Coaching and psychology they have always been two confused and misused terms. In reality, they consist of two completely different approaches, concerning the support of individuals and groups of people.
With this article I want to bring clarity, in order to understand the strengths and objectives that differentiate coaching and psychology.
What can already be stated is that both approaches can concern the world of workas both psychological and coaching aim to improve and achieve objectives.
While the business coaching (business coaching) guides the worker By focusing on the present and future, psychological support heals past wounds, processes mental processes and addresses psychological disorders and trauma.
In the first, however, psychology skills such as empathy, effective communication and understanding of mental processes may be present, but coaching stands out for its focus on action, solutions and the achievement of objectives, rather than on in-depth analysis of psychological problems. A good coach never replaces a psychologist, as his work concerns completely different procedures and techniques.
In the next paragraphs I will give you more information about the coaching and positive psychology and I will try to make you understand the importance of a business coach within each company reality.
Who is a coach?
Without beating around the bush, though coach means a professional capable of developing and growing the skills, talents and resources of coachee (the one who receives the coaching).
The term “coach” dates back to the 70s, specifically to the world of tennis. In those years, coach W. Timothy Gallwey, of the tennis team at Harvard University, became a university tutor capable of guide students along the training path. Automatically, he found himself in the role of a coach!
In Italy the coach, as already mentioned, cannot replace the psychologist (he has no reason to) and operates on the basis of the provisions of law 4/2013. This legislation establishes that it is possible to establish a private association for all those professional activities without a specific register.
A coach, although he does not have a specific law governing him, takes on this role if he follows accredited training courses, practice and gets recognized certifications.
Depending on the sector in which the coach intervenes, you may hear about:
- Life Coach: helps you identify and achieve personal goals, improve relationships, manage stress and gain a sense of fulfillment in life;
- Business Coach: improves business performance, develops leadership skills, helps manage time and deal with organizational challenges. Improves managerial skills and helps achieve company objectives;
- Mental Coach: helps individuals manage stress, improve concentration, develop mental resilience and maximize their potential through psychological and visualization techniques;
- Sports Coach: works with athletes and teams, providing support in training, game strategy, pre-match/post-match stress management and addressing sport-specific psychological challenges.
Who is a psychologist?
While the coach is an extremely practical professional who guides and trains talents, the psychologist is a health professional and through methodologies and techniques helps the patient solve the problems of daily life healing past traumas and working on weaknesses.
The psychologistTherefore, helps the patient understand himself better and work on a specific life problem or phase of transitory difficulty. It also often deals with cases of psychopathologywhich is the scientific study of mental disorders, including symptoms, causes, and treatments. In this case the psychologist investigates the conditions that influence psychological and behavioral functioning, such as depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, starting from the biological, psychological and social aspects to understand and treat these disorders.
If we talk about laws, in this case, it is possible to mention theart. 1 of Law 56/89 which defines the psychologist as “a professional who carries out activities prevention, diagnosis, intervention, health promotion, enabling–rehabilitation, support And consultancy in the psychological field, aimed at the single individual, the couple, the group and other social organisms or communities”.
In Italy, to become a psychologist you need:
- Graduate in Psychology (5 years of study);
- Carry out a post-graduate internship lasting one year;
- Obtain the qualification to practice the profession (State Exam);
- Register in the professional register.
Only registered professionals can work as psychologists. The latter serves citizens, as they can freely consult the register and check whether their psychologist is a qualified professional.
Difference between coaching and psychological path
Let’s get to the practical part and try to understand what changes, for the purposes of the path, between coaching and psychological therapy.
The coaching and the psychotherapy they are both support processes, and this is now clear, but they operate differently:
- Objective: the coach helps, with exercises and other concrete actions, to improve performance and train talents, focusing on the future. Psychotherapy solves psychological problems and improves the emotional side, reworks the past and understands the root causes of current problems;
- Operating method: coaching is based on the OD (organizational development) approach, touching on the individual’s performance, while psychotherapy is based on continuous questions, investigations and care, also with psychoanalytic ideas;
- Duration: coaching has an extremely shorter duration than psychological therapy. The former lasts from a few weeks to a few months, while psychotherapy can last months or even several years;
- Techniques and tools: the coach asks maieutic, incisive questions, gives feedback and makes creative choices available. The psychologist, on the other hand, uses purely psychological techniques, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, psychoanalytic psychotherapy or systemic therapy.
- Roles of professionals: the coach guides and facilitates the growth and improvement process. The therapist heals psychological wounds and rebalances the patient’s emotional state.
This analysis highlights how much the two paths concern two apparently similar services but which from a practical point of view touch on completely different points.
What do they have in common?
If coaching and psychology are so different, why are they confused?
Probably, if up to this point I have been good at explaining the difference between the two approaches, it will be easy for you to ask yourself this question now.
Who knows well coaching and psychologyknows that they share several points in common:
- High-value professional-client relationship: in psychology we talk about a therapeutic alliance based on empathy, trust and mutual respect. In coaching, we talk about partnership between coach and coachee;
- Active listening and effective communication: psychologist and coach are able to understand the client’s needs and desires, providing constructive feedback and encouragement. Clear and empathetic communication promote understanding and change;
- Self-reflection and self-awareness: both psychological therapy and coaching, through stimulating questions and exploration techniques, help the individual to understand their thoughts, emotions and behaviors;
- Stress and anxiety management strategies: both in psychology and in coaching, relaxation, mindfulness and emotional control techniques are taught to deal with difficult situations and improve general well-being;
- Ethical and professional principles: both professionals must respect the privacy and confidentiality of clients, act in the interests of their well-being and avoid any form of harm or discrimination.
In short, despite their distinctions, coaching and psychology they share a set of core principles that offer support and encouragement to help individuals overcome life challenges.
Who is a coaching course useful for?
A coaching path can be useful to a wide range of people in different contexts, especially in the workplace and corporate environment.
For i executives and managerscoaching can help develop leadership skills, time management and communication effectiveness. THE freelancers they can achieve career goals, learn to manage stress and improve performance. Furthermore, i employees they can benefit from coaching that promotes skill development, motivation and personal growth.
In the corporate context, a business coach can be invaluable to entrepreneurs and small business ownersadvising on growth strategies, business planning and leadership development. Even the work teams can benefit from coaching, which fosters collaboration, effective communication and team cohesion.
Furthermore, the team building activities carried out by coaches, which aim to promote group cohesion, collaboration and trust between team members through engaging and interactive activities. These initiatives help to improve interpersonal relationships and optimize collective performance in the work context.