You can spend a therapy session talking about your boss. You can spend a coaching session talking about why a conversation with that boss feels so difficult. The topic alone won't tell you which appointment to book.
I'd start with the help you're looking for. In my coaching, clients and I worked through career decisions, practiced difficult conversations, and figured out what to try when the arrangement at work wasn't working. Mental health assessment and treatment belong with a qualified healthcare professional.
There can be overlap in the conversation. There should be clarity about the person's role.
What we can work on in coaching
Maybe you need to ask for a raise and keep putting off the conversation. Maybe you've become a manager and discovered that “be helpful” is a surprisingly incomplete operating manual. Maybe you're considering a career move and want to work out what you'd actually be moving toward. Those are useful things to bring to coaching.
We can make the problem more specific, work through your options, and decide what you'll try next. You can have feelings about all of that. You're a person.
For example, we might draft the words for asking for a raise, rehearse a conversation with your manager, or compare what two possible career moves would actually change. You don't need to arrive with a perfectly defined problem. Figuring out what needs to change can be part of the work.
When to seek mental health support
If you're experiencing persistent distress, difficulty functioning, or changes in sleep, appetite, or enjoyment that concern you, speak with a qualified healthcare professional. You don't need to diagnose yourself before reaching out.
Psychotherapy can include practical problem-solving, changing patterns, and developing ways to cope with stress. It can address present difficulties and future goals as well as past experiences. Action and accountability aren't exclusive to coaching.
If you're in immediate danger or feel unable to keep yourself safe, seek urgent help through local emergency services or a crisis service. An ordinary coaching or therapy appointment isn't a substitute for immediate support.
When both might be useful
Imagine you're getting mental health care and also deciding whether to stay in your job. You might want career support to compare options, prepare applications, or plan a conversation while continuing that care.
That doesn't mean everyone needs two appointments and two bills. You may already be getting the help you need from one person. Talk about what feels missing before adding another commitment.
If you do work with both, be clear about the purpose of each relationship. I can help with the work decisions; I won't diagnose or treat a mental health condition. Any coordination with another professional would need your permission.
Ask what working together would look like
The title on somebody's website won't tell you everything about their approach. Before committing, ask:
- Have you worked with this kind of problem?
- What would we actually do in sessions?
- What falls outside your scope, and what happens if we reach it?
- How would we decide whether this is helping?
- What are the fees, scheduling expectations, and relevant qualifications?
Listen for an answer you can picture. “We'll explore your potential” leaves rather a lot unexplained. You should understand what you're paying for and have room to say when it isn't helping.
I no longer offer coaching sessions (here's why). If this one hit close to home, or you'd like me to write about your version of it, send me an email.
Let's make work suck less,
Peter