If you are wondering whether to pursue
counseling or coaching, here are some guidelines to help you make the decision.
It is not a matter of one professional service being better than the
other in a global sense, but of which one best fits your present circumstances,
needs and goals. Whereas some professional service providers offer only one
modality or the other, StreamTree Associates offers both - and we value both
very highly!
Generally, counseling is best at
dealing with something that's wrong: for example, emotional problems such
as depression or anxiety, relational problems such as marital discord or a
breach of trust, or the ongoing effects of previous traumatic experiences. It is
especially focused on healing and recovery.
In coaching, while there may be
certain things that are blocking a person's forward progress, the starting place
is not with a "presenting problem," but with a goal or vision for the future, or
a desire to improve one's life. It is focused on being proactive, setting goals
and taking action.
Counseling...
There are seasons and phases in our
lives. A person might do best with counseling at one time and with coaching at
another. If the need is for emotional healing or to get through a time of
feeling overwhelmed, depressed, confused or very anxious, counseling might be
the best option. Almost all of us have times in our lives when we feel one or
more of those emotions. If we are mainly dealing with overcoming difficult
memories or traumatic events in our past, counseling is designed to deal with
those issues.
If a person is feeling impaired in his
or her work, relationships or emotional life, or if the present need seems to be
just to cope, or if a person feels "in survival mode," counseling may be called
for.
Coaching...
On the other hand, if a person's present
focus is oriented toward the future and the need is to design and implement
goals, develop strategies, achieve a more balanced life and a better quality of
life, coaching may be the best option. If you feel in a frame of mind to make
decisions and move ahead (though perhaps not being sure what decisions to make
or which direction to move), coaching is an excellent way to get focused and
begin to get traction - or to increase your momentum toward a goal you have
already been pursuing. Coaching can be a way for people to define their values,
identify their strengths, and jumpstart their creativity.
A Season for
Every Activity...
An old verse of Wisdom says, "there is a
time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: ...a time to
weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance...." There is a
season where our need may be counseling (which can be very intense and very
freeing), and another where we are ready to more aggressively move ahead with
coaching.
If you are still unsure which would be
best for you, we would welcome a call from you to discuss your situation and
help you decide. It is also possible to switch from one to the other if that
becomes appropriate or if your needs change. Finally, in some situations it may
be appropriate to do both concurrently.
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