A variety of resources are available for those who seek help with life’s challenges. While coaching and therapy have similar objectives, the methods and professional requirements differ. A basic understanding of each field is the key to making an informed choice. While it is commonly understood that there are differences between a life coach and a therapist, there is value in juxtaposing these professions. Comparing them will clarify how each can improve your life. In this article, Keith Orie – a certified professional coach from Temple, Texas, highlights the most significant differences between these two life-improving resources.
Objective
A psychotherapist, or therapist, is a professional mental health worker trained to provide counseling and guidance for people struggling with life’s many challenges. Such challenges include a tragic life event, depression, marital problems, and a host of other difficulties. Seeking help from a licensed therapist is unequivocally not a sign of weakness. It indicates someone looking to rise above the challenges that everyone, at one time or another, encounter. However, it is fair to broadly categorize psychotherapy’s objective as a tool to help someone move from a low emotional or mental state to a more normalized one.
A life coach is someone who assists people with identifying and achieving their life goals. Like an athlete needs a coach, every person can benefit from engaging with an expert in constructing plans to accomplish a set of goals. Working with a life coach is, by no means, an indication that your life is broken or somehow in need of repair. On the contrary, people who choose to use a life coach indicate their willingness to make proactive and positive decisions about their lives. A life coach helps people move from what could be termed their normal state of emotional satisfaction and accomplishment to one that is elevated, more productive, and more gratifying.
Education
To become a therapist, a student must earn a master’s degree in social work, psychology, or family therapy and complete many clinical hours before practice. Usually, a minimum of seven years of formal higher education is required.
There is no degree required to be a life coach. Organizations that offer life coach training do not need to be accredited by an accrediting institution. To be sure, there are many training programs available for life coaches, but no formal degree from an accredited institution is needed to begin practicing as a life coach.
License Requirements
Psychotherapists are required to be licensed across the United States and in most other countries. Life coaches must achieve and maintain authorization to practice only if they are affiliated with a larger coaching organization that requires such approval for affiliation with their group.
To summarize, if you are going through a challenging time in your life and having difficulty regulating your emotions, noticing a decrease in performance, or experiencing disruptions in sleep and appetite due to anxiety and depression, you should consider reaching out to a therapist. However, if your ambition is to take your life to the next level, achieve goals you’ve been putting off for a long time, and improve your lifestyle, you should look for a certified life coach.
About Keith Orie
Keith Orie is a certified professional life coach in Temple, Texas, and an owner of Advanced Medical Sales, LLC. He started the company late in college to help medical professionals effectively treat patients through non-invasive pain relief procedures. Mr. Orie understands the value of customer support and has built a team of resourceful professionals to make sure all client queries are responsibly and promptly addressed. The extensive range of medical equipment Mr. Orie distributes includes portable ultrasound machines, electrical stimulation devices, neck traction devices, and more.