Do I Need A Coach Or A Therapist?
It’s a question many people quietly ask themselves, often at a point where something doesn’t feel quite right, but they’re not sure what kind of support would help most.
You might be functioning well on the outside, but feeling stuck, overwhelmed, drained or unsure on the inside. Or perhaps you’re at a crossroads in your career or life and want space to think things through. When that happens, it’s natural to wonder: do I need a coach or a therapist?
The short answer is: both are valuable, and they do different (sometimes overlapping) things.
What Is Therapy?
Therapy is usually the right place to go when you’re dealing with distress that feels heavy, persistent or hard to manage alone. This might include anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, or patterns rooted in past experiences that are still affecting you now.
Therapists are trained to help you understand what’s going on beneath the surface, process difficult emotions, and work through experiences that may feel painful or destabilising. Therapy often looks backwards as well as forwards, helping you make sense of how you got here, not just where you’re going next.
If you’re feeling unsafe, emotionally overwhelmed, or struggling to cope day to day, therapy is often the best first step.
What Is Coaching?
Coaching is more future-focused. It’s about helping you think clearly, reconnect with what matters to you, and move forward in ways that feel aligned and sustainable.
People often come to coaching when they’re:
feeling stuck or unfulfilled
navigating career change or leadership challenges
experiencing burnout or questioning their direction
living with ADHD or neurodivergence and wanting practical, compassionate support
wanting space to reflect, decide, and grow, without being “fixed”
A coach won’t diagnose or treat mental health conditions. Instead, they’ll walk alongside you, ask thoughtful questions, and help you notice patterns, possibilities and choices you may not yet be seeing.
Many people describe coaching as a place to think out loud, safely and without judgement.
Coaching Vs Therapy - How Do You Decide?
You don’t have to have a clear label for what you’re experiencing to deserve support. And it’s worth saying: coaching and therapy aren’t mutually exclusive. Some people work with a therapist and a coach at different times, or even alongside each other.
You might lean towards therapy if:
you’re feeling emotionally overwhelmed or unsafe
anxiety, low mood, trauma or grief are affecting your day-to-day life
you want support to process past experiences that still feel heavy
you’re struggling to cope and need clinical mental health support
Therapy offers a space to understand what’s happening beneath the surface and to work gently with difficult emotions.
You might lean towards coaching if:
you feel generally okay, but stuck, restless or unfulfilled
you’re navigating career change, leadership challenges or burnout
you want clarity, direction and practical next steps
you’re neurodivergent (including ADHD) and want support that works with how your mind works
A good coach or therapist won’t push you in the wrong direction. They’ll help you notice what you need, and if necessary, signpost you to a different kind of support.
Want to talk it through?
If you’re curious about coaching but unsure whether it’s right for you, a conversation can really help.
We offer free, no-pressure discovery calls with our coaches, simply a chance to talk about what’s going on for you and explore what kind of support might be most helpful. You don’t need to have it all figured out. Just bring yourself.
Book a free discovery call with one of our coaches and take the next small step forward.
