Life-Coach vs. Therapist
Why Life-Coaching versus psychotherapy? Is Life-Coaching a fad? Will it vanish as fast as it came? Answers to these questions:
Life-Coaching: The focus is upon the client being whole within themselves. We all have peaks and valleys in our pasts that have shaped us into the person we have become. Sometimes that causes great success, and other times it can cause paralysis. A Life-Coach views their clientele as an already emotionally-healthy person with one or more specific issues that need to be identified, addressed, create a plan of action together and see it through. A Life-Coach aids to the client in different perspective to come up with the answer themselves, empowering one to make the needed changes.
Psychotherapy: Similar to Life-Coaching, the therapist will identify the issue. However, the therapist can diagnose, whereas a Life-Coach does not. The therapist may focus on inner-emotions that could have spawned from past trauma or a life changing event. A Life-Coach is certainly capable of speaking about these things and can help navigate but the focus will shift back to a forward-like moving plan of action and does not always dive into emotional behaviors.
In Summary how to choose: If you are needing a diagnosis and/or unravel past trauma, a therapist may be a better fit. If you are needing someone to help organize thoughts into a plan moving forward in your life, a Life-Coach may be a great fit.
We, at Elena Marie Life Coaching, will absolutely be able to refer you to a Licensed Professional Counselor/Therapist if need be. While in a Life-Coaching session, the realization that therapy may be needed before or during our plan that will take precedent. Our focus is invariably on the health and best interest of our client.