Is a Psychologist the same as a Coach?

As with the discipline of Psychiatry discipline, the difference between a Clinical Psychologist and a Coach lies in their training, but also in the definition of the discipline itself: Psychology is an applied science, while Coaching is a technical discipline that originates from various fields of Psychology. The difference is in the magnitude of the user's difficulties and the level of in-depth and comprehensive approach needed.

"Professional Coaching is a personalized and confidential training process through a large set of tools that help bridge the gap between where a person is now and where they want to be. In the coaching relationship, the coach helps personal development by raising awareness, generating responsibility, and building self-confidence."

In this definition by ASESCO (Spanish Coaching Association), the coach's function revolves around working with the person concerning the set objectives, regardless of whether the person enjoys well-being in other areas of their life. Thus, the coach will address the client's difficulties or challenges in that area, applying concepts and theoretical bases of psychology adapted to the client's requirements.

Therefore, it is a practical and localized intervention that excludes cases of psychopathology.

Coaching emerged 30 years ago in the USA to increase the individual and later group performance of athletes; in recent years, this type of intervention has been extended to other various fields, all of which incorporate fundamental contributions from Positive Psychology. Currently, we can find a coach for practically all areas of activity, leading to different specializations within the discipline: personal coaching (life coaching), sports coaching, health coaching (wellness coaching), executive coaching, organizational coaching (business or corporate coaching), and entrepreneur coaching.

Psychology, according to the definition of the International Labour Organization (ILO), "is the science that studies the mental processes and behavior of humans, individually or as members of groups or societies, and applies this knowledge to promote individual, social, educational, or professional development."

When a person has symptoms, more pronounced discomfort, a sense of loss of control, or other significant limitations, it is advisable to contact a clinical psychology professional, as they have in-depth knowledge of behavior, personality, emotionality, attachment, grief, mental processes, psychological developmental processes, motivation, psychophysiology, and psychopathology. They also have experience in psychological interviewing, clinical observation, psychological diagnosis, and psychotherapeutic methodologies.

In summary, we can say that a Psychologist will have trained for years to offer an integrated intervention strategy, with solid foundations and always prioritizing the quality of the therapeutic bond, on which a significant part of the therapeutic success depends, according to several studies.

It should be added, therefore, that psychological intervention does not exclude people seeking improvement in their lives and greater self-knowledge, in a global manner or in aspects that require depth and time.

As we have seen, coaching can be practiced by professionals outside the field of psychology. For this reason, there is some controversy about whether the definition of coaching should be focused exclusively on improvement in the professional and organizational fields (where they are increasingly recommended due to their positive results) and not on areas related to health and personal growth, except for psychologist coaches.

Bibliography:

• Aranda, I. (2012). Psicólogo experto en coaching. Infocop, Consejo General de Colegios Oficiales de Psicólogos.

• Aguilar, C., & del Pi, M. C. (2019). Bienestar y autoeficacia en clientes de coaching.

• Zapata, M. S. (2012). ¿ Qué es el coaching? Sus orígenes, definición, distintas metodologías y principios básicos de actuación de un coach. 3c Empresa: investigación y pensamiento crítico, 1(3), 3.