Should I have psychotherapy, counselling or coaching?
When you’re searching online for talking therapy, it can be really very confusing to know what sort of professional you should be looking for. Start to do some research and you’ll find a number of options such as counselling, psychotherapy and coaching. Within these you’ll find approaches and models such as CBT, psychoanalytic, psychodynamic, humanistic, transactional analysis, integrative and more. Additionally there’s therapists with training in specific modalities such as EMDR or hypnotherapy. And then there’s niches and/or areas of specialism.
So, how do you know who’s right for you and how do you choose?
Counselling versus Psychotherapy
Traditionally counselling and psychotherapy were understood to be different approaches. Counsellors tended to tackle a particular issue, focussing mainly on how you are effected in the present, whereas a psychotherapist would be more likely to delve into the past and explore root causes. Counselling tended to be shorter term, while psychotherapy tended to be longer term. Not so much now.
Nowadays, it seems to be more widely accepted that psychotherapy is the umbrella term for a wide range of models of mental health focussed talking therapy. Some counsellors call themselves psychotherapists and some don’t and vice versa. It isn’t necessarily the case that a psychotherapist is ‘better’ or ‘more’ qualified. It’s more to do with the choice of the individual practitioner and what they feel they are offering. There’s ongoing disagreement about the definitions, even among the professionals themselves. Instead of looking for someone by ‘title’, instead check what therapeutic approach they are offering. That will be more meaningful in helping you decide. This is where the differences lie, rather than how they choose to market themselves.
What about coaching?
Coaching, on the other hand, is goal/ future focussed and seeks to get you from A to B. You identify where you are now and where you’d prefer to be instead. The coach assists you in identifying and defining steps towards your goal, uncovering and planning for likely obstacles and then helps keep you accountable over time. However – some models of coaching are now blending with counselling skills and some fully adopt person-centred approaches of therapy. Because coaching is not a regulated industry in the UK, be sure to check that the person you work with has the skills to help you.
And then there’s therapists and practitioners…
There’s a plethera of further options such as NLP, hypnotherapy, breathwork, mindfulness, EFT, holistic practitioners and so on.
As for me, I am trained in a model that blends the very best of counselling skills, developmental psychology, NLP, mindfulness, Hypnotherapy, EFT and coaching. For me, this approach hits the sweet spot between coaching and therapy. It’s an integrative approach, called therapeutic coaching and is active and goal focussed, but also has a strong emphasis on healing the past in order to be able to move forward. It’s a modern alternative to traditional psychotherapy and/ or counselling, which tend to be more passive. I enjoy equipping people with tools and techniques to use in their lives on an ongoing basis.
Finally…
When you are looking for someone to work with, it’s more important to feel that the person is right for you, than to over-think their title. Yes – check training, qualifications and accreditation/ registration , but also check in with yourself: do you feel comfortable and understood? Does the approach appeal to you? Have they been recommended to you? Like me, the vast majority will offer a free consultation before you each decided if you’d like to work together. Our call would be an opportunity for you to find out about me, but I would also be considering whether I am the best suited person to help you with your particular issue and if not, then I would refer you on.
