While both counselling and life coaching are considered “helping professions”, they differ in some fundamental ways. They both require excellent communication skills – particularly listening and non-judgmental, unconditional acceptance. Both require a very high level of self awareness. Self awareness is in essence, knowing how you “come across” to other people. Often our friends and family will not tell us how we come across because we become upset or reactive when they do so. Effective counselling or life coach training provides basic training in listening and effective questions, but also feedback for you on your interpersonal style – how you relate to others. It takes time and practice to gain control of some of our habits of communication. Graduates find that their counselling or coaching practice thrives, but also their relationships improve dramatically as they learn how to be excellent communicators.
Because we believe that counselling and coaching work together to create a successful practice, all Diploma Programs at Rhodes College provide both both counselling and coaching skills sets. Here though are some important distinctions:
Professional Counselling:
- Works with the “past”
- Importance of client’s emotional states
- Insight and understanding
- Developmental issues considered
- Emphasis on “why”
- Training involves in specific areas including, abuse and trauma, addictions, couples and families, etc.
- An established profession
Life Coaching:
- Works with the present to the future
- Goal and Action oriented
- Works with the “what” and “how”
- Motivational – works with strategies and solutions
- Practical
- Works with life and career paths
- An emerging profession
The next Life Coach or Professional Counsellor Diploma program begins January 6th, 2014. For more information go to Professional Counsellor Training , or call our admissions staff at 604-708-4416
