Depth Coaching

What is Depth Coaching?

 

As a Depth Coach, one of the most common questions I receive is “how does depth coaching differ from therapy?”

 

In all transparency, there *is* a degree of overlap between the two professions. They both focus on the mental and emotional health of their clients, and they both seek for their clients to receive healing. 

 

In a nutshell . . .

• Therapy:  Past, healing story, diagnoses, struggle to function

• Depth Coaching:   Present, inner work, emotional, healing, self-compassion 

• Coaching:  Future, intellectual, goals, mindset/though-work

 

In the simplest, most direct terms, you can differentiate therapy and coaching as follows: 

Therapy works with the past and it's impact in the present. Coaching works with the present and it's impact on the future. That is a little too simplistic for my tastes, but it is a good starting point. 

 

Compared to regular life coaching, which tends to be more forward-focused and  goal-oriented, Depth Coaching works with the present, but goes deeper into the emotional impacts of life, and works with the emotional capacity a client is able to access in the present. 

 

This helps a client learn to build healthier relationships with their internal Parts (think inner children or an inner critic), and provides a degree of healing by learning how to take care of our inner world with self-compassion. 

 

Depth Coaching won’t necessarily go back and untangle stories from your family of origin like therapy does, but it does look at the messages, patterns, and impact of those stories on your present. Depth Coaching teaches you how to connect with your Highest Self and offer re-parenting to wounded parts. 

 

Note: If that wounding is rooted in unresolved trauma and a client cannot access the wounded part due to the trauma, that will result in a referral to a therapist for the deeper trauma work.

 

Here are some critical differences between the two professions: 

 

Therapy is the more appropriate choice if a client is dealing with:​

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• Suicidal ideation

• Addiction

• Actively in an abusive situation

• An Eating Disorder

• A diagnosed mental illness from the DSM-V

• Complex Grief

• Debilitating PTSD

• Severe Depression that interferes with everyday functioning

• Anxiety Disorders that interfere with daily functioning 

• Wanting to work through and process deep traumas from their past 

 

Depth coaching can be appropriate when a client is dealing with: 

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• Issues of grief and loss 

• Sadness that is not tied to a depressive disorder

• Low-grade anxiety that does not interfere with daily functioning

• Strong emotional reactions that they’d like to better manage

• A strong inner critic and self hatred

• Feeling a lack of self-worth or being “good enough” 

• A struggle to really feel their feelings and/or deal with strong emotions

• Wanting to have a better relationship with vulnerability 

• Perfectionism and people-pleasing

• Confidence 

• Finding your own voice

• Setting boundaries

• General feelings of dissatisfaction in life: work, relationships, family, money, living situation, etc. 

• Wanting to better understand their unwanted behaviors and make changes that are more aligned with their desires

 

NOTE: If you hire a coach to help you with any of the above, make sure they have the training in the emotional realm to fully support you! (I am also a therapist, so I’ve got you covered!)  Also, a therapist can most certainly help with the above issues as well. This list is the cross-over area, and where I personally find my sweet spot. 

 

Finally, pure life-coaching tends to be more appropriate when a client is dealing with:

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• A specific goal they want help to achieve

• Mindset issues in relation to that goal

• Thought-Work (similar to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy)

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In our time together on the consultation call, I will help you discover if Depth Coaching is right for you.  If not, I will help you find what you need.  

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