Both coaching and therapy (psychotherapy) use knowledge of human behavior, motivation, behavioral change, and interactive counseling techniques. Despite these similarities, there are significant differences in their goals, focus, and level of professional responsibility.

Here’s why I transitioned to a coaching approach to help my clients, despite my experience as a therapist, and some key differences:

Therapy is considered a medical service and is usually reimbursable through health insurance. The primary focus of psychotherapy is the identification, diagnosis, and treatment of mental disorders. Therapy requires clients to be diagnosed with a mental disorder, as interventions and treatments must be deemed “medically necessary.” Without a diagnosis, clients do not meet the medical necessity for receiving treatment. This can be problematic for individuals who are going through a rough time and just need support from a trained professional. Struggling with specific challenges, life transitions, or the ups and downs we all experience at some point does not meet the medical necessity criteria.

When applying for insurance, you must disclose any treatment received for a mental health diagnosis. This diagnosis and treatment history become part of your permanent medical record.

Working within the current medical model of care, therapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists can be very helpful when a client requires diagnosis, assessment, and treatment to access mental health resources. For example, if you are seeking accommodations at work or school due to mental health conditions, therapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists can provide the necessary documentation.

Through my experience providing therapy for clients’ mental health conditions, I realized that my helping style aligns more with a nonpathological coaching approach.

Coaching allows me to help you understand how your past experiences are impacting you in the present moment while revisiting past events to gain insight into current challenges. It also enables me to incorporate tools from other healing modalities, such as meditation, somatic techniques, yoga, energy healing, art, and movement. Through coaching, we focus on helping you through your journey rather than focusing on how to manage your symptoms.

The focus of my coaching services is to support you as a whole person and guide you through the healing and self-discovery process. The coaching approach gives me the freedom to collaborate creatively with you without being confined to the medical model. Coaching is not considered a healthcare or medical service, so there is no mental health diagnosis involved, and it is not covered by insurance. Consequently, I cannot provide accommodation letters for school, work, or agencies.

By transitioning to a coaching approach, I can better support individuals who need guidance and support without the constraints of the medical model.

Please note that I do not work with clients who are at risk of harming themselves or others.