Coaching is Distinct from Therapy
Coaching
is the hottest trend
for life and corporate advancement, yet many people do not understand how it
differs from psychotherapy. The two are different and both have an
important role. Let's compare them.
Coaching and therapy can look very
similar because of their commonalities, especially if you aren't a coach or
therapist. Both seek to support the individual and they both are
typically delivered through regularly scheduled sessions either in person or
over the telephone. Both help a person get from where they are now to
where they want to be. Last, and certainly not least, both draw upon
the theories of some of the world's greatest psychologists and social
thinkers. This is where the similarities end, yet many people have
formed their opinions based on these points of commonality. |
Evolution of Therapy and Coaching
Psychotherapy evolved from the same
perspective as Western medicine: the task is finding out what is wrong and
fixing it so you can get on with your life. As
psychotherapy became popular in the 1970's and 1980's along with the
self-help movement, there was a tremendous focus on what is wrong with you
and how to fix it. In many books, the suggestion seemed to be that you
had been injured or damaged by something earlier in your life and that you
could consider yourself to be a victim. Starting at that time, the
mental health community's key reference book (The Diagnostic and
Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, commonly
called DSM-IV), grew
from a small volume to a whopping 943 pages. It includes descriptions, diagnostic checklists, reference numbers
and even international, cultural, and biological differences for the
disorders. Many
people who do need therapy, shy away from ever working with a therapist
because of the fear of being labeled with a disorder and being judged by
friends, family or peers.
Even as the mental health community's key reference
manual grew with a focus on disorders, leading psychologists were developing
humanistic concepts which focused on individuals as the creators of
their own lives. In 1951, Carl Rogers wrote a book, Client Centered
Therapy, in which he presented his belief that people tend to
move toward growth and have the capacity to find their own answers.
This idea started a shift in therapy toward a belief that the therapy
relationship was one in which the client was assumed to have the ability to
change and grow. This movement toward humanistic psychology has gained
strength over the last 50 years and deeply affects our society.
Techniques that had been used solely by psychotherapists are widely used
now by self-improvement gurus, educators and athletic instructors.
Life Coaching and
Business Coaching were born from these advances and
incorporate ideas from personal and organizational development and
consulting practices. Coaching blends key concepts from each of these
areas into a proven method for partnering with people to enhance their
success. |
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As you might guess from the above analogy, coaches work with people who are
healthy and motivated to improve themselves. Coaching clients are
clear that they want positive change in their lives. Coaches do not
work with mental illness.
Therapists frequently
have the objective of restoring a client to health - and sometimes have to
help the person find motivation. Usually, the client's past is important to the therapist
(that's where the wound occurred), but is a lesser focus for the coach. If a coach suspects that her client
has mental health challenges, then she should recommend that client engage a therapist.
It can be appropriate for a person to work with a coach and a therapist
simultaneously, just like an athlete may work simultaneously with an
athletic coach and a physical therapist.
Both professions help move you forward toward your goals, but each is
likely to have different perspectives about how to work with you.
View other
coaching concepts. |
