The International Coach Federation, (

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1 COACHING AND PSYCHOTHERAPY ~ UNDERSTANDING THE DIFFERENCE By: Dr. Patrick Williams, President & CEO Institute for Life Coach Training Coaching is Life coaching is a powerful human relationship where trained coaches assist people to design their future rather than get over their past. Through a typically long-term relationship, coaches aid clients in creating visions and goals for ALL aspects of their lives and creating multiple strategies to support achieving those goals. Coaches recognize the brilliance of each client and their personal power to discover their own solutions when provided with support, accountability and unconditional positive regard. Davis and Williams, (Excerpt from: Therapist as Life Coach ) Professional Coaching is an ongoing partnership that helps clients produce fulfilling results in their personal and professional lives. Through the process of coaching, clients deepen their learning, improve their performance, and enhance their quality of life. In each meeting, the client chooses the focus of conversation, while the coach listens and contributes observations and questions. This interaction creates clarity and moves the client into action. Coaching accelerates the client's progress by providing greater focus and awareness of choice. Coaching concentrates on where clients are today and what they are willing to do to get where they want to be tomorrow. The International Coach Federation, ( Psychotherapy is Psychotherapy can be broadly defined as a talking treatment in which a trained person deliberately establishes a professional relationship with a patient for the purpose of relieving symptoms. - Charles P. O Brien & George Woody

2 ORIGINS OF COACHING Term first used in sports training and recreation Later emerged in corporate world, emphasizing management and organization development Solution Focused Therapy provided a model for goal-focused, time limited helping Mentoring and consulting fields Personal growth training (EST, Landmark, Tony Robbins, etc.) SIMILARITIES BETWEEN COACHING & PSYCHOTHERAPY A fee is paid for service. Client wants change. You are in a professional helper role. On-going, confidential, 1:1 relationship Dialogue between you and the client is a primary vehicle for delivering the service. Listening is perhaps the most critical skill upon which your success depends. Can be individual or group-based. Regularly scheduled sessions Assumption is that change occurs over a period of time. (Modified from work done by David Steele, LifePartnerQuest. Used with Permission.)

3 DISTINCTIONS BETWEEN THERAPY AND COACHING Psychotherapy Focus: Relieve pain, symptoms Restore functioning, adjustment History, Why? Patient wants to move away from pain. Coaching Focus: Attain specific goals, desires Create personal fulfillment Vision, How? Client wants to move toward goals s/he is attracted to. Medical/clinical model Diagnosable Illnesses Paradigm of pathology Therapy Context: Coaching Context: Learning/Develop-mental Model Desirable goals, life transitions or personal growth Paradigm of possibility Therapist-Client Relationship: Therapist as expert; client as patient Coach-Client Relationship: Coach as co-creator; a partnership of equals

4 DISTINCTIONS BETWEEN THERAPY AND COACHING (cont d.) Process, feelings Inner world Outcome & action Inner to outer worlds Therapy Orientation Coaching Orientation Therapist for process, outcome Coach for process; client for results Therapy Responsibility Coaching Responsibility Therapy Style Listening with compassion Nurturing: -- Patient -- Evocative -- Indirect Limited (if any) personal disclosure Forwards the work through healing, re-parenting, emotions, catharsis Coaching Style Listening with compassion Catalyst -- Challenges -- Directive -- Straight talk, edge Personal disclosure as aid to learning Forwards the work through action, talents, strengths, behaviors, insight into action

5 THE EVOLUTIONARY CONTINUUM Traditional Therapy Transitional Models Coaching (Old style) (Gray areas) (New option) Psychoanalytic Solution-focused Whole life Brief methodology coaching Paradigm of Paradigm of Paradigm of Pathology Solutions Possibility Orientation Process Feelings Inner world Orientation Outcome Action Inner to Outer Worlds Client History Language is Vision of Future primary tool Why? How? Therapist is Move away from Coach as Co-Creator Expert &/ pathology Client is a Partnership of Equals Patient Medical Model Freedom from Managed Care THERAPY VS. COACHING Past vs. future: Perspectives on the process. Fix vs. create: Why clients come to see you. Professional vs. collegial: Characteristics of the helper-client relationship. Limited vs. open: How you generate new clients.