When plagued with a certain trauma, and you need professional assistance, the best option that may come to your mind is therapy, which is usually administered by a therapist. Aside from therapy, you must have come across individuals who have one point in their life encountered a life coach. So you tend to ask yourself, “Is a life coach a therapist?” The simple answer is a big NO. Life coaches and therapists help individuals achieve a certain goal, and they also help them understand whatever they are going through. We can correctly say life coaching and therapy are like two related individuals who are connected by traits but adopt diverse methods in solving a particular problem.
In this article, we aim to outline the differences between a life coach and a therapist so you can decide which is appropriate for you or your condition.
Since the job of therapists is more health-oriented, they face a huge limitation regarding how and where they practice their trade. Because of the nature of their job, a therapist must be licensed before they can practice. In contrast, a life coach doesn’t necessarily need a license; they can work internationally and in any state without obtaining a license from the state.
In the case of life coaching, the said client registers for a given period, probably six months or a year, during which the life coach will help the individual make the necessary adjustments, reach a certain goal, or provide support in any way he can all to ensure that the client problems are solved.
In the case of therapy, the client often looks for long-term support for an uncertain period. Thus, we can correctly say that life coaching is a short-term affair, whereas therapy is long-term.
Life coaches aim to help clients facilitate certain modifications. That is the reason why life coaches will always help clients set certain standards so that they can have a target that will help them focus on their goals.
A therapist help clients better understand their behavior by providing them with the reasons (conscious and unconscious) behind such behaviors. They normally do this by carrying out talk therapy with the clients, which helps them better understand what is going on with such an individual.
Life coaches provide support, and they also help draft out effective plans or measures that can assist their clients in achieving their goals. The job of a therapist is to help people heal from a certain traumatic incident or negative experience that occurred in the past.
Life coaching and therapy are two distinctive terms that are often thought to be similar. Life coaching provides support for individuals who wish to make certain changes in their life. As an individual who wants to tackle an existing problem, or if you need the motivation in terms of support to achieve a great feat, then coaching is the best option for you. On the other hand, if you are being traumatized and you need help in unraveling this trauma, then a therapist would be the best option.
