What is the difference between coaching and therapy?
In a coaching alliance, the assumption is that YOU are the expert in your life. The coach provides reflective questions, wellbeing assessments, accountability support as you incorporate new attitudes, awareness and behaviors, and celebrates your gains as you make them. It’s easy to forget to acknowledge progress in the quest for self-change. Acknowledgment helps you own, integrate and appreciate the good work you have done. No diagnoses are assigned and insurance does not yet reimburse for this service. It is a shared creative process. If there are skills to be learned, it is by asking your permission that these would be offered. Our focus remains mostly in the here-and-now and on adopting positive practices that support the types of change you wish to make. This process is ideally engaged in for a minimum of 3 months, with the option to extend monthly, until the process feels complete. However, sessions can be booked one at a time, depending on your needs. A coaching contract can be generated and this is pre-paid monthly, or 3 months, in advance. This work can be done in person, but is also a good fit for telephone or virtual video sessions via my telemedicine portal, which can be accessed here.
In therapy, the assumption is that we will work to clarify your diagnosis, explore your past, identify treatment goals and measure your progress to reduce your suffering. As a therapist, I am a bit more in charge of providing direction in your treatment. I’ll assess progress, propose steps you might take to reduce your distress, help you plan your actions to achieve your goals to enhance your functioning and quality of life. I may want or need to request input from current or previous providers, family members and/or friends. We review the past in order to more fully appreciate its impact on your present life circumstances and see what patterns emerge. We will focus on building resilience, developing effective coping skills, daily self-care practices, develop meaningful connections and foster a healthier self-image, with self-compassion and mindful awareness. If your insurance company offers out-of-network benefits, then invoices for this service can be submitted to your carrier for reimbursement directly to you. Session lengths can vary from 30 mins to 90 mins. depending on what works best and what your insurance company allows. (Some companies will approve up to 50 minute sessions only, unless the treatment includes EMDR or prolonged exposure for panic and acute anxiety). See FAQ for insurance questions. I am willing to make the initial call to your insurance company to ascertain the benefits and coverage offered, deductibles, pre-authorization requirements, etc. Just bring your information in with you to your initial meet and greet.
We can have a conversation during our meet-and-greet session to determine which approach is the best fit for your life and circumstances.