York Ast Mental Fitness Coaching

While both life coaches and therapists help individuals improve their lives, therapists typically focus on addressing mental health issues and past traumas, while life coaches focus on helping individuals achieve their goals and improve their overall well-being.

I’m not sure if I can help you, either. However, once we discuss how I work, you’ll have a better idea of whether coaching with me could be beneficial. I don’t require a minimum number of sessions because I prioritize your benefit over maximizing sales.

Coaching and therapy can complement each other without interference. Here’s why:

• Focus and Goals:
  • Coaching: Primarily focuses on personal development, goal-setting, and skill enhancement. Coaches help clients achieve specific objectives, such as career advancement or improved communication skills.
  • Therapy: Focuses on mental health, emotional healing, and addressing psychological issues. Therapists work with clients to explore past experiences, manage symptoms, and promote overall well-being.
• Time Frame:
  • Coaching: Often short-term and goal-oriented. Sessions may occur over weeks or months.
  • Therapy: Can be short-term or long-term, depending on the client’s needs. Therapy addresses deeper emotional issues and may continue for an extended period.
• Approach:
  • Coaching: Forward-looking, action-oriented, and solution-focused. Coaches encourage self-awareness and accountability.
  • Therapy: Reflective, exploratory, and healing-focused. Therapists delve into underlying emotions, patterns, and trauma.
• Credentials:
  • Coaching: No specific licensing requirements. I have several certificates from iPEC as well from ICF. 
  • Therapy: Licensed therapists (psychologists, counselors, social workers) complete extensive education and supervised practice.
• Client Choice:
  • Coaching: Clients choose coaching voluntarily to enhance specific skills or achieve goals.
  • Therapy: Often sought when dealing with mental health challenges, trauma, or emotional distress.
• Collaboration:
  • Coaching: Coaches collaborate with clients as equals, emphasizing empowerment.
  • Therapy: Therapists provide expert guidance and support, maintaining professional boundaries.
• Overlap and Benefits:
  • Overlap: Some techniques (e.g., mindfulness, goal-setting) are common to both coaching and therapy.
  • Benefits: Clients can benefit from both approaches simultaneously. Coaching can enhance personal growth, while therapy addresses emotional well-being.

My approach to goal-setting is to help clients identify specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals. I also work with clients to create an action plan and provide accountability to ensure they stay on track to achieve their goals.

Confidentiality is of utmost importance in my coaching practice. I adhere to the International Coach Federation's (ICF) Code of Ethics, which includes strict guidelines for maintaining client confidentiality.