CAN YOU COMBINE COUNSELLING AND LIFE COACHING?
The very simple answer is YES! Although counsellors in British Columbia are certified (and soon-to-be regulated, yay!), many people assume that counsellors and coaches are separate entities and that counsellors don’t “coach”. The thing is, counsellors wear many hats! We are counsellors, encouragers, cheerleaders, facilitators, teachers, students, listeners, support people, mentors, and coaches! It’s just not possible to separate counselling from coaching because sometimes there’s simply a need for a little bit of coaching!
Some counsellors might find it difficult to identify as a coach at times, but we are always providing a little bit of coaching in our counselling services. How else would we be able to facilitate healing? The combination of counselling and coaching really depends on the clients’ needs and the counsellor or coach’s expertise!
At Flourish Well, we integrate counselling and coaching into our services. Some of our services are labelled “counselling services”, such as our “Mental Health Counselling” offers. However, there will always be some sort of coaching that just comes with counselling services. It just depends how much coaching and how we navigate the delicate nature of clients’ hurts. Whereas some services, like our Transformational Parent Coaching Program and Flourish Well Coaching Program, are primarily coaching services. It’s really great that you get the expertise of a counsellor in our coaching programs for when you need that extra bit of care and support.
Coaching programs are more often structured with a curriculum that addresses various topics. The coach’s goal is to provide you with the necessary information for transformation. There might be workbooks and other exercises along the way, but its focus is more so delivering the tools and information to you.
Counselling services meet you where you are at. The focus of counselling is you. What is your story? Where are you hurting? What do you need? How can I help? These are just some of the questions that counsellors would think about in order to create a treatment plan specific to your needs and goals. We also provide you with practical tools and exercises, but we aren’t looking to educate you on what you need to work on. Rather, we come alongside you, supporting you through life’s challenges.
I have heard that coaches have found it challenging to help their clients when they learn that there’s a lot to unpack regarding their mental health. It really is such a gift that my counselling background can be integrated into my customized coaching offers to ensure a holistic approach to healing and personal growth! Flourish Well recognizes that counselling clients and coaching clients are different and require collaboration, communication, and unique customization of its to ensure a comprehensive approach to serving you!
Flourish Well Life Coaching & Counselling
So, can you combine counselling with life coaching or any sort of coaching?
The answer is an ever enthusiastic yes!
If you are interested in learning more, please follow me on instagram.
