Relationship Coaching is coaching, not psychotherapy. It is very solution focused support in service of your personal relationship goals. The types of relationships that people find coaching useful for include: relationships with friends, lovers, coworkers, and family.

While therapy has more of a focus on pathology, coaching begins in the present moment and clients are assisted in setting specific outcomes they wish to accomplish. While past issues may be discussed as they effect the present, they are only explored to help the client discover what is stopping him/her from moving forward.

The word 'therapy' in the medical model, conjures up the idea that someone is in need of help or a cure and diagnosis is always required. Coaching clients choose to work with a coach because they want to, not because they need to.

Another difference is that coaches, contrasted to counsellors, are not seen as experts. Rather, they are seen more as a person with a set of skills they use to support people to achieve their goals. A coach can be seen more like a partner or buddy that you check in with from week to week to review your progress, vision for the future and set new goals.

Coaches are more “self-revelatory,” than therapists. The boundaries are looser, transference issues are not addressed and they use more humour, and are more actively engaged. Coaches can use far more flexible methods of delivery than therapists. In my coaching practice my clients use telephone sessions, e-mail, Skype and personal meetings over lunch or even at the park. Most sessions run about an hour although they may be longer or shorter as needed.