Life Coach - Counselor - Psychologist - Psychiatrist

Few things feel better than curling up in your favorite chair with a cup of tea, your snuggly blanket, and a friend by your side to whom you can say anything. Knowing that you are safe to reveal your deepest pain, harshest anger, and even things you think are hilarious but shouldn’t be is important. Maybe you’re picturing that person right now. Or perhaps you don’t have anyone like that in your life. Maybe you never have.

I am positive that every life coach, counselor, therapist, doctor, or anyone in a field where they give advice, has had someone close to them want to be seen by them. This is a bad idea for a variety of reasons: we can’t be truly objective with you because we know each other and there may be a tendency to be less honest or transparent; we may already know the “answers” to your challenges and are willing to share, but we know hearing those answers will not sit well, etc. The reasons are many.

This is why confiding in someone who knows as little as possible about you is important. The internet has provided a vast wealth of qualified people with no prior knowledge of you, nothing to muddy the process. One of the biggest problems is finding someone you can connect with, who has experience, and who will be able to give you the type of direction best suited to you. Another is knowing the kind of advice you are looking for. Here, we will view the differences, and explore the pros and cons, of life coaching, counseling, psychology, and psychiatry.

LIFE COACHING

Life coaches work just like they sound. You present a challenge such as a bad habit, out-of-control finances, emotional maturity, etc. Together, you and your coach discuss your options, set goals, and develop a clear plan. The coach provides accountability, helps you see where your beliefs are limiting you, and guides you to recognize where you are growing, and where you need improvement on focus while helping you build confidence. Coaches help face life transitions such as career changes or relationship issues.

When determining a suitable life coach for you, one of the first items to research is how they got there. Do they specify what course of action they took? Unlike the other options we will be exploring, there are “courses” you can take to claim you are a life coach that are done over a weekend. A good life coach will have solid certification and experience. They will be transparent with what they specialize in. How legitimate are they? Do they have a LinkedIn account you can explore, blogs, a website, social media presence, etc.? If they are worth your time, they will have some, if not all, of these. One final note: These sessions are not likely paid through insurance. Therefore, it is important that you feel comfortable with your coach before having to pay full price for your initial session. It may be helpful to note if they do not charge for an initial consultation or perhaps give a discount for that first visit.

Where life coaches allow you to guide the process and focus on taking action in the present, counselors and psychologists focus on understanding and healing past emotional issues.

COUNSELING

Counseling, in the manner I am referring to it here, is what you would find in a setting, for example, with a pastor or facilitator. These people will have education, experience, and certification in their field, but perhaps not as extensive as a psychologist. The similarity between psychology and counseling lies in the process of talk therapy and in their ability to address past trauma and help to move forward. One of the advantages to counselors lies in their approach to them. In both one-on-one and group sessions, many challenges, traumas, abuses, etc. can be brought forward and processed without the snags that insurance companies can cause. Therefore, as with life coaching, counseling would be a cash-pay option.

There could be several reasons for this and it is always a good idea to find out their reasoning for it. The most common is not wanting to pathologize their clients. Billing insurance requires a diagnosis code. Some people truly want and need help, but do not want to have their diagnosis on an official medical document. This is especially concerning if their place of business would have access to those records. While this may seem unfair, there are valid and legitimate reasons for these codes to exist and are vital for medical diagnoses. Since you will likely be paying out of pocket, it may be helpful if the counselor you choose does not charge the full amount for an initial consultation.

PSYCHOLOGY 

Psychology is like counseling in that it is talk therapy focused. One of the advantages of psychology is that insurance will usually provide payment for sessions - usually eight per year. There are also several modalities of psychology including, but not limited to:

·       Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT). This is a therapy designed to help manage problems by changing how you think and behave. It is predominantly used to treat anxiety and depression but can be used for other mental and physical challenges.

·       Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). While utilizing many of the same techniques as CBT, this modality encourages accepting negative thoughts and behaviors. It was originally used to treat borderline personality disorders and those experiencing suicidal thoughts.

·       Mentalization-based Therapy (MBT). A therapy that can help people with borderline personality disorder(s).

These are only a few examples of options for psychological therapy. Again, it is wise to do some research prior to choosing a therapist to work with. Predominantly, the amount of experience the therapist has is a leading key to success. There are several online practices available if telehealth is your preferred manner of therapy, including mental health professional groups that offer a variety of choices with therapists.

PSYCHIATRY

Psychiatry shifts from talk therapy to a medical approach to mental health. Psychiatrists diagnose mental illness, manage treatment (usually with prescribed medication), and provide a range of therapies for complex and serious mental illness. At the point where a diagnosis has been established and medication prescribed, a psychologist to work through talk therapy will usually then be advised.

With both psychology and psychiatry, insurance can be utilized. Nearly all insurance companies have lists of accepted therapists to choose from. This is, by far, the most cost-effective means of receiving emotional and mental guidance and assistance.

Each of these options has its advantages and disadvantages. It is my hope that seeing all the things described will give you the discernment to choose which will work best for you. If, however, you find yourself not wanting any of them, but would still like to find a resolution on your own, we may have a direction in which to turn.

The FAITH program is very powerful and helps you understand not only the impact of generational cycles and how to become the cycle breaker for your children and future generations but also how to gain freedom from other unresolved traumas and abuse, achieve perspective on guilt vs shame, learn how to cope with loss and grief, even how to find God’s purpose for your life.  If you would like to experience all of this, I can recommend several options:

1. Set up a session with me to see if working through your trauma one-on-one would be best for you. Sessions are 50 minutes long at $150 per session. Schedule an appointment: https://calendar.app.google/vwJC2zTUaA3i6S8c8

2. Purchase our 8-module package "Freedom Acquired & Ignited Through Healing (FAITH)" from our product page.

3. Utilize the same 8 modules individually (and more affordable) through the Sessions we have available on our product page.