Life coach or therapist? How to know which one you need

In a world where personal growth, healing, and mental wellness are finally getting the spotlight they deserve, knowing who to turn to can be confusing. Should you hire a life coach? Or do you need to see a therapist?

The truth is — both professionals offer valuable support, but they serve different purposes. Knowing the difference can help you get the right kind of help at the right time.

Therapist vs. life coach: What's the difference?

Let’s start by clearing up what each one does.

Therapist

A therapist (or counsellor, psychologist, etc.) is a licensed mental health professional trained to help you:

• Process trauma and emotional wounds.
• Manage mental health conditions like anxiety or depression.
• Navigate grief, loss, or family dynamics.
• Heal from difficult or damaging life events.

Therapy is often a healing journey, and sometimes, it means going deep into the past to make sense of the present.

Life coach

A life coach is not a therapist; they aren’t focused on healing trauma. Instead, they help you:

• Set and reach personal or professional goals.
• Create action plans for change.
• Build confidence, focus, and motivation.
• Break through limiting beliefs.
• Level up in areas like career, relationships, or health

Coaching is very much forward-focused — it’s about progress, not pathology.

However, it’s important to point out that sometimes there will be a crossover. Even in life coaching, personal growth work can stir up deep stuff, especially when you're making shifts around identity, self-worth, or relationships. Sometimes, in the process of setting goals or making changes, old patterns, limiting beliefs, or wounds from the past can resurface.

You might find yourself touching on:

• childhood experiences
• past relationships
• parental dynamics
• moments of rejection, failure, or shame

And that’s normal. Personal growth often stirs the deeper layers.

As a coach, it’s my job to hold space for what comes up — and to know when something may need deeper therapeutic support. If that happens, I’ll always guide you gently and respectfully towards a therapist or mental health professional who can support that part of your journey.

How do you know which one you need?

Choose a therapist:

If you are experiencing daily anxiety, panic attacks, and depression that interrupt your day-to-day life, seeking help from a therapist can be a vital step towards healing. Therapists are trained to help you process deep emotional struggles, uncover the root causes of your challenges, and provide a safe space to work through difficult emotions. Therapy can offer strategies to manage mental health issues and work towards long-term well-being.

Choose a life coach:


If you are craving more out of life and desire greater clarity, motivation, and meaningful connections, a life coach can help you unlock your potential. Life coaches work with you to define your goals, build confidence, and take actionable steps toward achieving your dreams. They provide guidance and encouragement to help you tap into your strengths, shift mindsets, and create a life that aligns with your values and aspirations.

As a life coach and a trainee psychodynamic therapist, I see the value in both approaches. The key thing to remember is that as professionals, our role isn’t to give advice or push our personal opinions onto clients. Instead, we’re here to create a supportive space where clients can explore their thoughts and feelings and find the answers themselves. Whether coaching or therapy, it’s all about empowering clients to make decisions for themselves without judgment. This approach helps build trust and leads to real, lasting growth.

Life coaching isn’t a substitute for therapy, but it can complement it beautifully. Think of coaching as your forward momentum, and therapy as your foundation.