How do coaching and counseling differ?
While the acceptance of seeking help is rising, the understanding of where to seek help remains murky for many. Ultimately, the decision will be a personal one, but here, the aim is just to offer some clarity around two major helping professions – coaching and counseling.
There are many different types of coaches – career coaches, executive coaches, health and wellness coaches, life coaches, transformational coaches, etc. Here, athletic coaches are not considered.
Similarly, there are many different types of licensed mental health professionals – counselors, psychologists, psychiatrists, and social workers.
For clarity, two general categories – coaches and counselors – will be used to encompass all the varying roles.
Some of the key differences between coaches and counselors are found in:
- Education and training
- Focus of the work
- Accessibility of services
What are the education and training requirements for coaches and mental health professionals?
While athletic coaching has been around for centuries, personal coaching is still an emerging field – beginning in the 1980s. Despite the recent emergence of this field, it has become prominent very quickly. According to the International Coaching Federation’s 2020 Executive Summary, the number of life coaches went up by 33% from 2015 to 2019. While some estimates suggest there are 4,380,000 coaches globally, only 71,000 coaches are certified worldwide.
Since the emergence of coaching, its growing popularity and emphasis on excellence has led to the formation of international, national, and focus-specific regulation bodies:
- International Coaching Federation
- National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching
- Board Certified Coach
Psychotherapy, psychiatry, and the many variations of counseling and therapy have existed for centuries. As the field has evolved, so too has the regulatory oversight. While regulation can vary widely depending on the specific profession, mental health professionals are generally required to complete an advanced education (Master or Doctoral degrees) and have strict licensing standards, which vary between each specific profession.
I have achieved many educational achievements in both psychology and coaching: a Doctoral Degree in Psychology, post-doctoral training in research and Clinical Psychology, and post-doctoral training in Positive Psychology-Based Health and Well-Being Program.
Read more about my background »
How does the focus of work differ between coaches and mental health professionals?
A scale is used to best illustrate the focus of coaching versus counseling:
-5 represents having some level of psychological difficulties,
0 indicates being okay, just sort of surviving, and
+5 indicates thriving.
Using this scale, the goal in counseling is to move you from -5 to 0, while the goal in coaching is to move you from 0 to +5.
There are many ways to move from 0 to +5, but all changes begin with your mind. You get the benefit of working with someone who has extensive knowledge of the influence your mind has on your behaviors. I will utilize my understanding of how the mind words to catapult your growth.
What does this scale actually mean in terms of the services provided in coaching versus counseling?
In a nutshell, coaching focuses on how to improve your life and achieve a higher level of satisfaction while counseling aims to help alleviate mental health difficulties you may be experiencing – anxiety, depression, trauma, etc. The approaches and techniques used in both coaching and counseling can vary widely based on the professional.
Depending on the type of coach you are working with, they may help you make changes related to your life, career, health, or some combination of them all. In coaching, solution-focused and strength-based approaches are often used. This means that a coach is focused on difficulties in the present moment and finding solutions that will help you become even more successful in your future.
In counseling, the approach often focuses on the past or present, depending on the professional’s theoretical orientation. However, there is generally some focus on the events of the past and how they are impacting the present. Various techniques, such as ACT, DBT, or EMDR may be used, depending on the training of the professional, to help overcome the difficulties that are leading to suffering or difficulty.
Is it necessary to have been/currently in counseling to engage in coaching?
Short answer – it is not required that you attend counseling to engage in coaching.
Longer answer – coaching is not intended to address any significant emotional difficulties you may be experiencing. Of course, emotions will come up; it may be necessary for you to work with a mental health professional to address those matters. As such, it may be necessary for you to attend both coaching and counseling or to focus on counseling to ensure your mental state is in a place that will allow you to make life changes.
Are there differences between how I can access coaching and counseling services?
Both coaching and counseling may be available in-person or virtually.
Currently, coaches are generally permitted to practice nationally and internationally. Conversely, mental health professionals are generally restricted to only practice in states where they are licensed. However, the rising need for online therapy has led to the creation of inter-state agreements allowing professionals to practice across state lines.
Coaching is often not covered by insurance and, at Ancorio, insurance is not accepted. However, counseling is more widely covered by insurance, depending on the provider.
What coaching does Ancorio offer?
As you have read, there are many different types of coaching to consider. At Ancorio, a unique form of Executive and Wellbeing Coaching is offered using a Transformational Coaching model. Using this model, long-term changes are achieved by helping you to deeply explore who you are – your beliefs, values, identity, and purpose. The aim is to ensure that your professional success does not cost you your personal life or health.
Still not sure if coaching is right for you?
Worry not my friend! Here are 7 questions to help you decide if now is the right time for coaching:
| Question | Yes | No |
| 1. Do you have a specific challenge or problem you would like to address? | ☐ | ☐ |
| 2. Are you open to changing your perspectives? | ☐ | ☐ |
| 3. Are you willing to try a new approach to help reach your goals? | ☐ | ☐ |
| 4. Do you prefer to be guided towards a new approach rather than told? | ☐ | ☐ |
| 5. Are you willing to stop or change behaviors that are interfering with your progress? | ☐ | ☐ |
| 6. Can you commit to taking regular actions to help achieve your goals, even if you do not see immediate results? | ☐ | ☐ |
| 7. Are you able to dedicate time outside of the coaching sessions to implement changes, complete work, etc.? | ☐ | ☐ |
If you answered yes to 5 or more of these questions above, you may be ready for coaching. If you answered no to 5 or more of the questions, now may not be the best time for coaching. Coaching requires an openness to change, readiness to implement the plan, and perseverance to continue to push toward achieving your goals. I encourage you to reach out and explore if coaching, and Ancorio, are a good fit for you.
