Oftentimes there can be overlap between health coaches and psychotherapists making it difficult to know which helping professional is right for you. Health coaches and psychotherapists both work with the art of science to facilitate change in their clients.
Defining Each Role
Health coach training has recently emerged in the last 10 to 15 years. This new emergence has left the field of coaching lacking a recognized standard for education, training, and core competencies. However, training facilities like the Nation Board of Health and Wellness Coaches (NBHWC) and the International Coaching Federation (ICF) work to define the profession, set educational standards and professional guidelines. Health coaches use coaching methodology to help people bring self-identified health and well-being goals into daily practice. Coaches draw on coaching psychology, positive psychology, motivational interviewing, and new findings in neuroscience.
Psychotherapists focus on mentally based conditions listed in the DSM-V and are trained to assess, diagnose, and treat mental disorders. There is a larger focus on interpersonal relationships in psychotherapy and at times a therapist is needed to address links between behavior change and mental health especially if serious eating dysfunction is present, chronic pain issues, significant trauma resolution, and abuse.
Health coaching is NOT a mental health service but will focus on mindset and identifying thoughts that might affect behavior change. At times a great health coach will identify when a client is better suited for therapy and will have a list of referrals available so clients get the support they need.
Approaches
Psychotherapists and coaches draw from many of the same approaches in behavior change.
One of the biggest differences between psychotherapists and coaches is that therapists work with the past while coaches work with the present. Therapists focus on the why and coaches focus on how. Coaches stick with the conscious mind; therapists delve into the unconscious realms.
As a caveat, you will find some therapists that are solution-oriented. Other therapists see psychotherapy as a process and allow for an unfolding for healing to happen. All coaches will be goal-oriented and solution-focused holding the client accountable for their progress. While some coaches have a softer approach to results others may hold your feet to the fire, so to speak.
Education and Training
The training your coach endured will vary greatly from 24 hours of online curricula to 6-month hybrid programs to 2 – 3 years of university-level education. Personally, I took 2 years of university-level education and passed the board exam for the NBHWC where I undergo continuing education to maintain this credential. Psychotherapists have a master’s degree in counseling psychology and 3000 hours of supervised internships. Clinical psychologists may take 6 or 7 years to graduate with 5000 hours of clinical supervision.
This difference is why a coach’s toolbox may at times be too simplistic for a client to overcome certain challenges you may be facing. A coach can help with heave self-judgment, despair, and self-sabotage but a therapist can help with learning to manage emotions that can show up as self-destructive thoughts, troubling obsessions, or heavily charged emotions.
Your Expectations
Today’s psychotherapist will help you connect your past with the emotions, beliefs, and behaviors you have today. Know what you need from therapy and ask the therapist how they can help you get there. A therapist is a great person to have in your corner when you experience a crisis in your life, which is BOUND to happen! In my opinion, everyone should have a good therapist for life’s emergencies.
A health coach can help you accomplish goals involving health habits, wellness, exercise, weight, nutrition, stress management, or general well-being. They work to inspire, help you push boundaries, and get you OUT of your comfort zone. A great time to see a coach is when you are curious about taking your life from surviving to thriving! Understand your coach’s training, be upfront about what you need, and ask their limitations in how they can support you.
If change for you is wrapped up in underlying emotional and relational problems, psychotherapy is a great option too. Coaches can overcome some ambivalence or you may discover a past trauma while in coaching that needs to be worked out with a psychotherapist.
If you are so overwhelmed you don’t know where to start, find a supportive coach to help sort out what kind of support you need. Sometimes the goal becomes looking at all of the resources and prioritizing what is right for you right now.
Once a client came to me with eating dysfunction, undiagnosed ADHD, depression and anxiety, and morbidly obese. They couldn’t figure out where to start on their path to healing. We created a coaching plan specific to their needs. I provided daily check-ins and two 20 minute sessions each week where we made 1 goal. The goals were to find a psychiatrist, then find a therapist, next, find a primary care provider. We looked at all of the resources available so they could step onto a path of healing. We took breaks as they initiated therapy and established care with a primary care doctor. Slowly we brought in stress management, a nutrition plan, and physical activity.
Healing isn’t linear and lifelong lifestyle change takes time. The first step is talking to someone that can help you determine where you are, where you want to go, and how you will get there.
Jordan, M. and Livingstone, J. “Coaching vs Psychotherapy in Health and Wellness: Overlap, Dissimilarities, and the Potential for Collaboration.” Global Advance in Health and Medicine, 2013 Jul; 2(4): 20-27.