Life Coaching is NOT Therapy
Undoubtedly, the most frequently asked questions concerning Coaching is, "How is Coaching different from traditional therapy and why coaching over therapy? This is especially true when it comes to divorce. The most important thing for you as someone going through a divorce is forward movement towards a new way of life and Coaching is all about forward movement.
Life Coaching is Action-Oriented
Coaching is concerned with the present and the future that a client envisions. The work is action oriented so that one sees measurable results. Coaching knows full well about the ‘mind chatter’ that holds us back from our personal best and the mind chatter revolving around divorce is intense. Things like: Where did I fail? What is wrong with me? Coaches recognize that mind chatter and we address it in order to heal BUT we do not seek to understand all the ’stuff’ that went on in the past. Coaching takes you from where you are today to where you want to be.
Therapy Addresses the Past
Therapy seeks to fix unresolved issues from the past that have resulted in behaviors that can be debilitating. Years can be spent in therapy. The therapist seeks to diagnose and then provide
us their professional expertise in resolving the issues. If your issues are truly in need of therapy, a Coach will let you know as we are committed to a code of ethics that tells us when Coaching is not the right course of action.
Life is short. Moving forward and getting on with our life is what Coaching is all about. Coaching seeks to learn from what may have gone wrong in your marriage and then concentrates on what we can do to make your new life as wonderful as possible.
Here is perfect example of the difference between Therapy and Coaching and it is a true story: A therapist recommends to their client that they should see a Life Coach about their career issues. Why? The client is constantly complaining about her career but does nothing to change the situation. That’s where Coaching comes in. She will work with the client to create an action plan that will get her where she wants to go.
Within 6 months of working with a Coach, the client has made the move to a new career. During Coaching, she was able to discover exactly what didn’t work about her job, but more importantly, what she really wanted to do to be happy and feel fulfilled.
The Coaches Training Institute, home to Co-Active Coaching and where I trained, states it clearly:
Coaching asks questions of "how to" whereas therapy more often tends to ask questions of "why." Coaching examines lessons learned along the path to achievement. It is a forward-moving, action-based endeavor. Setting clear goals and strategizing for measurable results is the framework for the coaching partnership, as compared to therapy, where feelings, thoughts and self-exploration of coping mechanisms, and internal conflicts assume most of the Focus.
Let’s talk.
If you are looking into both therapy and/or Divorce Recovery Coaching,contact me today so I can show you the differences and then you can make the important decision in an informed way. Your first meeting is free.
