With both counseling and coaching, the keyword is “relationship”; you will find either a counseling relationship between counselor and client or a coaching relationship between coach and client. The primary difference between counseling and coaching, however, is found in the roles of the client and the counselor or coach.

Counseling: With counseling, the counselor acts as a facilitator for the client to work through psychological, emotional, or spiritual struggles, while also experiencing moments of self-discovery and realizations about the many elements of their life (i.e. family dynamics, workplace structures, milestones of life, etc). It is not the job of the counselor to solve the problem for the client. Instead, the counselor is in place to assist the client in solving their own problems.

Coaching: We in America are much more familiar with the role of the coach, as it follows many of the patterns of athletic coaches. The coach is present to provide instruction, support, and accountability for the client to overcome some difficulty or achieve some goal prescribed by the client. Coaching requires an identification of a specific situation, behavior, or goal, so that a plan can be created involving individualized structures and supports for achieving success with and progressive goals.

The ultimate goal: The goal with both the counseling relationship and the coaching relationship is for the client to achieve a level of stability and confidence to independently face the challenges of life without the regular need for counseling or coaching intervention. Independence, therefore, is framed not in the lack of need for any relational support, but in the lack of need for the counseling or coaching specialist.