Psychotherapy and Counseling vs. Relationship Coaching?
Relationship coaching and therapy have common ground. The discovery session in coaching is much like a diagnostic interview/history in an initial therapy session and there is overlap in many of the techniques used by both. Both models tend to work with the clients whole life and with emotional material.
There are, however, significant and sometimes contrasting differences between the two:
Coaching |
Therapy |
|
Views both parties and relationship as resourceful and whole; no diagnosis or treatment. |
Apt to view clients and relationships from a medical model; diagnosis and treatment. |
| Works with functioning clients | May treat major mental illness |
| Works with parties with common goals and forms an alliance | Frequently works with systems entrenched in problems |
|
Focuses on evolving and manifesting potential |
Focuses on healing and understanding |
| Peer basis; collaborates with clients | Hierarchy; client considers therapist as “expert” |
| Coach and client work together defining goals/parameters | Therapist largely designs a treatment plan |
| Emphasis on present and future-“What now? /what next?” | Emphasis on past and present- “Why and from where?” |
| Focus on solutions | May focus on problems |
| Explores actions/ behaviors that manifest self-acceptance | Often explores genesis of behaviors that create low self esteem |
| Creates accountability with “homework” | Less commonly expects accountability |
| Includes contact with clients between sessions for accountability and expects “wins” | Usually excludes contact between sessions, other than for crisis/ difficulties |
My job is to reveal the nature of your relationships to you and to work with you to increase awareness so that you can remove obstacles and propel forward with a new and healthier way of being in relationship.