THERAPY VERSUS COACHING

Therapy V Coaching-what is the difference?

I’ve been involved in a range of discussions both physical and on line as part of some research I’m conducting on coaching and, as expected, a number of key points have arisen. One of them is the difference between therapists and coaches. It’s clear that there are a wide range of views from people who align themselves with therapists and those to coaches, there are a few who claim to be both.

However, I’d like a view from both sets of specialists as to why you think you are what you call yourselves.

I’d like to express a couple of points as a starter for ten and to get the discussion rolling.

DEFINITIONS.

The range of definitions (a different discussion I’d like to start later) for both therapy and coaching is very wide. The lack of any one, or small number, of accepted definitions makes it difficult to be explicit in what you do. This is an area that is being widely debated across both approaches and seems likely to continue for a while. However, a flavour of the definitions available includes:

COACHING

Starr – defines coaching as ‘a conversation, or series of conversations, one person has with another’.

AC Grant – Coaching was defined as a collaborative, solution-focused, result-orientated systematic process, used with normal, non-clinical populations, in which the coach facilitates the self-directed learning, personal growth and goal attainment of the coachee.

Stober – Coaching is a collaborative process that facilitates the client’s ability to self-directed learning and growth, and is evidenced by sustained changes in self-understanding, self-concept, and behaviour.

THERAPY (including counselling, etc)

Princton University – the treatment of mental or emotional problems by psychological means.

Merriam Webster – Main Entry: Psychotherapy (also called counseling) any form of treatment for psychological, emotional, or behavior disorders in which a trained person establishes a relationship with one or several patients for the purpose of modifying or removing existing symptoms and promoting personality growth.

INTENTION

There seems to be significant language differences as well as similarities between the two approaches of therapy and coaching.  That’s not to be unexpected but I feel there the main unstated difference is that of ‘intention’. I suggest the following for discussion purposes:

THERAPIST

The intention of the therapist is to heal, treat, fix, etc. problems (past/present) that the client has. The focus of their intention is based on a medical/treatment model in that a problem exists that is damaging, or restricting a person’s mental and/or physical health. Therefore they will work with the client/patient to fully explore the problem, identify the underlying cause and provide a medical, treatment based solution. This may, or may not include movement toward a future learning and development goal.

COACH

The intention of a coach is to identify the clients future based point of development, present position in relation to the area the client wants to develop, identify the gaps and enable the client to take the necessary action. This focus is on learning and development in that a problem does not, necessarily, have to exist for the client to want to develop. Work may, or may not include solving a pre-existing problem (this is dependent on the level of barrier it’s causing to the move toward the desired development goal).

PROBLEM AND OVERLAP

The issue of term ‘problem’ seems to be a sticking point and seems to sit in the overlap area on the continuum of therapy and coaching. At one end of the scale sits therapy dealing with, and concentrating on, the past/present problem. On the other end of the scale sits coaching with its focus on future solutions and development. Each specialism will work comprehensively with clients within their sphere. However, the overlap comes in the middle. Both therapist and coach can, and do deal with problems but how far along the line can each other go before the intention changes, and the role changes?

TOOLS

When does a tool become therapy or coaching? I’m thinking of the likes of CBT, NLP, modeling, hypnosis, etc. all of which are used in both fields.  Both therapists and coaches have argued that whatever tool is used it is appropriate to them, a point I’d agree with (dependent of course on their level of proficiency in the use of that tool). Is then the argument of appropriateness of the tools being discussed more to do with the area of ‘intention’ rather than specialism?

What do you think?

Thanks.

Pete Mackechnie