Similarities between Coaching and Therapy
- Coaching relationship and therapeutic relationship are both helping relationships based on trust and confidentiality
- My coaching and therapy approach is mainly a conversational based approach (a.k.a. talk therapy)
- My coaching and therapy unlock the self-healing and grow potential
- My coaching and therapy facilitate client’s self-discoveries, improve self-awareness and gain insights
- Coaching and Therapy help oneself to achieve personal goal, personal satisfaction and professional performance
- Coaching and Therapy enhance the wellbeing of individuals
- Depends on the choices of coaches/therapist, the approaches can be evidenced based approaches — they have been scientifically researched to be effective for certain conditions. I choose evidence based approaches only.
- Coaching and therapy can be both long-term and short-term
- Coaching and therapy are both base on your need
Differences between Coaching and Therapy
| Coaching | Therapy |
| Coaching works with healthier population who encounter environmental or social problems. | Therapy can help with people with more complex mental conditions, such as depression, anxiety, trauma, personality problems, or any other things long-term and repeating. |
| In coaching, I give as little guidance or interpretation as possible.
I pay attention to what the client do between sessions. |
In therapy, I can be more directive for therapy methods, or I could give psychoeducation, or I could give interpretation based on my understanding on your condition and my knowledge.
In therapy, I am warm and active. (I am not a blank screen.) When the client needs, I provide limited re-parenting to provide corrective emotional experience for the client. (This function is based on schema-focused therapy.) In therapy, behavior activation might be used at the beginning, to improve sense of empowered and to decrease depressive symptoms. Behavior change would also be promoted, but only in a later stages. |
| I follow the ethical guidelines based on psychologist, meaning that I don’t sell you any packages (because I don’t suggest you to consume sessions more than you need because it is “cheaper”), and I don’t use your stories for any other purposes (e.g. self promotion or training) unless I have your explicit consent. |
Since I am a psychologist and a coach, the coaching tract and therapy track can be interchangeable, based on your need and permission.
(Page last change: 2021-02-16)