A therapist can make a diagnosis, determine pathologies and diseases so that patients can be treated clinically.
Therapy focuses on past traumas and ensures that they are accepted by the person and helps them understand present behaviours.
Therapists help clients explore and understand their subconscious and unconscious.
Sometimes when mental health issues are diagnosed it is best to start working with a therapist and then work with a coach to design their future goals and outcomes.
A coach does not diagnose. He will help a person from where she is now to where she wants to be.
The coach can help the person design their future goals, understand the present situation and what could stop her from achieving her outcome and goals.
The work and the techniques are much more practical, it is a real team work with the person.
Life coaches identify and describe current problem behaviours so the client be aware of them and then work on a plan to change them.
A coach does not need to know a person’s past in detail. He helps the person to grow, to find answers, and to move forward in their life.
Life coaches focus on the actions and results of an individual.
Life coaches measure the success of their clients with performance indicators and specific behavioural outcomes and goals.
Despite occasional overlaps, the work and processes of therapists and life coaches are distinct.
One reply on “What is the difference between a life coach and a therapist?”
I’ve always been interested in self-improvement, and your article on habit formation is insightful.