The Difference Between Executive Coaching & Therapy.

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Welcome to FPR Executive Coaching’s May Newsletter. This month we shall explore differences between ‘Executive Coaching’ and ‘Therapy.’ Both very different modalities with different objectives and roles. This was inspired by some questions received from my coaching clients this week.

Executive coaching and therapy do serve distinct purposes and have a very different focus, although there can be some overlap in techniques and methodologies, and some coaching techniques have even originated from the therapeutic landscape.

Here are some fundamental differences between these two modalities:

Purpose and Focus:

1. Executive Coaching: Executive coaching primarily focusses on enhancing the professional performance and development of individuals in leadership positions within organisations. It aims to improve leadership skills, decision-making abilities, communication, and overall effectiveness in the workplace. It can also explore personal goals and transitions.
2. Therapy: Therapy, on the other hand, is typically focussed on addressing personal, emotional, and/or psychological issues. It aims to help individuals overcome mental health challenges, cope with stress, heal from past traumas, improve relationships, and enhance overall well-being and functioning.

Scope:

1. Executive Coaching: Executive coaching tends to address issues related to work performance, leadership style, career development, and organizational dynamics and is future facing.
2. Therapy: Therapy deals with a broader range of issues, including but not limited to anxiety, depression, trauma, addiction, family conflicts, and self-esteem. It often entails exploring the past to be able to change behaviours, which are causing us harm.

Time Horizon:

1. Executive Coaching: Executive coaching often operates within a defined time frame and focusses on achieving specific professional or personal goals or objectives within that period.
2. Therapy: Therapy may be more open-ended and can continue for an extended duration depending on the individual's needs and the complexity of the issues being addressed.

Approaches and Techniques:

1. Executive Coaching: Executive coaching typically employs techniques such as goal setting, performance feedback, skill development, leadership assessments, and action planning to help individuals achieve their professional objectives.
2. Therapy: Therapy utilises various psychotherapeutic approaches, including cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), psychodynamic therapy, mindfulness-based therapy, and others, to explore emotions, thought patterns, behaviours, and relationships.

Confidentiality and Boundaries:

1. Executive Coaching: While confidentiality is important in executive coaching, the coach-client relationship often involves a level of transparency and openness with the organisation, especially if the coaching is sponsored or mandated by the employer.
2. Therapy: Confidentiality is a foundational principle in therapy, and therapists are bound by ethical guidelines and legal regulations to maintain the privacy of their clients, except in specific circumstances mandated by law (e.g., imminent risk of harm).

Overall, while both executive coaching and therapy aim to facilitate personal growth and development, they operate in different domains and cater to distinct needs. Executive coaching is geared towards enhancing professional performance and leadership effectiveness, while therapy focusses on addressing personal and emotional challenges to improve overall well-being, functioning and relationships.

Executive Coaches are not therapeutically trained, in most cases, therefore will recommend clients speak to counsellors/therapists if presenting with challenges beyond the scope of coaching.

If you'd like to explore 1:1 coaching with me please contact me via DM to set up a free 30 min, no obligation discovery call to explore your requirements and how I may be of service.