As a Hybrid Coach, I am fortunate to be able to navigate between these three words on a regular basis. So if you are someone that wants a little of all three, then you have come to the right place.
If you are someone wanting more of a traditional route though, you may be wondering what the differences are between the three.
Here's something that might help :)
Coaching vs. Therapy vs. Consulting
Similarities between Success Coaching and Therapy:
• Both professions are based on an ongoing, confidential, one-to-one relationship between the practitioner and their client.
• Clients come to both services wanting change.
• Both professions assume that significant change will only occur over time.
• Within the both relationships, regular sessions are scheduled, during which conversations occur.
• Other similarities of practice exist.
Differences between Coaching and Therapy:
The context of the relationship, condition of the client, and content of the sessions differ between the two professions as follows.
Coaches work with people who are:
• Eager to move to a higher level of functioning
• Seeking focus, strategy, and motivation
• Asking “How to?” questions
• Designing their future
• Learning new skills
• Seeking more balance in their lives
Therapists work with people who are:
• Seeking self-understanding
• Asking “Why?” questions
• Dealing with past issues, emotional pain or traumas
• Psychologically challenged in a quantifiable way
How is Coaching Different from Consulting?
Consulting and Coaching differ greatly. Consulting requires that the consultant have expertise in the area that the client seeks advice, whereas Coaches do not advise their clients at all. Coaches do not need to have specific knowledge or experience in the topic area that the client wishes to improve. The Coach instead offers expertise in the change, goal attainment, and accountability process, which is effective regardless of whether the client is seeking to lose weight, make changes in their business, learn a new skill, or stop a habit. In some cases, however, when a Coach offers a niche form of coaching (for example, health, fitness, business startup, purpose, team building, etc), the coach does have expertise and knowledge about their particular niche and does provide advise based on such knowledge. The differentiation between niche coaching and consulting is that the consultant holds the power in the relationship, however in a coaching relationship the partnership holds the power.
How is HYBRID Coaching Different?
Through my training, teaching, education and experience, I am able to navigate through coaching, therapy and consulting based on the person sat in front of me AND at any given point in time. This allows for a fluid, more impactful response based on how the client is presenting at each given stage of the conversation and journey.
