Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Life Coaching and Therapy?

According to the International Coaching Federation, coaching is different from therapy in a number of ways:

 

“First, coaching is a profession that supports personal and professional growth and development based on individual-initiated change in pursuit of specific actionable outcomes. These outcomes are linked to personal or professional success. Coaching is forward moving and future focused.”

 

Therapy can be about resolving past traumas or circumstances, current or past grief, relational issues or on-going difficult emotional states that stand in the way of having the life a person wants. Therapy also focuses on resolving difficulties which hamper an individual's emotional or psychological functioning personally, professionally and relationally.

 

Therapy can involve more than one person (couples, family members, etc.) while coaching is either individual or team based.

 

The outcome of therapy often includes improved emotional/feeling states, feeling more resolved about an issue, feeling more satisfied with one’s life and having better relationships.

​

“While positive feelings/emotions may be a natural outcome of coaching, the primary focus is on creating actionable strategies for achieving specific goals in one's work or personal life. The emphasis in a coaching relationship is on action, accountability and follow through.” 

​

Additionally, therapy is most often done in person, in a therapist’s office and within state lines. While coaching can be done in person, in a coach's office, it can also take place over the phone or in an agreed upon location.  This leaves room for coaching to take place anywhere the client is located.