Life coaching vs therapy? Which is better?

Personally, I’ve worked with both, as a client and as a coach. I’ve noticed some hot arguments as to what is BETTER and who produces better results.

And honestly, it all depends on the client and the results they want. Some therapists may unknowingly venture into “coaching mode”, that is, focusing on SOLUTIONS, rather than just working on healing the past.

You Know You Need a Therapist When…

Some therapists stay strictly in the past, heal the past, and then sit and listen (though dwelling on the past can become cyclical and unproductive). If you’ve got a major psychological wound from the past that needs healing, then that therapist is just what you need.

If you’ve got a major psychological wound from the past that needs healing, then that therapist is just what you need.”

If not, then you might waste a lot of time, energy, and money. There are more than a few “therapist turned life coach” types that know this is true. Therapists can get so constrained by their professional focus that they miss the juice of taking their clients to the next level.

Some therapists may even be insulted that a coach is doing “their work”, not fully understanding the unique differences between each. Furthermore, to say that a coach doesn’t have half the education of a therapist (which I’ve heard a therapist express to me recently)… that just shows ignorance, and not knowing the purpose of each role and the educational differences to support that role.

…to say that a coach doesn’t have half the education of a therapist… that just shows ignorance, and not knowing the purpose of each role.”

You Need a Life Coach For Positive Progress And Results

A coach is there to support clients in whatever positive results are valuable to them. A Life coach will support a client in positive results for their entire life, while a relationship coach‘s work will focus more on just relationships.

The point of coaching is to take what’s already great and transform it to make it even better. Coaches don’t make the sick clients “well” and they aren’t their to heal a “wounded inner child”.

Coaches don’t make the sick clients “well” and they aren’t their to heal a “wounded inner child”.”

They can certainly support your inner child to come out and play even more, though!

Which is Better, Life Coaching VS Therapy?

IF a client is actually mentally ill, clearly the therapist has to take that client on. Although a coach may still be able to help that client, a licensed therapist should be the point-person in that team, and the coach should take their cues as to what latitude they have in working with the client.

If the client is healthy (it’s up to you to decipher), then a coach may be more beneficial, especially when a client is seeking a solution.

Who do you believe would get better results for which types of clients?

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Tiffany Olson
Career Coach
Writer, Coaches Training Blog community