What is psychological coaching? Is it the merger of psychology with coaching? Or is it some unique specialty within the coaching industry?

Psychological coaching is really nothing different than what most coaches already do. In the Psychology of Executive Coaching: Theory and Application, Bruce Peltier summed up the work of a coach – to help uncover unconscious psychological processes and bring them to the surface. The coach then helps produce an awareness of any hidden defense mechanisms that function as obstacles in the achievement of goals.

That is coaching. That is psychological coaching. But, don’t let the word “psychological” fool you. Coaching is not therapy.

7 Reasons Why Coaching is Not Therapy

• • Coaches are not therapists or psychologists. They approach their work in a different way.
  • Coaches deal with the present and the future; therapists deal with the past and the present.
  • Coaches work on creating the future while therapists work to heal the past.
  • If you have an unresolved issue from your past – go to a therapist, not a coach.
  • Therapy tends to focus on issues and feelings. Coaching tends to focus on goal setting and looking to the future.
  • Therapy typically works to help dysfunctional people become more functional. Coaching helps functional people become exceptional.
  • Coaching works with more of an educational model while therapy works on more of a medical model.

What Can Psychological Coaching Do For You

You’re healthy, you’re functional, and you dream of achieving more in life. You are the perfect candidate for a coach – a psychological coach.

Here are a few ways that psychological coaching can help you take that giant step forward from functional to exceptional:

• • Can work with you to assess your situation
  • Can help you identify and clarify your goals
  • Can work with you to create a plan of action to achieve your goals
  • Can provide support, inspiration, and motivation as you implement your plan.
  • Can help you assess your progress.
  • Through exercises, active listening, and teamwork, allows you to determine your own solutions to your questions.

Psychological Coaching is Really Just Another Word For Coaching

Though therapists and coaches are different, they both work with a client’s psyche. Therapy usually works with an unhealthy psyche while coaching tends to work with much healthier individuals. But, psychology and coaching are much closer than some coaches think.

So – is one better than the other? Well, yes and no. Some people need a therapist while others need a coach. Selecting the right one for your needs is the difference between right and wrong.

They both work to help people master their problems, grow, and become more efficient in their lives. They both are skilled, knowledgeable, and trained to help. However, it is important to select the right one. Don’t go to a coach if you:

• • Think you might be depressed
  • Battle with paranoia
  • Are overly anxious
  • Have addiction issues
  • Have extreme fears or phobias

Go to a coach if you want to identify and achieve goals that will make you happier and more fulfilled in life. Go to a coach if you want to make the future just a bit brighter. Coaching will help take you to new levels of performance and life satisfaction.

Hope you took some great value out of this post today! I’d love to hear your feedback, so make sure you leave a comment with your thoughts or questions. And also, you can click on the Twitter button below to retweet this article… Thank you!