Plus, I give expert insight (as both a coach and a therapist myself) to help you choose which one is the best fit for you.
Everything you need to know about life coaching vs. therapy
Maybe you've worked with a mental health professional or life coach before. Maybe this is your first time seeking support for a personal, relationship, or career issue. No matter your unique situation, it's important to understand what each professional can offer. Doing your research is the best way to make a decision that's suited to your needs and goals.
Let's dive into the similarities and differences between therapists and coaches.
Similarities of therapy vs. coaching
At their core, therapists and coaches are similar. Both have the goal of helping you become the best version of yourself and living a life you love. Here, we'll explore more of what these two professionals have in common.
Focus on personal growth
Both life coaches and therapists focus on helping people improve their mental health and overall well-being. Each client has their own goals for what they hope to get out of therapy sessions or coaching services, but they're typically focused on topics related to personal growth.
Goal Setting and Action Planning
Similarly, both therapists and life coaches help clients set and achieve their goals. These could be goals related to their career, mental health, relationships, or other areas. While therapists and coaches may go about the process differently, both help clients achieve what they want out of life.
Client-Centered Approach
Each life coach and therapist has their own unique approach for how they support clients. However, nearly all life coaches and therapists take a client-centered approach. This means that they prioritize the client's needs and goals. While these professionals can provide guidance and support, they ultimately want to help the client discover what's best for themselves.
Strong client-provider relationship
Both coaches and therapists are committed to creating a strong relationship with each client. This relationship is the foundation of the work together. When a client feels seen and supported, they are better able to make the positive life changes they're seeking.
Differences between life coaching and therapy
While therapists and coaches have a lot in common, they are also two distinct roles. Understanding their differences is key in deciding which type of professional you want to work with.
Training and credentials
One of the biggest differences between life coaches vs. therapists is their qualifications. Therapists are generally required to receive a master's degree in a field like social work, psychology, or counseling. They also have to undergo thousands of hours of supervised practice to gain licensure.
On the other hand, coaches come from more diverse backgrounds and experiences. Some gain accreditation through the International Coaching Federation (ICF) or other professional bodies. Some draw on their life experience to help people reach their goals. Other coaches (like myself!) also have a background as a therapist.
Professional scope
Therapists are mainly focused on providing mental health care. They help people navigate past trauma, behavioral issues, and mental illness. Depending on their expertise and work setting, they may work with people who need intensive levels of care to support their mental health.
Coaches can also help people improve their mental health, but they do not provide mental health treatment in a formal way. Instead, coaches provide hands-on support and actionable strategies to help them achieve their goals, whether they're related to mental health, career, health, personal development, or something else entirely. Overall, coaches have a much wider scope than mental health professionals.
Approach and techniques
Therapists and coaches also use different methods to help their clients. Therapists have training in specific therapeutic approaches used to treat mental health conditions. Each therapist may have slightly different training, but some common methods they use include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), psychodynamic therapy, and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy (EMDR).
Life coaches can often be more flexible and creative in the types of approaches they use to help clients identify and reach their goals. Life coaching sessions may even take place outside of a physical office if that better meets your needs.
Relationship with clients
Both life coaching and therapy depend on creating a strong client-provider relationship. However, the relationship between a client and therapist can look much different than the relationship between a client and a life coach.
A therapist-client relationship is often more formal. Therapists are bound by strict professional boundaries and ethical guidelines. This is helpful for people seeking support for serious mental health challenges, but it can also be limiting. Life coaches are able to form a more collaborative, informal relationship with clients. Plus, they can share more about their life experience when helpful to clients.
Should I work with a therapist or coach?
Now that you're familiar with the similarities and differences between life coaching vs. therapy, you can make a more informed decision about which type of professional you'd like to work with. While there is no right or wrong answer, there are some key indicators that you might benefit from working with one over the other.
Signs you should work with a therapist vs. coach
Ultimately, it's up to you to decide which services you want to invest your time and resources into. However, there are certain situations in which I'd recommend seeking support from a mental health professional. Here are a few.
You're experiencing significant mental health issues
If you're struggling with significant mental health problems, it may be best to work with a therapist. These professionals have years of education and formal training that allow them to effectively treat mental illness.
People with mental health symptoms can certainly benefit from coaching. However, therapy may be most helpful when your mental health condition is significantly impacting your functioning and quality of life.
