8/31 - Therapy, Coaching, or Psychiatry? How to Know Which is RIght For You
Therapy, Coaching, or Psychiatry?
How to Know Which is Right For You
If you’ve ever felt stuck in life—mentally, emotionally, or even spiritually—you’ve probably considered getting help. But knowing what kind of help to seek can sometimes feel like its own overwhelming task.
Do I need therapy?
Should I hire a coach?
Is it time to see a psychiatrist?
You're not alone in asking these questions. Many people hesitate to reach out simply because they don’t know which professional fits their needs. Your friend tells you they've been seeing a therapist for years and swears by it. Other colleagues tell you about the business or "life" coaching they receive, telling you it's been a game changer for them. And still others you know claim that they are taking a medication that makes everything better. But how do you know what's best for YOU?
Let’s break down the key differences between therapy, coaching, and psychiatry, so you can find the support that’s best for you.
Therapy: Healing the Past, Managing the Present, Preparing for the Future
Therapists (like me!) are educated and trained to help you understand and process emotions, patterns, and past experiences. Whether you're struggling with anxiety, depression, relationship issues, trauma, or grief, therapy offers a neutral, non-judgmental, safe space to unpack it all with someone who’s trained to walk you through it. A therapist can offer unbiased insight that you might not otherwise recognize.
Therapy may be right for you if:
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You're dealing with unresolved trauma or grief
- This could be anything from issues from your childhood, or more recent traumatic events you've experience, or grief over the loss of an important relationship, whether by death or dissolution.
- Frequently unresolved trauma stems from our childhood and interactions with our parents or caregivers. It may be based on their own unresolved trauma, indirectly passed down from generation to generation.
- Or it could be trauma and/or grief from a recent unhealthy relationship
- And many people deal with grief due to the death of a loved one, the loss of a relationship, such as through divorce or a fight with a friend.
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You’ve been diagnosed (or may need to be diagnosed) with a mental health condition, such as anxiety or depression
- There is so much in our world today that causes anxiety, so more and more people are being diagnosed with such conditions as Generalized Anxiety Disorder.
- Maybe you experience social anxiety, where you find it extremely difficult to be around or interact with groups of people
- Or maybe you've recently started feeling like you'd rather just stay in bed all day, or you've stopped enjoying activities that you used to find fun, or you've had thoughts about what it would be like if you just didn't wake up tomorrow.
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You want to understand recurring emotional patterns
- For many people, they find that they just keep doing the same thing in certain circumstances or in relationships, or they respond to specific types of situations in a specific way, but they don't know why.
- Or maybe you've begun to recognize some familial patterns that you'd like to nip in bud now, before they get worse or before you get married or have children.
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You’re going through a major life transition or crisis
- We all go through life transitions, but sometimes they can just feel overwhelming. This could be anything from moving away to college, getting married, having children, getting divorced, or even a change in job or career. There's no shame in getting some help and support to get through a transitional period.
- For others, you may be experiencing a life crisis, such as the unexpected medical condition of a spouse or loved one, that significantly changes your day to day life. Again, sometimes we just need the support and guidance and someone outside our regular circle, to get us through the difficult times.
Therapy often involves deep exploration of the past and present, but it’s not just about talking. There are various types of therapy, some of which may also include movement or art or nature. Regardless of what type of therapy works best for you, it's about healing, growing, and learning tools for emotional resilience.
Coaching: Solution & Future-Focused Growth
Unlike therapy, coaching doesn’t typically dive into your past. Coaches focus on where you are now and where you want to go. Think of it as forward momentum. Coaches often specialize in areas like career development, health & fitness, relationships, parenting, or personal goals. Coaching often has concrete goals and steps to get there, with accountability in addressing those goals.
Coaching may be right for you if:
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You’re looking for accountability and motivation
- Sometimes we need the external accountability and find it helpful to have another person who check in with us on our progress and gently (and maybe sometimes, not so gently) pushes us toward our desired outcomes.
- For some, having another person serve as a "cheerleader" of sorts, to encourage and motivate you toward your desired goals.
