What’s the difference between coaching and counselling?

While both coaching and counselling aim to support personal growth and development, they serve distinct purposes and approach challenges in different ways. Understanding the differences can help you decide which path is right for you.

Coaching is Goal Oriented and Future Focused

Coaching is typically future focused and action oriented. It helps us achieve specific personal or professional goals by providing guidance, accountability and strategic advice. Coaches work with clients to clarify their goals, identify strengths and obstacles, and create actionable plans. The process is often structured, with a focus on performance, skill development, and self-improvement.

Coaches empower clients to unlock their potential and take meaningful steps toward their desired outcomes. Coaching is ideal for people looking to make significant changes, whether it’s advancing in their career, improving personal relationships, or enhancing leadership skills.

Counselling is Healing and Insight Oriented

Counselling, on the other hand, tends to focus more on emotional healing and addressing past issues. Counsellors are trained to help clients explore deep-rooted emotions, traumas, and psychological challenges that may be affecting their current mental health and wellbeing. Through conversation, a counsellor helps clients gain insight into their feelings, thoughts, and behaviours.

Counselling is often used to manage mental health concerns such as anxiety, depression, grief or trauma. It provides a safe space for individuals to process their experiences, develop coping strategies, and improve their emotional wellbeing. Counselling may involve exploring past experiences to understand how they impact present behaviours and emotions.

In a Nutshell

While coaching is centred around setting and achieving future goals, counselling is more focused on emotional healing and understanding. Both approaches can be valuable depending on your needs, and in some cases, we can benefit from both, either alongside or at different times in our lives.

As a coach and also a counsellor I am able to mix both in my sessions, if and when they are required by my clients. Which is beneficial if my clients are unsure which path to take.

Look after yourself