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Coaching vs. therapy: Here’s why they’re not the same

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A man teaching a woman coaching vs. therapy in a bright and colorful office

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Summary: Here's why coaching vs therapy are NOT the same, and how you can determine whether you need a coach, or a therapist, for your needs!

Coaching vs. therapy has been a really long-standing debate and confusion…

Which is why we decided, why not clarify the difference between coaching vs. therapy once and for all? 

If you are reading this video blog post, you are probably one of those who are slightly confused about what exactly a coach does and what a therapist does… 

And how to really differentiate between their basic roles and purposes. 

You’re in the right place. So keep reading this blog, where we break down in more detail the slight nuances of coaching vs. therapy. 

Coaching and therapy, explained

Starting off, we want to explain the individual roles of each, a coach and a therapist. 

Who is a coach? What do they help with? And who are the kind of individuals that need the help of a coach? 

Well, coaches are hired by individuals who are looking to create progress in their lives. 

If you’re someone who wants to:

  • Make more money
  • Have a better career
  • Build a great business
  • Have happier relationships 

You may want to look for a life coach.

Coaching is a tool that you can use to create more action in your life so you can have a future-positive outlook towards the vision that you have for yourself. 

Now that we understand what a coach does, let’s try to break down the role of a therapist. 

What’s the job of a therapist? And how do you decide what you need when it comes to the coaching vs. therapy debate? 

A therapist is someone who looks at your past and who you are as an individual based on your past events… then tries to resolve the conflicts and limiting beliefs, so you can emerge a more whole individual. 

A therapist provides healthcare advice to resolve past conflicts so you can be free from whatever is holding you back.

Coaching vs. therapy: The differences

Here is a fundamental difference between the two:

A therapist is a healthcare professional who provides long-term healing and support around beliefs, trauma, and other issues that are often rooted in the past. 

A life coach is all about getting their clients to their goals, inspiring and motivating them to release limiting beliefs that block them from getting what they want in life. 

While a therapist looks at the past and tries to understand how to heal certain beliefs…

A coach’s work is more future-focused, often reflected in the way they frame certain questions to understand their clients, such as… 

  • What are the key areas of focus in your life? 
  • What areas would you like to work on? 
  • What’s the vision of your future? 
  • Where would you like to be 5-10 years from now? 

By leading the conversation using questions like these and more, coaches tend to understand where the client is at right now and where they need to be in the future…

So then they can help bridge that gap.

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Evercoach Team

Evercoach is the premier place to find up-to-date and relevant information about coaching and the coaching industry. Our authors are industry professionals, with years of experience in the coaching industry and some owning their own successful coaching practices.

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