Unsure if you need therapy or coaching?
I’m not sure what have brought you to this site, but most likely you have a nagging feeling that your life should somehow be better or at least different. Or maybe it’s a feeling of being stuck but not knowing what to do about it…
We are incredibly lucky that we live in a world where our basic needs are taken care of, most of us have a roof over our heads, food on the table and a job to provide income to we can keep those things. If you’re like me your brain will now try and look for meaning, why are we doing these things? Is it good enough? What’s my purpose in life? All those questions can easily trick you into overwhelm and not knowing what to do next.
Coaching and therapy are both powerful tools that you can look to, to find clarity and meaning. However they are not the same thing, on this page I’ll explore the difference and hopefully provide some clarity to what might be best for you right now.
WHAT IS WHAT?
THERAPY is great for talking about and sorting out your emotions. It’s a great place to start if you feel ready to explore and get to know yourself. Asking questions like: Why do I feel this way? What might have caused me to react this this? It’s also the place if you have experienced any sort of trauma in the past ( there are many types of traumas, like psychical, emotional or verbal.)
COACHING is great if you’re ready to take action. If you understand that you are the creator and narrator of your life. You get to decide what to do. You’re ready to move forward and try something different. It’s a safe space where you can come up with a game plan and strategy for your life with the help of coach. Coaching is also great for uncovering blindspots and discover patterns that have been holding you back from really living life to the fullest.
The 5 Stages of Change
The transtheoretical model (1977) by James O. Prochaska
This model is a process involving progress through a series of stages:
- Pre-contemplation (“not ready”) – “People are not intending to take action in the foreseeable future, and can be unaware that their behavior is problematic”
- Contemplation (“getting ready”) – “People are beginning to recognize that their behavior is problematic, and start to look at the pros and cons of their continued actions”
- Preparation (“ready”) – “People are intending to take action in the immediate future, and may begin taking small steps toward behavior change”
- Action – “People have made specific overt modifications in modifying their problem behavior or in acquiring new healthy behaviors”
- Maintenance – “People have been able to sustain action for at least six months and are working to prevent relapse”
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transtheoretical_model
Pre-contemplation (aka not ready yet)
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MOST PEOPLE
Contemplation & Preparation
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TIME TO START THERAPY
Action & Maintenance
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TIME FOR ACTION & COACHING
Can I do therapy & coaching at the same time?
As you might understand by now, life is not a perfect linear line of development. It can be messy and confusing. So if you’re thinking can I do therapy and coaching at the same time? I would say absolutely you can. Depending on your need for support maybe you do coaching every 2 weeks and therapy 1 a month. Personally I started with therapy, moved into coaching and then started hypnotherapy. There’s no right or wrong here or the “fastest way to get better”, the most important thing is that if you feel you need support go get it. Talk to your doctor or insurance company who can refer you to a therapist. Or setup a call with a coach today if you’re ready to take action.
What Does It Feel Like?
like a wild roller coaster ride
All the feels…
I like the illustration below (courtesy of Bernie Group). It’s related to the 5 Stages of Change and it’s showing how people might feel as they are going through the changes, it can feel like bit of a roller coaster ride sometimes. And if you’re just starting the journey (or realizing you have a problem) it might be comforting to know, that we all go through these steps and that you don’t have to go through it alone.
