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Today, I am going to try for clear and succinct, not for theoretical complexity. If "high concept" is a good thing, we should be happy to apply it here.
One caveat: for the purposes of this argument I am only referring to psychotherapy that tries to cure through insight. I exclude cognitive and behavioral exercises because they fall within the realm of retraining, and thus, are closer to coaching than therapy.
Here are some principles, as I have been developing them on the blog.
Psychotherapy is about getting into your mind; life coaching is about getting into your life.
Psychotherapy offers self-knowledge; life coaching aims at self-management.
Psychotherapy is about how you understand yourself; life coaching is about how you conduct yourself with others.
Psychotherapy is an aesthetic; life coaching involves an ethic.
Psychotherapy gives you a front row seat at your life's dramas; life coaching engages you in the work of building your character.
Psychotherapy offers self-knowledge to no particular end; life coaching gives lessons in self-management to help you to get into the game and to play it well.
Psychotherapy wants to discover why you keep getting it wrong; life coaching wants to show you how to get it right.
Psychotherapy wants to know why you can't perform; life coaching wants to help you to perform better.
Psychotherapy claims to offer care and cure for what ails you; life coaching offers guidance to help you improve on your strengths.
Psychotherapy wants you to get in touch with your feelings; life coaching wants you to keep in touch with your friends.
Psychotherapy wants you to accept the worst about yourself; life coaching wants you to see the best in everyone.
Psychotherapy wants you to fulfill your creative potential; life coaching wants you to work hard at what you are best at.
Psychotherapy wants you to blossom; life coaching wants you to excel.
Psychotherapy tries to analyze everything; life coaching is happy to leave well enough alone.
Psychotherapy wants everything to be spoken; life coaching is happy to leave things unsaid.
Psychotherapy looks for problems; life coaching looks for solutions.
1 comment:
Great article Stuart. It might not be the most burning issue of the day but you do provide an original and personal insight into it. I can't believe how many coaches I meet that still can't tell the difference between the two.
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