Therapy vs. Life Coaching

 

Coaching focuses on where you are, and where you want to go in your life. Coaching is designed to improve your life through goal setting and problem solving. I will help you set goals for your life, develop a plan to reach them, and work with you to get there. The timeframe for coaching is tailored to your needs and plan, and may range from weeks to months. Coaching is not meant to be used as a replacement for therapy or treatment for any mental health symptoms/diagnosis. Life coaching is not covered by insurance benefits.

 

Therapy focuses on understanding emotional and behavioral responses to different situations. The goal of counseling is to help you gain an understanding of your behaviors and way of thinking to create a happier, more stable future. Therapy may last weeks, months or years. I will help you look at your past and work to resolve beliefs and behaviors that may be problematic for your future goals. 

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Medication or Therapy?

 

It is well established that the long-term solution to mental and emotional problems and the pain they cause cannot be solved solely by medication. Instead of just treating the symptom, therapy addresses the cause of our distress and the behavior patterns that curb our progress. You can best achieve sustainable growth and a greater sense of well-being with an integrative approach to wellness. Working with your medical doctor you can determine what's best for you, and in some cases a combination of medication and therapy is the right course of action.

 

Are things discussed in counseling confidential?

 

Confidentiality is one of the most important components between a client and therapist. Successful counseling requires a high degree of trust with highly sensitive subject matter that is usually not discussed anywhere but the therapist's office. Every therapist should provide a written copy of their confidential disclosure agreement, and you can expect that what you discuss in session will not be shared with anyone. This is called “Informed Consent”. Sometimes, however, you may want your therapist to share information or give an update to someone on your healthcare team (your Physician, Naturopath, Attorney), but by law your therapist cannot release this information without obtaining your written permission.

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However, state law and professional ethics require therapists to maintain confidentiality except for the following situations:

 

• Suspected past or present abuse or neglect of children, adults, and elders to the authorities, including Child Protection and law enforcement, based on information provided by the client or collateral sources.

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• If the therapist has reason to suspect the client is seriously in danger of harming him/herself or has threatened to harm another person.

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Your length of time in therapy depends on your goals, and your progress toward those goals. The same can be said for coaching. Both therapy and coaching can be used short term or long term.

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