Life coach vs. Therapist: how to decide which is right for you

Whether you're trying to beat burnout, find your purpose, or practice more self-love, improving your mental health and wellness doesn't have to be a solo effort. It can help to find a professional who can support you—like a life coach, licensed therapist, or both. You might think, Hmm, a life coach vs. therapist...aren't they the same? Not quite. Each expert has their own approach, and knowing the difference can be helpful when searching for the right person.

Both types of professionals are dedicated to helping others improve themselves, says licensed therapist Mary Lawrence, LCSW, clinical director at Acera Health. 'They want to see their clients succeed, whether it's in managing emotions or achieving goals,' she says. 'Both therapists and life coaches will work on building a strong rapport with their clients and finding the best course of action to help them reach their desired outcomes.'

That said, there are a few key differences in how life coaches and therapists work and what they can offer you. Here's what you need to know about the difference between life coaches and therapists—and how to know which one is right for you.

Meet the experts: Mary Lawrence, LCSW, is the clinical director at Acera Health. Gayane Aramyan, LMFT, is a perinatal mental health therapist based in Los Angeles. Yasmine Cheyenne is an ICF-certified wellness coach and the author of Wisdom of the Path. Lindsay Preston is an ICF-certified life, leadership, and executive coach based in Texas.

Life coaching vs. therapy

Their academic training and credentials are different.

One of the main differences between therapists and life coaches is their academic training and the exact credentials they earn. 'Therapists are licensed mental health professionals who have completed extensive education and training, including a master's or doctoral degree in psychology or counselling,' Lawrence explains.

The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) are the standard accrediting organisations for licensed therapists in the UK.

Life coaches, on the other hand are not regulated in the UK, meaning that anyone who believes that they have the relevant skills is able to become one.

'Some may hold certifications through various coaching programs, but there is no standard governing body for life coaches,' Lawrence says. The most widely recognised credential is a certification from the International Coaching Federation (ICF), which trains coaches to have a 'thorough understanding of the coaching competencies that set the standard in the profession,' per the ICF website.

While therapists can often act as life coaches, life coaches cannot legally call themselves therapists. Generally, therapists work to obtain their license for up to eight academic years, while coaches can technically practice without any training.

Therapists are uniquely trained to support your mental health.

'[Therapists] may work with individual, couples, or families and help them treat a variety of psychological, emotional, or interpersonal challenges,' says Gayane Aramyan, LMFT, a perinatal mental health therapist based in Los Angeles. 'Therapists use an array of modalities in their work, including cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), internal family systems (IFS), dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT), psychodynamic therapy, and more to offer a safe space for clients to open up and explore their thoughts, feelings, patterns, and behaviours.'

You can still work on personal wellness in coaching, but unless your coach is also a licensed therapist, they likely won't have as much mental health expertise.

You may communicate with each other differently.

Due to strict regulations, licensed therapists must often limit their relationship (and communication) with clients to what happens during sessions—however, coaches aren't under that same mandate. So, while you might attend a weekend retreat, celebratory event, or text your coach on a regular basis, for instance, that wouldn't be the case with your therapist, says Lindsay Preston, an ICF-certified life, leadership, and executive coach.

Because it's common for coaches to offer text, email, or even phone and video support for clients between sessions (which isn't the case in therapy), it can mean that the client-coach relationship may feel 'closer' in some cases than a client-therapist relationship, says Preston.

But this doesn't mean you can't develop a close relationship with your therapist, too. When meeting with a therapist, your session is typically more open-ended, meaning you’re encouraged to discuss any and all aspects of your life—personal, professional, mental health-related, and otherwise. Because of this, you might experience more of a well-rounded wellness shift.

'You can feel close to your therapist because they provide a non-judgmental space to share anything on your mind,' says Aramyan. 'They’re able to reserve that space for you to process any emotions or experiences all the while validating you and your challenges. They can also educate you on tools to help you cope with those difficult emotions or experiences, which, in some cases, can ignite more of a teacher-student relationship.']

Self-disclosure may be more common in coaching than therapy.

Therapists are often discouraged from using self-disclosure—or sharing personal information and details—in therapy (although it still happens). However, coaches aren’t restricted from sharing stories about themselves with their clients. So, you may be more likely to hear about your coach's personal life and experiences than, say, your therapist's.

Life coaches may not dive as deep into the past.

'A life coach's job is to help you figure out what your goals are and how you can actually accomplish them, while your therapist is licensed to support your mental health concerns,' says Yasmine Cheyenne, an ICF-certified wellness coach and the author of Wisdom of the Path. Therapists are also trained to analyze and help you make sense of the past and how it informs your present and future, whereas coaching might be more forward-focused from the get-go.

'While life coaches may touch on the emotional barriers preventing their clients from achieving goals, therapy helps individuals uncover what keeps them stuck and prevents them from reaching those goals in the first place,' Aramyan says. 'Therapists have more specialised psychological training to help clients get to the root of the problem, process the past, and become aware of the patterns they may have picked up along the way.'

Do you need a life coach or therapist?

If you have a specific mental health concern like anxiety, depression, trauma, or another clinical diagnosis that requires a trained and licensed professional, a therapist may be a better fit for you, says Lawrence. But if you have specific, timely goals—like securing your dream job—and you're feeling pretty healthy overall, a life coach might be a good fit, says Preston.

'A client should consider hiring a life coach over a therapist when they have achieved stability in their lives and are looking to amplify the success they've already visualised,' Preston says. 'If they're ready to make decisions, take action, and create results by learning to understand and trust themselves, then coaching is a great fit.'

You may also find that working with both a coach and a therapist is the best of both worlds. 'Having a therapist and a life coach at the same time typically works best when a client is a driven person who wants to continue taking action, but they've uncovered some things that happened to them in the past that are keeping them from taking the action they want,' says Preston.

As a basic example: If you're seeing a therapist for anxiety, your therapist might provide a diagnosis, teach you about your symptoms, and recommend coping strategies—like a daily walk, for instance—to help, says Cheyenne. Then, your life coach might be able to help you stay accountable in between your therapy sessions or even show up and walk with you for accountability, she says. Both therapy and coaching can work together and help reinforce the work you're doing in both types of sessions.

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