How is Coaching different from Therapy? 

 As both a licensed psychotherapist as well as a Certified Professional Coach, I am often asked what is essentially the difference between the two professional hats that I wear. The difference has to do with emphasis and approach. Coaching is distinct from traditional therapy because it is not designed to address a specific psychological diagnosis or issue. For example, someone with a clinical diagnosis of Depression, Anxiety or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder etc would be guided by me, the therapist through a specific treatment plan to help them better manage their clinical diagnosis. Coaching may augment traditional psychotherapy, but the work of coaching is meant to be done when major emotional and psychological wounds are already healing or healed. Thus, while emotional issues may arise during the course of a coaching session, the primary focus of the coaching is to help you identify your goals, achieve them, and develop constructive habits and skills. There is little emphasis placed on delving into the root cause of your emotional issues with coaching, but instead the focus is on creating what you want now and in the future.

In my work as a Certified Professional Coach I offer a highly personalized approach tailored to each individual client. I will start with an initial assessment to clearly define your short and long term goals, everything from communication skills to personal acceptance. I will use these goals as a foundation to create a strategy for attaining specific objectives that you want to achieve.

As a Certified Professional Coach, I specialize in the following areas:

• Personal Growth
• Professional Development
• Relationship Coaching
• Communication Skills
• Confidence & Personal Power
• Inner Peace
• Spiritual Coaching 
• Achieving Balance
• Stress Management 
• Health & Wellness Issues
• Organization & Productivity 

Relationship Coaching Specialization:

In the many years I have been working as a licensed psychotherapist and professional coach, I have observed that oftentimes many of the issues my clients struggle with that are interfering with them achieving their personal goals can often be related to breakdowns in one form or another in the significant relationships in their lives. Therefore at the core of my coaching services I offer a particular emphasis on relationship coaching whereby I aid my clients in enhancing communication, overcoming obstacles and forming stronger bonds with the people in their lives.

Is personal life coaching confidential?

What we discuss will be held in confidence and not shared with others, except where prohibted by law in particular sensitive situations where the life of the client is in jeopardy. Technically the privilege of confidentiality that exists for the clergy, therapists and attorneys is not necesarilly granted to coaching professionals, yet since I am also a licensed therapist I maintain the same level of strict confidentiality with my coaching clients that I do with the clients that I see for traditional therapy. Therefore the coaching a client engages in with me is a confidential process, and their personal information will always be protected.

(Image Courtesy of: Peter Fogde via Unsplash)