What is a life coach and how is it different from a psychologist?

In a few words: A life coach focuses on your overall well-being, helping you to balance mental, emotional and physical, manage stress and improve your quality of life. Unlike a psychologist, a life coach does not treat deep-seated problems but focuses on the present and the future, defining concrete objectives and finding ways to achieve lasting well-being.

The role of the life coach

A life coach is a professional who helps you clarify your goals, overcome obstacles and create strategies to achieve your aspirations. Their approach is based on action and change, and is resolutely forward-looking:

• Present and future: he can help you understand where you are now and design a path to where you want to go.
• Focus on your goals: harmonising your relationships, improving your self-esteem, adopting new lifestyle habits, overcoming your personal hang-ups…
• Responsibility: the coach helps you to remain accountable for your commitments and to stay on course, even when things get difficult.
• Solution-focused: the coach helps you to unblock practical situations and transform wishes into concrete actions.

The role of the psychologist

A psychologist is a mental health professional who helps you to deal with your emotional or psychological problems, using an introspective approach that focuses on the causes of the difficulties:

• Problems from the past: they generally help you to explore your past experiences Some therapies such as CBT, ACT, TOS or MBCT share much with coaching. They are also present and future oriented to help you understand current emotions and behaviours.
• Mental health: psychologists are trained to treat and/or diagnose mental or emotional disorders.
• Therapeutic approach: working with a psychologist can be long-term, focused on deep and often introspective healing.
• Specific training: psychologists have degrees in fields such as psychology and are often certified or licensed.

What do life coaches and psychologists have in common?

• Accompaniment and support: coaches and psychologists offer you a non-judgmental support space for your transformation process.
• Improving well-being: the aim of both professionals is to achieve a lasting improvement in your quality of life.
• Confidentiality: both practices respect strict principles of confidentiality.

Limitations of coaching compared with therapy

• No medical diagnosis or treatment: a life coach does not diagnose or treat psychological disorders. For severe depression, generalised anxiety or trauma, you need to consult a psychologist If any signs are observed during a coaching session, I'll point them out to you and we'll discuss the best approach for you .
• Action-oriented approach: coaching focuses on difficulties, objectives and actions, rather than on the underlying causes of emotions, and is therefore not suited to major psychological problems.

Limits of therapy compared with coaching

• Focused on the past: Psychologists generally Some therapies such as CBT, ACT, TOS or MBCT share much with coaching. They are also present- and future-oriented explore the past, which will be less suitable for you if you are looking for change and action.
• Less emphasis on immediate responsibility: A psychologist can be less directive than a coach, letting you explore without necessarily having concrete objectives.

Conclusion: 

The coach does not replace the psychologist; their approaches are complementary. Life confronts us with various challenges and wounds, some rooted in the present, others linked to the past. Exploring the past is essential if we are to free ourselves from the shadows and move forward with peace of mind.