While the title of this blog post may be enticing for those that want definitive or clear direction to help them choose one over the other, the truth is: you can choose coaching, counseling or both, as it fits for you. And if you choose both, it may make sense for you to benefit from both services at the same time, or it may suit better for you to access coaching first and counseling second, or vice versa – depending on what your goals and needs are.

There’s no singular pathway for everyone. 

Let’s take a look at what the goals of each are as we help you walk through your decision tree. Coaching or Counseling… one way to think about coaching is that coaching services help strengthen your mental fitness, while counseling (or therapy) services specialize in helping you to take care of your mental health.

Coaching is accessible to everyone. Improving mental fitness through coaching is a proactive specialty that ignites well-being, performance, and growth. And because mental fitness is for everyone, everyone can benefit from having a coach in the corner of their growth journey. 

Coaches use evidence-based assessment and methodologies to help increase motivation, develop excellence strategies and achieve outcomes (among other things!!). While there are many different coaching specializations, business, career and peak performance are some of the coaching focuses that we offer here at VPC. You can read more about our coaching services here.

But coaching is not a substitute for the services of a counselor or psychologist. If you’re living with a mental health condition, working with a counselor or psychologist who has specific training in assessing and treating mental health challenges is likely what will benefit you right now.

Goals or concerns that a coaching client might have:

• How can I have more confidence leading my team in my small business?
• I’d like to make a change in my career and want some help with choosing what’s next
• I’m an entrepreneur with motivation challenges and I want to do better at meeting my business goals

Goals or concerns that a counseling client might have:

• I’m worried all the time and it’s getting in the way of sleep & my relationship 
• I’m too depressed to get out of bed in the morning
• I have obsessive thinking about my past and my future that is really overwhelming

Clients with dual coaching & mental health goals: 

• I’m a high level athlete looking to go pro, but I need to get a handle on the panic attacks I have before games because they are standing in the way of me excelling at my sport.
• I’m a senior executive and I really want to excel this quarter, but I think I might be depressed
• I’m a public speaker about to go on a national speaking tour and I want to excel and grow my audience, but I have a noticeable nervous tic that audiences can see – help!

There’s certainly some crossover and similarities between coaching & counseling.

Coaches and mental health professionals share a common goal. Both are invested in helping you better yourself. Both have specific, unique training to help you meet your goals. 

Coaching and therapy sessions alike are designed to help you to thrive. And no matter where you are in your life journey, everyone can benefit from support. 

Our team is here to help you to decide what pathway(s) are good options for you based on what outcomes you are seeking. Please give us a call at 604-733-7709, drop us a line at office@vancouverpsychologycentre.com and we’ll be happy to assist.