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You want to improve your habits or performance
- Some people are simply looking to level up in their work or fitness performance. They need someone who can guide them to new habits that lead to improvement.
- Coaches often ask what are known as "powerful questions" that get you thinking differently that you may have thought about things before or getting you thinking about the "what ifs". These powerful questions are often pivot points of redirection toward increased success.
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You're setting personal or professional goals
- Sometimes we just need some additional support around some goals we have for ourselves and don't always know the best way to get there.
- Or we need some unbiased input from an outside party who has no personal knowledge or particular investment in our outcomes, meaning, aside from their work as a coach, they don't receive any benefit from or lose anything from you reaching your goals.
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You’re not experiencing mental health symptoms, but feel stuck or unfulfilled
- Mental health symptoms typically refer to more emotional areas. They are feelings you are experiencing that have begun to significantly impact your daily functioning. But if you are just feeling like you've hit a mental wall or are feeling unfulfilled with your current lifestyle, then short term coaching may be just what you need to get redirected.
- Sometimes we just need someone to help us see things from other perspectives, so that we can get unstuck.
Coaching is a great option when you're ready to take action and need someone to cheer you on, challenge your thinking, and help clarify your direction. It's less about feelings and more about action.
Psychiatry: Medical Treatment for Mental Health
Psychiatrists are medical doctors who specialize in mental health and are licensed to prescribe medications. While they may also offer therapy, many focus on diagnosing conditions and managing treatment plans involving medication.
Psychiatry may be right for you if:
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You’re struggling with symptoms that significantly impact daily functioning
- Frequently, mental health symptoms can get so severe that they significantly impact our daily functioning. Seeing a psychiatrist and being prescribed medication, may be a way to better stabilize the symptoms so that other forms of intervention may work better.
- Psychiatry/medication in conjunction with therapy is often a great way to work through mental health conditions.
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You’ve tried therapy but still feel unwell
- While therapy is a great resource for those suffering from mental health conditions, sometimes it is necessary to stabilize the symptoms through medication first. Often talk therapy cannot help because a person is still so dysregulated that they can't focus on the work being done in therapy. Psychiatry and medication is often used to stabilize moods and symptoms, so that therapy can be effective.
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You have a family history of psychiatric conditions
- You may already know you have a family history of such conditions as Schizophrenia or Major Depression. If so, then it is a good idea to seek psychiatric help early, so as to hopefully address the condition before it becomes a problem for you.
- It's also important, if you do have a family history of such conditions, and you're prescribed medications to maintain your functioning, that you remain medication compliant, meaning that you consistently take your medication as prescribed, even if you think you're feeling better and don't need them.
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You want to explore whether medication could help
- And for some people, they'd simply like to know if medication may help what they're feeling. They'd like some relief and are willing to take medication as long as necessary, or for life, if needed, just to reduce or eliminate the negative symptoms they're experiencing.
Medication isn’t always necessary, but for some, it’s a critical piece of the healing puzzle. Psychiatrists can work in tandem with therapists or coaches as part of a well-rounded support system.
So, Which One Do You Need?
Think of it like this:
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Therapy helps you heal
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Coaching helps you grow & develop
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Psychiatry helps you stabilize
Sometimes, the best support involves more than one. You might work with a therapist and a coach at different points, or see a psychiatrist while continuing therapy. The important thing is to choose the kind of support that aligns with your current needs.
Final Thoughts
There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to mental health and personal growth. What matters most is that you take the brave step to reach out for help. Whether you’re looking to heal, grow, or stabilize—there’s someone out there trained and ready to walk alongside you.
If you're still unsure where to start, talking with a therapist is a great first step. We’re trained to assess your needs and can point you in the right direction—even if that means referring you to a coach or psychiatrist. A good therapist will help you find the right fit for you, even if it's NOT them.
You don’t have to figure it all out alone. The right support is out there—and you deserve it.
If you'd like to hear the Married & Confused Podcast Episode that also tackles this topic, where my colleague, Claudia Delgado, LCSW, and I discuss this together, please click here.
If you'd like to read any of my previous blog posts, please click here.
I provide online individual and couples counseling throughout California, Tennessee, South Carolina, and Florida.
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