Monday, February 25, 2008

Psychotherapy vs Life Coaching: Which is for you?

A number of people have been asking me, “Why two businesses? What’s the difference between Passion-for-Life Psychotherapy and UPositive Life Coaching?” So I thought this would be a good place to try to clarify it.

As a licensed psychotherapist (LCSW), I am well trained to help you explore deep emotional issues, work through relationship problems, and recover from physical/sexual/emotional abuse. My Master’s level education as well as more than 15 years in the field, provides me with the expertise to help you change your life from the inside out.

In Passion-for-Life Psychotherapy sessions we explore the contributing factors to your relationship with the world and the people around you; address issues of self-esteem, anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress, and the like to help you make better choices. We work our way through layers of your habits and defenses to change your behavior, attitude, and feelings in the life you lead. Of course, we also work with your goals, both therapeutic and life goals. Many tools used in life-coaching are utilized in therapy sessions as well.

However, due to the Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) to which I adhere in Passion-for-Life Psychotherapy, ‘dual relationships’ are not permitted. In the simplest definition possible, ‘dual relationships’ constitute any contact between therapist and client outside the therapy session.

As a life coach with UPositive Life Coaching, I can help you change your life from the outside in. We focus on your goals, creative or otherwise. There are tools and techniques we will utilize to streamline your process of attaining the success you define for yourself. If you need help with a new wardrobe for a new type of career, or need support at your first showcase, I can be a help, just two quick examples of what I could not do as your therapist.

On the other hand, we will not investigate the deeper emotional issues that might have contributed to your previously delayed successes. If these past experiences become obstacles in reaching your goals, I will be able to refer you to a therapist to work through them, to further clear the way so that you can better reach the dreams you have for your life.

All the seminars presented through Passion-for-Life Psychotherapy and UPositive Life Coaching are open to clients of both; however, there may be follow-up groups to some of the life coaching seminars that would not be open to therapy clients, again due to the ethical limitations of that profession.

To sum up: If you have deep emotional scars that need healing, early-life traumas that need clearing, or patterns that have repeated since childhood or adolescence, Passion-for-Life Psychotherapy sessions would be most helpful to you.

If, on the other hand, you are looking for guidance and support in setting, organizing, and achieving your goals, or with balancing your creative and everyday life…UPositive Life Coaching would be your best choice.

It really is: Do you need to work from the inside out (psychotherapy) or the outside in (life coaching). You will experience increased understanding of yourself, improve the quality of your life, and clear your path to success whichever choice is right for you.

Please feel free to post here, or contact me privately at
UPositive55@aol.com if you have further questions about this topic.