Expert Life Coaching or Professional Counseling?
I am often asked what the difference is between seeing a counselor and seeing a life coach. It’s a great questions and the answer is pretty straight forward. Here at Sawayer Logistics, we provide both counseling services and coaching services.
What is Life Coaching
Life coaching specifically focuses on the present issues you are needing guidance on with a view toward growth and toward the future.
There is very little looking back at individual histories and problems. Also, the life coach can be certified by a recognized certifying agency.
This usually means that they are aware of the ethics of providing coaching and what are the best ways to coach.
Since there is not any State license required at the present time in any of the States, to work as a life coach, we are less limited to who we can see and where we can provide our coaching services.
This means that thru the technology of the internet, we connect thru the secure video platforms of Zoom.com, Doxy.me or Vsee.com, which allows me to see you wherever you have the technology to make the video connection.
In order to earn my credentials as an Expert Level Life Coach, I had to take a series of training courses and tests in order to be certified. This is not a one time process and we are always involved in continuing education. In the State of Texas, becoming licensed as a Professional Counselor requires a Master’s Degree in a related field, thousands of hours of training and education, enduring a supervised practicum and taking a state examination. Re-licensure happens every two years and each counselor must show that he or she has taken the required courses in Ethics and Jurisprudence plus additional training hours in counseling related areas. Individual Counseling by a licensed counselor is a bit more restricted than being an Expert Level Coach. How is it restricted? Well, first of all, as a Licensed Counselor in Texas, I am not at present able to provide therapy services in other States or Countries. Having said that, there is strong governmental interest as a result of the Covid19 Pandemic to change those restrictions and allow any duly licensed Counselor in one State to practice across State Jurisdictions, with the appropriate oversight. Paying cash or using insurance to pay for counseling makes a difference Individual counseling is also affected by the way you pay for it. If you are a “private pay” client and don’t use your health insurance, we don’t have to give you an official diagnosis and provide that to your insurance company to justify payment. If you are using insurance or your EAP program for payment, then we are usually asked to provide them with reports and diagnosis. Also, they often set a limit on the number of sessions they will pay for up front. They can extend the number of sessions, but normally it is a set number. Let me emphasize that as long as you acknowledge that you are freely seeking counseling, then it doesn’t matter who pays because your looking for a solution to a difficult problem. Still some people see having any kind of personal problem as an embarrassment and fear social repercussions if the word gets out that they are seeing a mental health professional. On the other hand, when there is some “involuntary” pressure to get counseling, that is something to discuss in the very first counseling session. You are free to chose, and I am here to assist you! Individual or Couples Counseling, as opposed to coaching, is also focused on problems and on the historical issues that may have contributed to the present problems being experienced. Of course, like coaching, the goal is growing in your coping skills to enjoy a better future! In both the private pay and insurance pay scenarios for counseling discussed above, you will have to sign consents for release of any information and releases of liability paperwork. At Sawayer Logistics we provide you with information on counselor standards and ethics, information on the fee schedule and other information about the counseling process you need as a consumer. That’s about it as far as how the individual or couple counseling differs from life coaching. If you have questions, send me an email and I will be happy to respond. Here is the link for further reading! https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/whats-difference-between-therapist-life-coach-0823165
What is Counseling