Life Coach vs. Therapist

What’s the difference?

Life Coach vs. Therapist

The idea behind therapy, also called counseling or psychotherapy, is to focus on past traumas and issues to change self-destructive habits, repair and improve relationships or work through painful feelings. Whereas therapists analyze their client’s past, life coaches accept the client and his current situation as a neutral starting point from where clients simply wish to move toward their most desired goals.

Most people don’t need a clinical diagnosis. They just want to go from baseline functioning to flourishing. They don’t want to talk about their childhood. They want to talk about their relationships and careers, and how to maneuver life at their greatest potential.

The emphases in a coaching relationship are on action, accountability, and follow through.

Should I seek out a Therapist or a Life coach?

Naturally, the decision to seek out a therapist or a life coach is a very personal one and depends on your needs. It might help to imagine yourself getting ready to climb a mountain. You could either hire an expert guide for your expedition, or a doctor. Which should you choose?

If you feel unwell, a guide wouldn’t do you any good. You need to be at a baseline level of good health before you can make the climb at all, so if you’re not, you might need to see the doctor before trying something that challenging. However, if you need someone to help you with a climbing strategy, the best way to carry your load of supplies, or finding the best path, the guide is the best bet.

The life coach is like the guide in this example. He has expert knowledge of your climb and can help you reach the summit. 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.