Coach, Mentor, or Therapist?
Here’s what you need to know before you decide
When you’re working through a challenge, it can be hard to figure out the type of professional you need. Between the rising popularity of coaching, the struggle to find a suitable mentor, and the serious work of therapy, the options can seem overwhelming. In this article, I break down the differences between coaching, mentoring, and therapy, so that you can feel confident about which path is right for you.
The five lenses
The differences between coaching, mentoring and therapy can be viewed through five distinct lenses:
- Purpose: what are the aims of each discipline?
- Focus: what does each specialise in?
- Method and tools used: what are the techniques involved?
- Approach: what perspective does each discipline take?
- Outcomes: what results can you expect?
Below, we’ll explore the differences of each in more detail.
Purpose
All three disciplines have beneficial purposes centered around personal development. Broadly speaking, however, they differ in exactly which areas of personal development they focus on:
- Coaching is usually aimed…
