One of the most common misconceptions about love coaching is that it is therapy in disguise — or, worse yet, therapy from an unlicensed practitioner. In reality, love coaching is truly its own unique service designed to help people to meet the outcomes that will bring them happiness, love, and fulfillment. Here are some of the differences between love coaching and therapy, and a basic guide for when each service is appropriate.

Therapy, also called counseling or psychotherapy, is a long-term process in which a client works with a healthcare professional to diagnose and resolve problematic beliefs, behaviors, relationship issues, feelings and sometimes physical responses. The idea behind therapy is to focus on past traumas and issues to change self-destructive habits, repair and improve relationships and work through painful feelings. In this sense, therapy focuses on the past and on introspection and analysis. Many therapists evaluate and diagnose specific problems or issues with their clients. Through that diagnosis, they then support their clients to find the root cause from their past to bring about healing.

The difference between a love coach and therapist is that a love coach sets clients up with a process that may be long or short-term, instead of regular sessions. In love coaching, a client works with a coach, who is not a healthcare professional, in order to clarify goals and identify obstacles and problematic behaviors in order to create action plans to achieve desired results.The process of love coaching takes the client’s current starting point as an acceptable neutral ground and is more action-based from that point onward. Instead of using a diagnostic model, love coaches empathize for where a person is, the challenges and roadblocks they have, and how to honor, manage, and overcome them. They support and guide the client to where they want to go with very specific tools and practices. Love Coaching supports people to remember how wonderful and perfect they are. As the coach we “walk with” our clients helping them to embrace their humanity as a gift. We support them to remember the love that we are, and how to get their needs met in a life affirming way that promotes maximum connection and fulfillment.

Although love coaches and therapists occasionally help clients with similar problems, their work is not the same. In order to get the right kind of professional expertise, it is crucial to know which kind of guidance will serve you best. Love coaching isn’t simply a watered-down version of therapy. It is a dynamic discipline designed to help motivate and inspire people to achieve more than they believe is possible within their precious life and relationships.