The Difference Between Life Coaching & Counseling
More and more people are seeking out Life Coaching as a potential alternative to traditional Counseling. It may seem like a more cost-effective solution when someone has problems in life, but, are Coaching and Counseling really interchangeable?
Not the same.
Life Coaching and Counseling have similarities, but they are different. Depending on where you are in your life, one or the other might be right for you.
Life Coaching for Specific Skills or Goals
If, like many neurodivergent people, you struggle with executive functioning or social interactions, then Life Coaching might be for you. Executive Function includes such skills as organization, memory, planning, problem-solving, and time management. Having a Coach in your corner can help you reach your own self-improvement goals.
Time Management Life Coaching
A Life Coach might be able to provide you with strategies to help with Time Management. Many people struggle with their relationship with time, especially in the areas of Time Comprehension, Time Planning, and Time Transitions.
Time Comprehension
Some have little natural understanding of the passage of time, or the lengths of time intervals. Will a particular chore or activity take twenty minutes or two hours? If you, like them, find this a bit of a mystery, you may benefit from working with a Life Coach on Time Management.
Time Planning
For many, the ability to plan and organize their time is a major issue. They’re tired of being too late or too early for events and appointments or missing them altogether. They may be at risk of losing their job or educational opportunity if they are consistently late or absent. For them, a Life Coach can be a game changer.
Time Transitions
Problems switching gears and changing from one activity to another is difficult for many people, especially neurodivergent folk. When your interests are particularly compelling, it’s not easy to pull your attention away from it to focus on something ordinary but necessary, like housework. A Life Coach can provide strategies and support so you can become the master of your own time, rather than feeling out of control.
Dating Life Coaching
If you’d like support in social communication as you search for your person in the dating world, Dating Coaching can be a big help. Strategies, plans, and support that your coach can provide as you stretch your wings and try new things, can be extremely helpful and good for morale, as well as give you self-confidence.
Self Management, organization, memory tips; there are many skills of executive function that might call for the assistance of a Life Coach. Your Life Coach won’t tell you what you should work on or suggest that you change who you are. You are the only one who gets to decide the direction of your life. Your Life Coach can join you as a partner on the path you choose.
COUNSELING FOR MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS
While a Life Coach can be a helpful source of support in gaining skills that you have chosen to work on, there are circumstances and conditions that require more than a Coach. If you struggle with mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and coping with the effects of trauma, then a qualified mental health Counselor is the person you need.
Anxiety
Most of us have times of feeling somewhat anxious or uneasy or worried about a particular situation. But sometimes anxiety can get out of hand, spiraling out of control. If you find yourself unable to shake off the daily worries that crop up if you find that your anxiety is affecting your sleep, your relationships, or your health and well-being, it’s time to find a Counselor.
Depression
Sadness is something experienced by us all, part of the human condition. But, like anxiety, normal sadness can become serious depression. If you find that you are unable to enjoy the things you have always loved doing, if you find your life becoming smaller due to your depression, and especially if you have thought about hurting yourself, then it’s important to seek counseling. Having the right Counselor to work with can make a world of difference. You deserve to get the support you need to live the life you want.
Trauma and PTSD
If you’ve survived traumatic events in your life, you may be struggling with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). It’s not easy to come back from, but many have gone on to live a happy and productive life in spite of a history of trauma. Finding the right Counselor who specializes in trauma can make all the difference.
You deserve to be supported in your life’s journey.
Whether you would find benefit in your life from working with a Life Coach, or with a Counselor, a free consultation with one of our team members at Adult Autism Assessment and Services will help you make the right choice.
- Email [email protected] and ask for a free consultation.
- Speak with a caring staff member to decide whether coaching or counseling is right for you.
- Realize you deserve the support you need to live the life you choose.
Neurodivergent Assessment & Life Coaching Services We Offer
Besides a variety of life coaching services, we also offer Autism testing, ADHD testing, and SPD assessments.
