coaching vs. therapy FAQ
HOW IS COACHING DIFFERENT THAN THERAPY?
Coaching and therapy are both effective methods of recovery: they meet different needs and various points on the healing journey and can be powerful in collaboration with each other. Still, it’s important to note that coaching is NOT therapy, and there are significant differences between these two modalities.
Some defining parts of the coaching environment…
PEER-TO-PEER … The client/coach relationship has distinct equality. While I am trained in trauma recovery, you are the expert on you. I view you as the leader in your own recovery process, and my task is to curate a safe space for you to feel empowered and held. Think of yourself in the driver's seat, with me co-piloting.
C O - C R E A T I O N… I do not diagnose you, nor do I create a treatment plan. Instead, we co-create a space where you develop a compassionate understanding of what happened to you, how it has shaped your inner world, and what post-traumatic growth looks like. From there, you create your recovery goals with my support.
L O C A T I O N… my certification allows me to work with anyone anywhere, although I do not work with minors or anyone who is actively self-harming or struggling with suicidality. Not being limited by a license in my state means I can provide Zoom support to anyone. For clients based in Nashville, I offer in-person sessions based on availability.
C L I E N T-LED… means that we go at your pace. Always. If you are triggered or uncomfortable, all focus and goals come back to supporting your return to a felt sense of safety. This means that there can be no external agenda or timetable created for your unique healing process because it is yours alone.
R E L I G I O U S T R A U M A-informed… if you grew up in a high control/authoritarian/fundamentalist environment, the chances are high that the messaging you were taught around therapy + seeking mental health support was not positive. Even if your beliefs about asking for help are different now, talking to a therapist can be a confronting concept since you were taught so much shame around it. Many survivors find that talking to a coach feels more accessible.
E X P E R I E N T I A L understanding… I believe a recovery coach is most impactful at the intersection of two vital elements: training in trauma recovery AND the credibility of their lived experience. It’s my hope that my clients will feel understood on a level that only comes from working with someone who’s lived a similar story.
HOW IS Trauma recovery coaching DIFFERENT THAN LIFE COACHING?
Life coaching focuses heavily on moving into the future and meeting set goals and is not trauma-informed care unless the coach clearly offers that. Trauma recovery coaching is a bit of a hybrid between psychotherapy and life coaching: it doesn’t focus on the past and/or diagnoses that you may have received, but it does explore your history enough to get a landscape of your trauma and what has happened to you to understand how the past shapes your present.
should I choose coaching instead of therapy?
Coaching can be a great stepping stone on your recovery path while therapy may be another support you seek in tandem with or after coaching. For some survivors who have heard stigmatizing messages about therapy, getting support through coaching can feel less confronting. Talking to a "coach" rather than a "therapist" is less triggering for some who are early in their recovery journey.