You may wonder why you need coaching instead of therapy or mentorship or Consultancy. There are major differences between each of them. Looking at each of them in comparison to coaching may help understand more easily.

 

Therapy

The English word therapy comes via Latin therapīa from Greek: θεραπεία and literally means "curing" or "healing". 

• Therapy tries to heal vs Coaching focuses on what a coachee wants/needs

• The Therapist is repsonsible for the therapy vs the Coachee is responsible to choose his/her actions

• A Patient my not find enough resources to deal with a situation vs a Coachee aknowledges them 

• Therapy deals with the past, now and future vs Coaching focuses on the here and now

Mentoring

In mythology Odysseus placed his friend Mentor and his foster-brother Eumaeus in charge of his son Telemachus, and his palace, when leaving for the Trojan War. 

• A Mentor presents his/her own experiences and suggestions or advices to give guidance to the Mentee vs a Coach may choose not to and only help Coachee find his/her path by asking questions

Consultancy

Consultancy is a service which provides professional or expert advice in a particular area.

• The Consultant knows vs the Coachee is believed to know the answers and is lead to find them

• The Consultant says what the client will do vs the Coachee will choose his/her actions

• The Consultant is experienced vs the Coachee will experience