Life coaching vs. Therapy. What's the Difference?
As we find ourselves moving in the New Year, many people are setting goals for
themselves, and seeking personal growth and transformation. As SanaMente Counseling, we
believe that 'each mind matters', and everyone can benefit from a safe space to explore their
goals and make their dreams a reality. This is why we are expanding our services to include life
coaching. We will continue to offer a full variety of mental health counseling, including
individual, couples, and group counseling. If you are wondering, "what's the difference between
counseling and life coaching?"; Please read below about differences between therapy and life
coaching, and find out which is the best fit for you!
1. Life coaching focuses on personal and professional goals, whereas therapy focuses on mental
health concerns. Therapy can help you navigate emotions, traumas, and interpersonal
difficulties, while life coaching helps you get "unstuck"; tap into motivation, and empower you
to achieve concrete goals.
2. Therapists hold advanced degrees (Master's degree or higher), whereas, life coaches are not
required to hold any specialized degrees or certifications. By nature of their training and
education, mental health counselors are qualified to diagnose and treat mental health
conditions, while life coaches cannot diagnose or treat mental health issues.
3. Life coaching focuses on empowerment and motivating you towards future goals, while
therapy often delves into the past and searches for 'deeper' reasons for behavior and thought
processes. Counseling may focus on healing and trauma recovery. Life coaching can help you
break undesirable habits and is structured to hold you accountable for progress towards your
future personal and professional goals.
4. Depending on client needs, life coaching is often short-term, whereas, therapy is often
longer-term and not time-limited. This is due to the 'deeper digging' and the nature of issues
that may be discussed in therapy. True healing from trauma or mental health conditions takes
time and personal investment-- Life coaching does not delve into these deeper issues.
5. Mental health counseling may be covered by your insurance plan, whereas life coaching is a
self-pay service, and is not covered by insurance.
Note: Highlighted here are major differences between life coaching and therapy, for more
information on our services please call our office at 813-335-9794 or email us at
We would be happy to discuss your personalized needs and find the right option for you!