Coaching vs. Therapy: Which One Do I Need? (And Why It’s Okay to Want Both)

By Dr. Karolina LaBrecque | Founder, Help to Grow Institute | The Stress Slayer

We’ve all had those moments, feeling stuck at a life crossroads, overwhelmed, unsure whether to phone a friend, hire a coach, or call in a therapist. If you’ve ever wondered, “What’s the actual difference between coaching and therapy?”, you’re not alone.

Let me clear the fog with a metaphor that works wonders: Therapy is like physical therapy for your past. Coaching is like a personal trainer for your future.

Therapy: Healing the Past, Understanding the Roots

Therapists are trained mental health professionals who focus on helping you understand and heal. They work with trauma, anxiety, depression, relationship wounds, and other emotional or psychological challenges that often stem from past experiences. Their tools are introspective, diagnostic, and clinically grounded, usually in the medical model.

Think of therapy as:

• Digging deep into your emotional garden

• Uncovering root causes of repeating patterns

• Learning how past pain may be affecting today’s decisions

• Creating space for healing so you can move forward whole

If your inner world feels tangled, therapy helps you untie the knots.

Coaching: Guiding the Present, Building the Future

Now let’s talk coaching.

Coaching is about action and accountability. We don’t ignore your past, but we don’t live there. As a coach—especially one trained in the science of stress and human behavior, I act like your strategic thought partner and personal growth architect.

I help you:

• Get unstuck

• Clarify your vision

• Prioritize your values

• Build habits that serve your goals

• And hold you accountable, with grace, not guilt

Coaching is future-forward. It’s about creating momentum. While therapy might ask, “Why does this pattern keep happening?”, coaching asks, “How can we move forward with clarity and strength?”

A Powerful Partnership

Here’s the beautiful truth: you don’t have to choose one over the other. Many of my high-performing clients work with both a therapist and a coach. One helps them heal. I help them grow.

Together, they build:

• Emotional clarity

• Strategic vision

• Healthy systems

• Resilient leadership

• And a fulfilling life that works, not just on paper, but in your bones and your heart

Ask Yourself This:

• Am I feeling emotionally raw, anxious, or burdened by unresolved pain? Therapy may be the best first step to process and heal.

• Do I have a goal I’m ready to pursue—but feel scattered, stuck, or stressed? That’s where coaching shines.

• Do I want both healing and growth in tandem? Beautiful. That’s what holistic transformation looks like.

At Help to Grow Institute, I work with driven professionals who are overwhelmed not because they’re weak, but because they care so deeply about getting it right. They want to lead, love, and live with intention.

If that’s you, know this: You don’t have to do it all alone. You don’t have to keep spinning. And you certainly don’t have to sacrifice your well-being in the name of success.

I’m here to help you befriend your life, step into your flow, and reclaim the balance that is rightfully yours.

Let's chat!

Dr. Karolina LaBrecque