Traditional therapists covered by medical insurance are licensed by the state and have gone through specific training, backed by university degrees and state certification. These psychotherapists often specialize in western modalities and have experience treating DSM-V disorders, usually with cognitive strategies and behavioral modifications. Coaches are less regulated and may or may not be trained or certified, but there are increasingly more officially recognized certifications and trainings, many of which include the very same modalities that therapists use. Since there are less restrictions on coaches, they often incorporate more alternative approaches than traditional western practices. Just like therapists, coaches specialize in different modalities. Sometimes therapists are also coaches so they can help people outside the parameters of western regulations, while sometimes coaches get state licensure in order to accept insurance. More often than not, coaches offer a holistic approach that addresses the mind, body, and spirit to support health and healing. While similar to therapy or counseling, it can draw on complementary and alternative practices not typically offered by western modalities. Therapists and coaches both tend to be niche-focused. You will often see a myriad of topics listed under a therapist’s practice, but a coach will usually be more specific in their field. The title of therapist or life coach is more like a general practitioner. When choosing either, it is wise to select someone who specializes in exactly what you want help with, in the same way that an orthopedic doctor specializes in the musculoskeletal system. Beyond the technicalities of what makes therapists and coaches different, my personal experiences are as follows: My THERAPISTS focused on diagnosing my problems; My COACHES focused on transformation. My THERAPISTS were very validating and sided with my victimhood; My COACHES were compassionate while holding me accountable for my part. My THERAPISTS stayed in the past; My COACHES used my past to empower me to take responsibility for my present and future. My THERAPISTS let me ruminate on my stories and persist in using strategies that weren’t working; My COACHES helped me unhook myself from my stories and delve into my felt experience, focusing on attuning to what my body and intuition was telling me. My THERAPISTS taught me to think my way to solutions; My COACHES helped me learn how to get out of my head. My THERAPISTS concentrated on fixing circumstances; My COACHES guided me to relax into my discomfort to transmute circumstances. My THERAPISTS based their practice on scientifically proven psychology; My COACHES incorporated holistic paradigms into their practice, treating the entire human experience.