Do the two have to be separated?
What is the difference between therapy and life coaching?
You may heart life coaching as being separate from psychotherapy. Typically, we’re told that the difference is that coaching has more fo a focus on the present and future rather than the past. Coaches help people identify their goals and the obstacles they are facing. Like therapy , coaching involves guidance and support. However it also places a great deal of emphasis on accountability, enabling people to do more than they might on their own. On the other hand, therapy is often seen more as analyzing a client’s past as a tool for understanding present behaviors and dealing with more severe mental health issues.
At Wellness Psychological Services, we view this distinction as arbitrary and false
Therapy can involve everything from severe symptom management and understanding of the past to personal growth and achieving future life goals and the obstacles to your goals. Depending on each clients specific problems, situation and goals the therapy is tailored to to each individuals specific needs and can involve everything that you would get in life coaching AND MUCH MORE. We believe that separating the things that could be getting in the way of you reaching your goals and looking at your past or other parts of your life is impossible and in fact essential for true long term sustained growth. Sometimes it is relevant and sometimes it is not relevant at all, but it is important to talk with someone who can help you determine that.
Our Approach: Personal Growth Therapy With Integrated Life Coaching
At Wellness Psychological Services, our clinical psychologists take a slightly different approach. Our model of therapy sees the distinction between therapy and coaching as arbitrary. Instead, we view both as integrated and impossible to pull apart, because both work together to improve your mental health. We take a combined approach where we integrate therapy, life coaching, and overall health and wellness with a tell-it-like-is no-nonsense style. We believe that the most thorough way to reach your goals and maintain them long term is to have someone who integrates both approaches.
Some people are intimidated or simply don’t like the word “therapy” and may be more comfortable with the idea of “coaching”. We view therapy as for all people from those with significant mental illness to healthy people who are just looking to have personal growth, make big behavioral or health changes, reach goals or have a better self understanding or increased self awareness. We often call this personal growth therapy or counseling, because it is for healthy people who are looking to grow or enhance their life in some way. This as a form of integrated life coaching, just by another name.
Why See a Psychologist Instead of a Life Coach?
When you work with someone who calls themselves a life coach without any specific mental health license or degree, you really have no idea what you are getting or what their training is. Life coaches are not required to be licensed and have no specific training model. Now, there may be many very helpful and qualified people who are life coaches. However, it is hard to know exactly who is if there is no body regulating their practice. Furthermore, if there are more complex issues that have made it difficult for you to reach your goals, or mental health issues come up, then someone without the proper training might be missing very important pieces of the puzzle. This can even be potentially damaging.
As doctoral trained psychologists we have the highest level of training not only in mental health but also in behavior and cognitive changes. At Wellness Psychological Services, you will be working with a professional who understands the many layers of obstacles that get in the way of you reaching your goals.
How Our Integrated Coaching & Wellness Approach Helps You Achieve Your Goals
To truly have a whole person approach you need to have the ability to run the gamut from past, present and future. This is how we can have the best self understanding and self awareness. These are the baseline tools for self growth and the ability understand who you are, where you came from, where you are going and why!
Our practice’s “wellness” approach is exactly this. Our approach includes looking at you as a whole person. We will discuss everything from the issues and problems that might bring someone in for therapy and taking it past that to the next level of growth, enhancement and actualization. It’s about creating multiple levels of goals but also creating change that is actually maintained long term and not just short term. Our psychologists help you reach goals not only in terms of traditional “mental” health but also physical health (sleep, exercise etc.) and diet/nutrition as these components are the building blocks and foundation of sustaining well being and mental health.
Begin Integrated Life Coaching as Therapy in Tampa Bay, Fl
Are you debating whether life coaching or therapy is a better fit for you? Do you feel like you need some support but aren’t entirely sure where to turn? The good news is that you don’t have to choose between therapy and coaching! Consider therapy with one of the doctoral level psychologists at Wellness Psychological Services in Tampa Bay, FL. Our unique whole person “wellness” approach means you get the benefits of both counseling & coaching! We can give you the support you need, with the training and knowledge you deserve.
Whether you are working on something big, or just navigating life, we are here for you. Contact Wellness Psychological Services today to learn more about how therapy can help you
Other Services at Wellness Psychological Services
If you need support as you navigate life, our trained psychologists are here to help you. With an office of only doctoral level psychologists, we are ready to help you no matter how big or small the support you need is. Some of our specialties include PCIT therapy, online therapy, eating disorder treatment, depression counseling, anxiety treatment, counseling for perfectionism, trauma and PTSD counseling, EMDR therapy, OCD treatment, as well as couples counseling that can include divorce discernment and collaborative divorce support.