What is the Difference Between Coaching and Counselling?
Emotionally healthy Minds offers bespoke therapeutic emotion coaching for your child. But what is Emotion Coaching and how does it differ from Counselling? Let’s explore this further…
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The difference between Coaching at Emotionally Healthy Minds and Counselling
The word ‘coach‘ originated from Hungarian word ‘korci’. It means a carriage that can take you from one destination to another. In the same context, coaching is a process that a Coach (us at EHM) enables a Coachee (your child or young person) to move from their current life situation to a new situation by providing guidance, support, and tools tailored to their individual needs and goals.
Emotion coaching supports children to identify and understand their emotions, helping them comprehend the underlying reasons behind their feelings. With our support, children are equipped with the necessary tools to effectively manage their emotions, building resilience, self-awareness, and cultivate a growth mindset. This methodology gained traction through the work of psychologist John Gottman and his colleagues, who explored emotional intelligence and its impact on relationships.
The core principles of emotion coaching
- Cultivating Emotional Awareness: Encouraging children and young people to recognise and acknowledge their emotions as valid responses to various circumstances.
- Practicing Empathy: Demonstrating understanding and empathy towards their own emotional health.
- Validating Emotions: Instead of dismissing or belittling their emotions, we validate them to foster a sense of acceptance and understanding.
- Identifying Emotions: Assisting individuals in labelling their feelings, empowering them to articulate their emotions effectively.
- Promoting Emotional Regulation: Supporting individuals in developing strategies to regulate emotions healthily, such as relaxation techniques or problem-solving skills.
- Facilitating Communication: Stressing the importance of open and supportive communication with you as parents, where your children and young people feel comfortable expressing and discussing their emotions.
Comparing Emotion Coaching to counselling
Emotion coaching and counselling both aim to support individuals in understanding and managing their emotions, but they differ in their approaches and focus. Let’s have a look at the table below to break this down a bit further…
| Emotion Coaching | Counselling | |
|---|---|---|
| Baseline | Begins with a goal. | Begins with a problem. |
| Results | Goal achieved. | Goal mental health improvement. |
| Tense | Coaching works more in the present and is future-facing. | Counselling tends to concentrate on past events and emotions. |
| Possible areas of focus | Fosters increased resilience. Builds self acceptance and self awareness. Boosts motivation and engagement in learning. Increases aspiration and achievement. Nurtures self-belief and self-worth. Builds confidence and self-esteem. Cultivates communication skills. Builds problem-solving abilities. | Navigates traumatic events. Deals with grief and bereavement. Manages the impact of abuse. Fosters comprehension of complex emotions. Provides assistance for psychological distress. Addresses harmful coping strategies or suicidal thoughts. Provides support with addictions. Provides support for various mental health issues such as anxiety, depression and trauma. |
| Confidentiality | We don't offer confidentiality because for our coaching to be most successful we believe we need to work closely with the parents/carers. We therefore feed back to you what your child discloses. | Offers confidentiality for the child unless a safeguarding issue is disclosed. |
| Qualifications | Conducted by an experienced practitioner. | Conducted by a Licenced Mental Health Practitioner. |
Referrals
Sometimes, we may find that a child’s needs extend beyond the scope of our coaching guidelines. In such cases, we prioritise the well-being of the child above all else. If we perceive that the child is delving into areas that require deeper exploration or therapeutic intervention, we may recommend referring them to alternative talking therapies, such as counselling.
Our commitment remains steadfast in ensuring that every child receives the support and guidance necessary to navigate their challenges effectively and emerge stronger.
What does coaching look like at Emotionally Healthy Minds?
We believe in providing personalised coaching that supports the growth and development of your child. Our coaching plan is structured to ensure consistent progress and meaningful outcomes over time.
Here’s how our coaching process works:
- Goal Setting: Every six weeks, we begin by collaboratively setting a specific and achievable goal with your child. This goal will serve as the focal point of our coaching sessions during the following six-week period.
- Weekly Sessions: Throughout the six-week period, we conduct regular coaching sessions with your child, focusing on strategies and actions aimed at achieving the established goal. These sessions are tailored to your child's unique needs and preferences, ensuring a supportive and empowering environment. All sessions are bespoke and individually planned to your child's needs. We supply all resources.
- Feedback to Parents: After every coaching session, we provide you, the parents, with brief feedback on what was discussed in the session. This feedback may include insights into the topics covered, areas of improvement, and suggestions for continued support at home.
- Progress Review: At the end of each six-week cycle, together with you as parents and as part of our session, we conduct a comprehensive review of the progress made towards the goal. This review involves assessing the achievements, challenges faced, and lessons learned during the coaching process.
- Goal Adaptation: Based on the progress made and feedback received, we either set a new goal for the upcoming six weeks or adapt the current goal to better align with your child's evolving needs and aspirations.
Our coaching approach is designed to foster continuous growth, self-awareness, and resilience in your child. By working together closely and maintaining open communication, we aim to maximise the benefits of coaching and empower your child to thrive in all aspects of life.
If you would like to know more, please fill out our enquiry form and schedule your complimentary consultation call, where we’ll discuss your child’s unique needs and goals and how we can support you.
