Are you thinking about engaging a coach?

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If you’re considering engaging a career coach, “Is life coaching legit?” from the ABC’s ‘All in the Mind”  offers valuable insights into choosing the right coaching services.

Since the start of COVID, the number of people seeking mental health support has increased. In the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, the global prevalence of anxiety and depression increased by 25%, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Isolation during lockdown led many people to access health services for the first time. With access to psychologists becoming limited, many turned to career coaching as an accessible alternative to traditional psychological services. However, this surge exposed the coaching industry’s unregulated nature, where anyone from a qualified coach to a healer could offer their services, even without adequate training or oversight.

So, what is the difference between life coaching and psychological therapy? Dr Catriona Davis-McCabe, president of the Australian Psychological Society, explains while life coaching focuses on achieving future goals, psychological therapy addresses mental health issues, often rooted in the past. This distinction is crucial, especially for individuals seeking help for mental health concerns.

The key to navigating the world of life coaching lies in understanding its limitations and being vigilant about who one chooses as a coach. Prospective clients should look for red flags such as overpromised solutions, lack of formal training, and high-pressure sales tactics. It’s essential to distinguish between a career coach’s role in supporting professional development and a mental health professional’s role in addressing deeper psychological issues.

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