Coaching is a growing body of evidence-based approaches to helping clients improve their well-being, unleash their potential to optimize their performance, and achieve desired goals.
Coaching is a new, evolving field that shares various areas of overlap with clinical or counseling psychology. Yet, there is a lot of difference between the two fields.
Coaching is a growth-boosting discipline that augments self-motivation, steers clients towards the direction of change by creating a long-term vision, setting achievable goals, and employing evidence-based tactics grounded in scientific research. It is essentially a process of learning rather than simply teaching.
There are various kinds of coaching, such as:
Some health coaches have varied credentials in health and wellness management, education, and fitness training. Others are more skilled licensed healthcare practitioners, such as clinical psychologists, nurses, physicians, or physician assistants, who aid clients battling with chronic medical conditions.
However, instead of determining and treating the cause of a medical condition, health coaches focus on current situations and work ahead toward future-directed growth.
Health coaches equip patients with the knowledge, tools, and skills required to be proactive in their care, facilitating them to reach their goals.
Today, health and wellness coaching has evolved into a more sophisticated field with the potential of transforming the healthcare system. It is an umbrella term that encompasses contemporary disciplines of coaching psychology, positive psychology, motivational interviewing, and neuroscience.
Psychotherapists, on the other hand, specialize in the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of mental health problems listed in the “Bible” of psychiatry, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders V (DSM-V). Despite that, psychotherapists often deal with medical illnesses, recovery from major or trauma, and overall health and wellness concerns. In doing so, they often come across health coaching. The crux of their job is to stabilize client growth by building strong interpersonal relationships. Hence, there’s significant commonality between health coaching and psychotherapy.
Life coaches work on sculpting a more fulfilling, happier life; determining goals and dreams; learning about the barriers; and creating a plan of action to accomplish goals.
Business coaches focus on the growth of entrepreneurs and business owners. They work with companies in several domains, including but not limited to revving up the structure of an organization, discovering marketing needs, and building a growth-boosting strategy. They also provide helpful tools to overcome any stumbling blocks in business growth as they evolve.
Executive coaches help clarify and achieve professional goals while enhancing leadership qualities. They are much similar to business coaches, except that they promote personal development with one-on-one consultation rather than viewing the entire organization. The ultimate goal is to optimize teamwork and ensure that team members are working in sync toward their collective goals of improving organizational effectiveness and profitability.
Career coaches work with clients who are seeking employment, those who are navigating difficult transitions in career, or those who want to carve out a successful career. They assist clients in reaching their maximum potential in their careers.
Internal coaching is when both coaches and clients work within the same organization or enterprise. Internal coaches leverage resources, improve job fulfillment, productivity, and performance in the workplace.
