Therapy vs. Coaching: What's the Difference?
Many people wonder whether therapy or coaching is the right kind of support for them. While the two can look similar, they serve different purposes and are designed to meet people at different points in their journey.
Understanding the difference can help you choose what best fits your needs right now.
Therapy
Therapy is designed to support individuals who are experiencing mental health challenges and want to better understand themselves, their history, and their emotional patterns.
- Treats mental illness
- Focuses on both past and present experiences
- Explores what has shaped where you are today
- Involves analyzing past experiences and patterns
- Often uses cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and other evidence-based approaches
- Provided by a licensed professional who can diagnose
- Typically a longer-term process
- May be covered by insurance
Coaching
Coaching is focused on helping people move forward by building awareness, setting goals, and practicing behaviors that support growth and change.
- Does not treat mental illness
- Focuses on the present and future
- Explores where you are now and where you want to go
- Emphasizes behaviors and practicing what works
- Provided by trained coaches (not licensed therapists)
- Allows for more flexibility in approach
- Helps clients set goals, create action plans, and stay accountable
- Usually a shorter-term, time-limited process
Coaching is focused on helping people move forward by building awareness, setting goals, and practicing behaviors that support growth and change.
- Does not treat mental illness
- Focuses on the present and future
- Explores where you are now and where you want to go
- Emphasizes behaviors and practicing what works
- Provided by trained coaches (not licensed therapists)
- Allows for more flexibility in approach
- Helps clients set goals, create action plans, and stay accountable
- Usually a shorter-term, time-limited process
Coaching
Choosing the Right Support
Both therapy and coaching can be valuable, depending on your needs.
Therapy is clinical care. It’s designed to treat the underlying drivers of the eating disorder and support medical/psychological safety.
Coaching is typically non-clinical and action-oriented. It focuses on learning, practicing, and implementing change consistently in real life, with accountability and practical support. Small shifts create big change.
Therapy is clinical care. It’s designed to treat the underlying drivers of the eating disorder and support medical/psychological safety.
Coaching is typically non-clinical and action-oriented. It focuses on learning, practicing, and implementing change consistently in real life, with accountability and practical support. Small shifts create big change.
