Therapist, Mentor, Life Coach, Career Coach...What’s the Difference?

When it comes to personal and professional coaching, there are many approaches. This variety makes it possible for you to find a unique fit that meets your personal needs, but it can also be overwhelming. What is coaching, and how does it differ from other forms of personal development? What is a life coach? A business coach? A career, leadership, and executive coach?

With so many kinds of coaching out there, how you should navigate the spectrum of options will depend on the specific areas you’d like to focus on developing. Titles and roles in the coaching industry are often used interchangeably, and individual coaches provide tremendous insight based on their particular niche.

Wondering what to look for in your search for a personal or professional coach? Look no further for an exploration of the different types of personal and professional coaching. Learning the key differences between these styles is the best way to find a coaching relationship that meets your immediate or long term needs for personal development.

What’s the difference between a life coach and a therapist?

This is one of the most common questions at the outset of a search for personal or professional coaching, as both fields work on creating positive changes in their clients’ lives. Therapists may include psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, social workers, or counselors, and are distinct from the coaching family.

Therapists typically have advanced degrees, such as a doctorate degree or master’s degree. As healthcare professionals, each licensed therapist must meet their state’s qualifications in order to practice. Many insurance plans cover therapy sessions as part of mental wellness, and therapists may work with their clients on mental health conditions, mental health disorders, mental health problems, or emotional issues, such as substance abuse, bipolar disorder, past traumas, anxiety, or depression. Like coaches, these mental health professionals often focus on particular areas, such as a relationship counselor or family therapist.

A life coach, on the other hand, is typically focused on the personal growth or personal goals of their client. Rather than focusing on how past experience has shaped a client, life coaches tend to focus on the present and future. 

While a life coach will still consider the “whys,” their focus is more often on the “whats.” A coach may work with clients to create action plans for achieving goals, or examine an  individual’s creative process. A good coach will emphasize asking the right questions rather than providing answers.

For certification, the International Coaching Federation (ICF) certifies life coaches, and is the closest thing to a governing body for the profession.

What’s the difference between coaching and mentoring?

This is another common question when looking into personal growth through coaching. 

Often, a mentoring relationship is based on an informal, personal relationship. It may be a professional mentoring program that pairs senior employees with individuals looking to grow in their role, but mentors are often found outside of work, too. A mentor may be a longtime friend, a family member, a member of your community, or a role model. Mentor relationships may last decades or even a lifetime. Mentors may draw from their own experience to guide their mentees.

Coaching relationships, while often deeply personal, tend to involve more structure. Coaching may involve a structured coaching program or a set duration. Good coaches go through formal training to add onto their own professional experience.

What’s the difference between a life coach and a career coach?

Let’s take a step further into the world of coaching and take a look at what makes life coaching distinct from career coaching. 

A life coach is the broadest category of coaching. While a life coach may work with you on your professional goals or career goals, these considerations may only be a part of the picture. Life coaches look at the whole picture, often emphasizing your personal life and goals. It may include things like relationships, family, dating, empowerment, fitness, purpose, or spirituality. A life coach will help you work towards being your all-around best self.

Career coaches or career counselors may be considered a subset of a life coach. A career coach will focus on your career goals, your professional life, and your professional development and career planning. The right coach can help you assess or define your career satisfaction or weigh different paths toward career development. A career coach can also assist with a job search, from helping with resumes or other materials, to acting as a sounding board for assessing new opportunities.

What’s the difference between a career coach and a business coach?

Here’s another common coaching style. Both of these fall within the “life coach” category, with a difference in scope and emphasis.

While a career coach may help you with career transitions or job searches, a business coach may work with you on the broader needs of a business. These coaches may focus on entrepreneurship, startups, growth, sales, or team-building, among other things.  

What’s the difference between a business coach and a leadership or executive coach?

The titles “leadership coach” and “executive coach” are often used interchangeably, and may be considered a subset of business coaching. Leadership coaching can extend beyond one’s professional life, but often focuses on individuals in business leadership roles. 

Of course, these coaches place a big emphasis on leadership skills. Communication, decision making, team building, employee engagement, adaptability, and self-awareness are just some of the specific skills an executive or leadership coach may work on with their clients. These coaches may work with clients on specific goals or new skills, such as new managers stepping into leadership roles, or may tackle larger or ongoing needs, such as culture design or leadership strategies. 

While a leadership coach may work with clients in any leadership positions, executive coaches typically focus on the most senior leadership in a company. Vice Presidents, C-Suite executives, and sometimes directors may seek out an executive coach to help them reach their peak performance. Executive coaches will help their clients reach the next level of their ability, and good coaches typically have executive or C-Suite experience themselves.

So, which coach is right for you?

Take some time to reflect on the points covered here as part of your search for a coach. Think about what your current needs are, and come up with a few things you’d like to focus on. Reach out to a few coaches — they should offer a free consultation — and see if it’s a good fit for you both. Jot down a few questions before the consultation and get a sense of their overall style, tone and vibe. And be sure to remember that growth is a process. It will take more than one coaching session to make real progress!

Word of mouth also goes a long way. Ask around, see who your friends and colleagues are working with. These people know you better than most anyone and will likely provide you with some great leads.

Looking for more on whether a coach is right for you? See Are You Coachable? 10 Ways to Determine If Coaching is Right for You.

For more on leadership coaching, take a look at The Top 10 Things to Look for in a Leadership Coach  

And of course, I recommend you sign up for my newsletter — where I cover a wide variety of topics related to personal and professional development and the world of professional coaching.

About The Author

Emily Sander is an ICF-certified leadership coach with more than 15 years of experience in the business and the author of Hacking Executive Leadership. She’s been featured in several print publications, online articles, and podcasts, including CEO Today Magazine, Leading to Fulfillment, and Leadership Powered by Common Sense. 

Emily has a passion for helping business leaders reach their full potential. Go here to read her story from seasoned executive to knowledgeable coach. If you want to send Emily a quick message, then visit her contact page here.