What Are The Differences Between A Life Coach Vs Therapist?
When deciding between life coach vs a therapist, remember both aim to support personal goals. However, a therapist is a trained mental health professional, while a life coach may not have formal accreditation. It's important to discern the differences between a therapist or life coach for your own needs. Depending on your concerns, a therapist or life coach may be able to help you. Therapists are trained to treat mental health issues, while life coaches offer advice on a variety of topics.
How do I decide between a life coach vs therapist?
When deciding between a life coach or a therapist, there are some key differences. Exploring life coach and therapist offerings and qualifications may help you choose between them. In comparison, a life coach can provide guidance on many areas of life, vs therapists, who are trained medical professionals. If you're seeking support for a mental health disorder, a therapist may be the right choice. If you want support for general life decisions, you might choose a life coach.
What is a psychotherapist?
A therapist is a licensed provider that can help you with mental health conditions, stress, life challenges, diagnosis, and assessment.
Considering a therapist for your mental health
Those living with mental health challenges, such as eating disorders, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, and other mental illnesses, often benefit from seeing a therapist. Psychotherapists may help treat mental health issues and conditions through assessment, diagnosis, and talk therapy. A therapist may also provide direction in setting life goals, personal growth, finding your potential, and finding solutions to life’s challenges.
Education of a therapist
A therapist is educated with a minimum of a master's degree in psychology and licensed in the states where they offer services. Therapists complete 1,500-6,000 hours of supervised practice before earning licensure. Therapists are bound by legal and ethical codes that govern their conduct in their own practice.
A psychotherapist can assist you using numerous research-backed client-centered therapy methods like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), motivational interviewing, dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), cognitive processing therapy, and more. Therapists may collaborate with clients to develop strength-based objectives, including:
- improving reality testing
- reframing
- problem-solving
- communication skills
Psychotherapists can also help you discover the roots of relationship problems, familial conflict, and career issues. Some therapists focus on helping clients heal from past trauma or overcome mental health challenges, vs others who focus on present stressors.
Generally, mental health professionals help you improve your overall mental health. While a therapist may not be able to prescribe medication, they can diagnose when needed and mat coordinate with doctors to provide referrals when necessary.
What is a life coach?
A life coach is a person who offers life coaching services. In life coaching sessions, a coach focuses on helping clients achieve personal growth and self-improvement. Life coach services can sometimes be beneficial for those who would like guidance and change in a particular area of life.
General life coaching as therapy
Life coaching is an unregulated profession, making it challenging for many clients to properly vet a coach. While people in this field can get a coaching certification, there are no state licensing boards or universally accepted standards of education, ethics, or training for a life coach.
A life coach approach to mental health
An ethical life coach will not attempt to treat mental health problems if they arise. They may refer you to a therapist. Life coaches can help you with coaching your present feelings, thoughts, and behaviors to improve performance, develop your potential, help you with solutions, provide direction, and assist you with goal setting. A good life coach may also help you with managing stress and improving relationship issues. Often, life coach sessions focus on one specific area of concern, such as professional goals, relationships, or mental fitness.
However, a therapist is more qualified to support you for mental health treatment vs a coach. An online therapist can be a helpful service if you need support.
Counselor or way-of-life advisor: Vetting the professional
When considering a supportive professional, both therapists and life coaches can help you achieve personal growth; but the success of each is often dependent, on the professional providing help. Whether you choose one or the other, ensure they are qualified, meet your needs, and offer a price point within your budget.
Vetting a professional counselor
Therapists are mental health professionals who often have a psychology degree and a license issued by their state. You can verify a therapist's license with your state's licensing board. You can also ask a therapist about their educational background, professional expertise, and special training.
Licensed therapists focus on mental health challenges by assessing your overall mental health. They may help you explore past trauma and develop a treatment plan with subsequent sessions designed to teach you coping skills.
What therapy can help you manage
Therapy helps you to learn how to manage symptoms of anxiety or depression, among other mental health conditions. However, you do not need to have a mental health condition to see a therapist. They can also offer life advice, guidance, and goal-setting support.
Vetting an informal coach
Vetting a life coach on your own could be more challenging because coaches may not have certification or training in giving advice. When deciding between a life coach and a therapist, it can be helpful to remember that many life coaches are licensed through various organizations; for example, those who provide career coaching can obtain the Certified Professional Career Coach designation. You can inquire about a coach's educational background and certifications in life coaching by doing an online search or speaking with them directly. Life coaches work to help clients reach goals and manage stress and other problems in daily life, but they are not qualified to treat mental health conditions, which is the main difference between a therapist and a life coach.
Psychologist or transformational mentor: Pricing differences between therapists and life coaches
Pricing can differ between sessions with a therapist or a life coach. Therapists often charge by the hour, and Forbes states the average in-person therapy appointment will cost $100-$200 within the US. Some people may attend sessions once or twice each month, while others attend sessions once or more each week, depending on their mental state. Your insurance might also cover sessions with a therapist if you have a referral from your doctor or are covered for mental health services.
Mental health, online therapy, and ways to find support
Online therapy may be beneficial when it comes to cost concerns. With many online therapy providers, mental health care services can include live sessions via phone, video, or chat in addition to messages between sessions. Before meeting with a therapist or other mental healthcare professional, learn more about their pay structure, including any cancellation or late fees they might charge.
Simple guidance and therapy: Health insurance considerations
Insurance plans don't cover life coaches because they are unregulated and not qualified to treat mental health or other health conditions. This means you'll need to pay out-of-pocket for their sessions. Life coaches typically charge around $75 and $259 per hour.
Wellness advisor or counselor: Which should I choose?
Weighing the key differences between therapist vs coach can be challenging. Both can provide specific benefits and help with personal growth, and your decision will often depend on your goals, concerns (e.g., a mental health condition, career challenges), and preferences. Therapists provide a health service and are trained to do so, but they may also provide the same services. Unlike life coaches, therapists are often trained to use proven modalities (e.g., cognitive behavioral therapy) to address mental health concerns. Therapy often helps clients living with a mental health condition like depression, anxiety, or chronic stress. It isn't necessary to have a mental health challenge to talk with a licensed therapist, though. A therapist can provide support and guidance and help people learn coping skills to manage the challenges of everyday life.
Coaching vs therapy options
Online therapy tailored to your mental health concerns
Takeaway
Advisor or coach: How does informal advising compare to therapy or counseling?
Both life coaches and mental health professionals offer help to promote well-being. However, significant differences exist between one vs the other. Many informal coaches help clients achieve specific goals such as physical health, career development, and general planning. A healthcare professional is trained to offer psychological help for mental health issues. A mental health professional’s approach often revolves around a counseling relationship with clients.
Counselors and psychotherapists tend to provide a safe space to address complex concerns and have advanced degrees, specialized training, and a state-issued license. Mental health professionals are also held to high ethical standards concerning education and methodologies that are established by state licensing boards and professional associations. While life coaches may also undergo training and can be licensed through various organizations, such professionals are not healthcare professionals. Life coaches also do not have enforced ethical standards, nor government mandated requirements.
What can a lifestyle coach help with?
A life guide can help clients with areas of life by offering support, guidance, and accountability. Life guides may use active listening to help clients identify roadblocks and use accountability to make progress toward goals. Coaches can specialize in careers, physical health, overall health, business, or relationships to work with a specific focus of support. Coaches may be able to help with many issues, but are not similar to licensed mental health professionals.
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