If you’re seeking help with your life or achieving specific goals, you may wonder what kind of practitioner is right for you. Do you need therapy or life coaching? What’s the difference between the two? Here are some details about counseling and life coaching and the differences between the two.
What Is Counseling?
Counseling is known as therapy or psychotherapy and entails working with a counselor or therapist to address personal issues. In counseling, you meet one on one with your counselor to discuss issues, work on resolving problematic behaviors, cope with feelings, explore beliefs, or address somatic responses, which are sensations in the body connected to your emotions. Depending on your needs, individual, group, marriage, or family counseling are available. In all cases, your relationship with your counselor and what you discuss with them is entirely confidential.
Counselors, therapists, and psychologists all have training and certifications. In the United States, all positions require a bachelor’s degree in psychology or a related field, at the very least. Prospective therapists will most often have their master’s degree. Some may earn a Ph.D. or Psy.D., although they’re not necessary to begin practicing. However, these advanced degrees can be helpful for therapists, providing them with more knowledge and experience.
What Is Life Coaching?
Life coaching focuses on working with a life coach to define your goals. Your coach guides you in creating a solid plan for meeting your goals using your skills. They’ll hold you accountable for your progress and help provide structure, encouragement, and support. Life coaching focuses on personal and professional development. Some areas where life coaches could work with you are nutrition, career, relationships, personal development, grief, divorce, and financial wellness.
Counseling vs. Life Coaching
Here are some of the key differences between life coaching and therapy:
- Life coaches guide you through various aspects of your life and often focus on practical solutions and behavioral changes rather than exploring emotions.
- Coaching can help you improve your financial wellness, physical health, or emotional well-being.
- Coaching focuses on professional development and personal growth.
- While you’ll talk to your life coach, which can resemble talk therapy, your coach isn’t certified and can’t practice counseling.
- Coaching isn’t clinical care or mental health treatment.
- Coaches focus on positive psychology and sustainable behavior changes.
When you search for “life coaches near me,” it’s essential to know that while coaches don’t need special training to offer their services, some organizations do provide certification.
Both counseling and life coaching can be very beneficial, but it’s important to know which is more appropriate for your needs and goals. It’s possible to use both at the same time or to work on more serious mental health concerns in therapy, and then, when you’ve reached a place of stability, seek life coaching. They can each help you work toward becoming the best version of yourself.
For more information on counseling and life coaching in Michigan, contact the team at Horizon Counseling Services. With four locations to serve the community, you can find what you need through Horizon. Complete our secure online form or call the nearest location to get started.