You're seeking a mental health diagnosis
Similarly, therapy is the best choice if you're seeking a formal diagnosis for a mental health concern. Assessment and diagnosis are outside of a coach's scope of practice, so you'll need to work with a therapist or qualified healthcare professional if this is what you're looking for.
Most therapists can diagnose mental health issues like anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and eating disorders. However, you may need to find a psychologist if you need an evaluation for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, or learning disabilities.
You're looking for structure
Therapy sessions are often more structured than coaching sessions, especially with certain types of therapy like EMDR or cognitive processing therapy (CPT) that follow a standardized procedure. Since therapists are bound by certain professional and ethical standards, the therapeutic relationship is also more formal than the coaching relationship.
The formality and structure of mental health care can be helpful when you're really struggling with your emotional health. It creates a safe place for you to land when things feel intense or out of control.
You want to take a deep dive into your past
While each has a different specialty and approach, many therapists are well-equipped to treat trauma. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), trauma is our psychological response to a horrific life event. It can significantly impact a person's mental health and overall well-being.
If you're looking to process trauma or explore how difficult life events are impacting your current functioning, therapy may be your best bet. Therapists are trained to support people through this process and use evidence-based methods to help people heal from trauma.
Signs you should choose a life coach vs. therapist
While therapy can be helpful in some situations, life coaching may be a better fit in others. Here are a few signs that you might benefit from working with a life coach instead of a therapist.
You're interested in a more creative process
As we discussed, therapy is often a more formal, structured service. Life coaching, on the other hand, can be much more flexible and tailored to your specific needs, preferences, and goals.
Life coaches aren't limited by the same guidelines that therapists must follow, so the process can be creative. Your coach will help you think outside the box and find creative solutions to the problems you're facing.
You want short-term support
Each client-provider relationship is different, but coaching sessions are often more short-term than therapy sessions. It can take a significant amount of time to process trauma and heal from mental health issues, so the course of therapy can often be months or years.
Since coaching is focused on achieving specific goals, it's often more time-limited. Coaching is also more hands-on and action-oriented, so you'll likely see results in a shorter amount of time than with therapy.
You have concrete goals you want to achieve
Both a therapist and a coach can help you achieve goals. However, goals for therapy are often more general and vague than with coaching. For example, a therapy goal might be centered around learning coping skills for anxiety or processing past trauma.
On the other hand, a life coach helps people with more specific, concrete goals. Plus, they can help people with a wider range of goals in multiple areas of their life rather than focusing primarily on mental health like therapists do.
You want a hands-on accountability partner
As we touched on earlier, the therapeutic relationship is typically more formal than the relationship between a life coach and a client. This can be helpful in some situations. However, I'd recommend working with a life coach if you want an accountability partner who can be more hands-on in your personal growth.
Life coaches have the freedom to incorporate their personal life experiences, use creative methods, and support you in unique, highly personalized ways. If you've worked with a therapist before and want a new form of support (or if the formality of therapy isn't for you), working with a life coach is a great route to explore.
Life coaching can help you find creative ways to put your mental health first.
As both a therapist and a life coach, I have an intimate understanding of how each of these services can be helpful. With that being said, I love how wellness coaching allows me to truly meet my clients where they're at and find solutions that really work.
After working as a therapist for 13 years, I've shifted toward coaching clients instead. I saw a need amongst my clients for hands-on, creative support that goes beyond what therapy can offer. My role as a life coach in New Jersey, Philadelphia, and beyond allows me to do just that.
My coaching practice was also born out of my own lived experience. I was a high achiever who worked hard and played hard. This worked for a while until it suddenly didn't. Thankfully, I've learned a tried-and-true method to heal from burnout in a long-term, sustainable way. I share this same method with my coaching clients.
As a burnout coach in New Jersey and Philadelphia, I help high-achievers, entrepreneurs, helping professionals, and parents recover from burnout and build a life they love. I tailor my methods to each client's unique needs and goals to make sure that the changes we make together really stick. The goal is to help you find flexible solutions that continue to work even after our time together has ended.
If you're ready to reach your goals, create a life you don't need to escape from, and find lasting burnout recovery, I encourage you to reach out. I offer free consultations so you can get to know me better and ask any questions you may have. I look forward to hearing from you and working together!
