Differences between Coaching and Therapy

This is a common question I get asked often and so I thought I would share some information with you to clarify the differences. The information below was provided by CTI, the coach training program through which I’m completing my certification.

Psychotherapy generally deals with people who have emotional/behavioral problems and disruptive situations and seeks to bring the client to normal function by focusing on dysfunction. The primary focus is on healing.

Coaching on the other hand deals with functional people who want to move toward higher function and achieve excellence while creating an extraordinary life. The primary focus is on evolving a manifestation of potential. And, healing is often a side effect. Additionally, the expectations and focus the client brings to the professional relationship sets the context as coaching or as therapy.

See below for additional differences:

• Views both parties as naturally creative, resourceful and whole.
• Does not diagnose or treat.
• Trained to work with functioning clients.
• Works with clients that are able to form an alliance and have common goals.
• Coach and clients on a peer basis.
• Alliance designed by coach and client together.
• Focus on evolving and manifesting potential.
• Emphasis on present and future.
• Action and being oriented.
• Solution oriented.
• Explore actions and behaviors that manifest high self-esteem.
• Regard and coach negative self-beliefs as Saboteurs (temporary obstacles).
• Coach and client ask: “What’s next/what now?”
• Works mainly with external issues.
• Discourages transference as inappropriate.
• Accountability and “homework” between sessions held as important.
• Contact between sessions for accountability and “wins” expected.
• Uses coaching skills.

• More apt to view clients from a medical model.
• Diagnoses and treats.
• Trained to work with major mental illness.
• Works with clients with entrenched problems.
• Therapist the “expert.”
• Hierarchical difference between therapist and clients.
• Treatment plan largely designed by therapist.
• Focus on healing and understanding.
• Emphasis on past and present.
• Insight oriented.
• Problem oriented.
• Explore genesis of behaviors that create low self-esteem.
• Analyze and treat origins and historical roots of negative self-beliefs.
• Therapist and client ask: “Why and from where?”
• Works mainly with internal issues.
• Encourages transference as a therapy tool.
• Accountability less commonly expected.
• Contact between sessions for crisis and difficulties only.
• Uses therapy techniques.