…before you go back to counseling – read this.
Have you ever wondered…What’s the difference between a coach & a counselor?
This is one of the common questions I am asked when people are investigating whether or not they want our team’s help to break free from anxiety and depression.
The simple and quick answer is that counselors primarily focus on your emotional health, and that’s it, just your emotional health. A coach guides you and walks you through the process of reaching your desired outcome.
I am a coach and not a counselor. I walk with my clients through the healing process. They learn exactly what they need to do to heal physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I guide them and am with them along the journey as we avoid pitfalls and overcome obstacles together. Our goal is for them to heal completely, to learn and implement what is needed to walk in freedom from anxiety, depression, and/or bipolar disorder for the rest of their life. This is only possible when they improve their emotional, physical, and spiritual health simultaneously.
You can already see the vast differences.
First – what is the goal?
In counseling, the goal is typically management. How do we manage your life and continue on and on with these problems but keep them in check so they are not overly disruptive?
Most people go to counseling with the vague goal of “improving.”
With Strong, Healthy, and Happy the goal is to live life in freedom. To break free completely from mental health concerns rather than LIVING with them for the rest of your life. I am not going to spend time dealing with if this is possible- if you read the Bible or believe in God then you KNOW it is possible, you just don’t know the steps needed to get there. (You can scan through other articles here to see what IS possible.)
Second – The approach is different
And now we are comparing apples to oranges, because if the goal is management then of course how we get there will be different.
The approach in counseling is to talk over and attempt to heal the old traumas. That is the main focus. The hope is that once you are able to heal from the trauma, then life will be great and you will be able to move on. But what you probably already know is that is not generally what happens. There are too many other moving parts with anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder. Can you get “better”? Sure. But will it bring you to a place of freedom? You would not be reading this if had worked for you.
Our approach at Strong, Healthy, and happy is to work on healing emotionally, spiritually, and physically. Unless you put all three together, you will continue to stay stuck in a life of management. Of course part of this is dealing with past traumas – that’s a given. But, I also address the other things that are needed in order to break free.
During the coaching process, I walk my clients through the exact steps they need to take. It’s easy for someone to say to you “Hey, you need to heal emotionally, and you need to heal physically, and you need to heal spiritually.” But what does that mean and how do you do that? How do you get from point A to point Z? That’s where I come in. I walk my clients through, step-by-step, the exact things they need to do to get there. It takes time and commitment but freedom and thriving are completely worth both.
Third- Experience
Most counselors have learned from books and courses at universities. They haven’t actually ever gone through what you are going through or ever had to implement what they are advising you to do. It makes for great theory…do you want more theory?
I have beaten several serious anxiety disorders, depression, and bipolar disorder. I know what you are going through. I have had really dark days and really high “swinging from the chandelier” days. I know how the shame of it all feels, and to wonder why your pastor just suggests you pray and read the Bible more.
I was really good at managing my struggles and hiding them from others due to the stigma.
I learned through years of struggle, countless hours of research, and loads of trial and error what works and how to heal. I have science on my side that has proven why this method works. But mostly it is the personal experience that makes me very good at what I do. I understand both the struggle and the freedom, and it hurts my heart when I see others stay stuck in their mess.
How much longer will you allow anxiety and depression to keep you trapped and prevent you from fulfilling the dreams that God has placed in your heart?
If your emotional health is in the way of your dreams, fan into flame the hope that healing is possible! Kick your fear in the face. Reach out to our team for the next step in your journey to complete and total healing.
Here’s the FULL plan…
1. Watch our FREE masterclass
Learn the top 5 shifts my clients have used to overcome anxiety and depression
2. Identify what is blocking your healing.
We’ll show you what has been missing from the other treatments you have tried.
3. Leverage a whole health approach to heal completely.
We will teach you how to heal physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
So…Watch our FREE masterclass… so you can stop continually managing life under the weight of emotional instability… and… finally achieve emotional mastery.
Dream Big and BREAK FREE!! It is time to THRIVE!
-Staci
Interested in more support? Join the FB group for overcoming anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder.