What’s the Difference between Coaching and Counseling?
Many people looking for support on their personal growth journey wonder, “How are coaching and counseling or therapy different? How do I know which one is right for me?” Here I share my thoughts on the topic so you can make an informed decision for yourself.
(Note: I use the terms counseling/counselor and therapy/therapist interchangeably in this article)
Let’s first look at the official definitions of mental health counseling and coaching:
The American Counseling Association (ACA) defines counseling as “a professional relationship that empowers diverse individuals, families, and groups to accomplish mental health, wellness, education, and career goals.”
The International Coaching Federation (ICF) defines coaching as “a partnership with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.”
These two definitions don’t offer a whole lot of clarity!
While every coach and therapist will have their own answer to the question of what distinguishes coaching from therapy, there are some generally agreed upon differences. In this article I share how I think about the differences between the two so you can make an informed decision for yourself about what type of support to seek. My perspective is that of an American who has worked as a licensed mental health counselor within the United States healthcare system and as a coach. My perspective is also informed by my lived experience as someone who has benefitted greatly from both therapy and coaching. The three areas I explore are:
1) The lens through which the client is seen,
2) The relationship/power dynamics between client and coach or counselor, and
3) The goals and temporal focus of the sessions.
1) The lens through which the client is seen.
Counselors and therapists are trained to look for symptoms of psychological “dysfunction,” to assess for and diagnose mental illness. Typically when someone seeks out a counselor or therapist it is because they are struggling and are experiencing a significant amount of distress in some area of their life. Practitioners who work with insurance companies are usually required to provide a diagnosis from the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5) in order to justify the necessity of treatment. I was taught—and I think this is pretty standard—that if a client didn’t meet full criteria for a mental illness I could still give them the label of “Adjustment Disorder” to justify therapy because we are all struggling to adjust to something, aren’t we? (Although I would argue that the struggle/refusal to adjust to certain situations is a sign of strength, not a disorder, but I digress). Within the conventional, medicalized healthcare system, getting an accurate diagnosis can definitely be helpful for accessing resources and additional support but in my opinion the system is also designed to keep people sick and pathologize individuals while ignoring the societal context for the so-called “illness.” Obviously this is a complex issue with lots of nuance—more than I can address here. To keep it simple, typically the goal of counseling or therapy is to help the client return to a healthy state of functioning—and this is a good thing.
Coaching on the other hand is an unlicensed profession with no title protection (anyone can call themselves a coach) which means that, for better or worse, coaches work outside of the regulations of the healthcare system. Coaches are not allowed to diagnose, are not covered by insurance, and are not trained to view clients through the lens of psychopathology the way counselors are. There are obvious pros and cons to all of this. For example, coaches have a lot more freedom in how they work, they tend to use empowering, strengths-based frameworks, but they also may lack adequate training in how to recognize and address symptoms of mental illness and trauma which can lead to some coaches getting in over their heads. Coaching focuses more on helping clients reach their potential while counseling focuses more on helping clients understand and resolve whatever is keeping them stuck. Coaching is most appropriate for clients who are experiencing relative stability in their lives, are not in crisis, are able to meet their daily personal and professional responsibilities, and are motivated to make desired changes in their life.
2) The relationship/power dynamics between client and coach or counselor.
Power dynamics are inevitable in both coaching and counseling but, in general, there is less of an inherent power differential in the coaching relationship. This is because the client (ideally) enters into coaching in a more empowered place in their life where they have a greater internal locus of control and are generally able to get their needs met. Although they are coming to a coach because they want help with some aspect of life, the coach and client are more likely to see each other as equals with perhaps different areas of expertise. Coaches may share more freely about their personal life and offer their own story as an example or inspiration for the client, whereas therapists typically keep self-disclosure to a minimum and attempt to remain a “blank slate” for the client to project onto.
Therapy clients typically enter into the relationship with the counselor in a vulnerable place of experiencing distress and no longer able to cope sufficiently on their own. The licensed counselor is viewed as the authority/expert and holds considerably more power/responsibility (e.g. the counselor legally can/must hospitalize the client involuntarily if deemed necessary for safety reasons), although the client always has the ultimate power to discontinue therapy at any time. The power differential in the counseling context is not inherently bad. In order for the therapeutic relationship to be, in fact, therapeutic, the counselor must carry the responsibility for maintaining clear boundaries and preventing dual relationships from forming (e.g. becoming friends with the client). Ultimately the power differential but must be ethically managed by the therapist to ensure the relationship remains beneficial to the client. Empowering the client to feel self-sufficient, in control of their own life, and no longer reliant on the counselor, are often goals of therapy.
3) The goals and the Temporal focus of the work.
In general, the goals of counseling are focused on reducing symptoms of mental illness and psychological/behavioral dysfunction and helping the client return to a state of “mental health and wellness,” however that may be defined. Typically, that’s where counseling ends. Coaching, on the other hand, picks up where counseling left off to support clients in going further to “maximize their personal and professional potential.” I often hear it said that therapy sessions focus more on exploring the client’s past, while coaching focuses more on the client’s goals for the future.
There can also be a difference in who sets the goals. In therapy, the counselor typically elicits input from the client regarding the goals of therapy but the documented goals are likely to be centered around resolving symptoms and determined by other factors such as insurance. In coaching the client sets their own goals often with input from the coach. Some coaches take a very goal-directed and laser-focused approach and areas of life not related to the goals may not be discussed at all. Coaching is often more short-term (e.g. a predetermined number of sessions or months) while counseling can continue indefinitely as long as there is a need and justification for the client to continue.
Coaches are often warned to steer clear of the client’s past out of fear that talking about the past will result in a boundary crossing into the realm of therapy. I think the validity of this concern stems from the lack of training many coaches have in dealing with trauma, but in my opinion making connections to, or talking about past experiences does not equal “doing therapy” and is often a necessary part of the personal growth process. In my experience, the IFS model, used skillfully, can even allow for trauma healing to occur while staying firmly within the bounds of coaching. I share more about my personal approach and style of coaching here.
how to know whether coaching or counseling is the right fit?
The Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scale can be a somewhat helpful and simple tool for gauging if coaching or counseling would be more appropriate. In my opinion, coaching is generally best for clients who rate themselves between 61 and 100 on the GAF scale while counseling is a better fit for clients in the 41 to 80 range (below 41 indicates a need for hospitalization or a higher level of care).
Equally important to finding the right type of support is finding the right person. Counselors and coaches are humans first and no two are the same; finding someone who you feel comfortable and “click” with can make all the difference. It’s okay to “shop around,” try people out, and ask lots of questions about their experience and qualifications. Whether it’s coaching or counseling, if it isn’t helping don’t assume it’s your fault, it’s more likely just not a good fit. For clients who are neurocomplex finding someone who “gets you” can be even more challenging but don’t lose hope! In the U.S., therapists are limited to working with clients who live in the state(s) they are licensed in but coaches can work with you regardless of where you live so if you haven’t find the right coach yet try broadening your search geographically.
I hope this was helpful. Add a comment to let us know what you think or if this raises additional questions. If you are curious about working with me you can schedule a free 20 minute discovery session here.
