First, if you are already working with a coach and think you also need therapy—ask your coach! A great coach will recommend when a client may need support outside of the coaching engagement because it is our ethical responsibility to serve our clients to be their best possible selves, and that may include coaching and therapy.

I know from experience because my clients have lost a partner, gone through a divorce, had a miscarriage, and been fired. I rely on my coaching expertise and intuition to actively listen, read their body language, and pay attention to their emotional well-being to understand if they are okay to move forward with coaching, or if I need to recommend therapy to support them on their journey.

If you are considering working with a life or leadership coach or therapist but don’t know the right fit, read on.

Discover the key differences between coaching and therapy to find the right support for your personal and professional growth.

Lauren Michelle Jackson, founder of Cultivate Your Essence, runs a counseling and coaching practice in Chicago and Atlanta. She is both a licensed therapist and life coach, and we went through the same coach training program.

Lauren shared with me that counseling, or therapy, works best when there’s healing that needs to take place. No one is ever 100% healed, but as you work with a therapist, you build various tools to understand what triggers your thoughts, feelings, and actions, and how to cope with them in a healthy and healing way.

Therapy is a partnership in healing, whereas coaching is a partnership in creating what’s next in your life.

Coaching, particularly mindset coaching, is collaborative and creative when it comes to building a future based on how you want to feel and the impact you want to make—then taking action from a proactive and often innovative place to get the results you desire.

As Lauren shares, “Coaching is accountability on steroids.”

Always consider what type of partnership will work best for you and your needs. Here are some questions to consider when you are teetering between working with a life or leadership coach, therapist, or maybe both:

• Are you experiencing anything out of the ordinary that you believe is a mental or medical issue?
• Have you dealt with depression in the past, and are feeling its presence today?
• Are stress and anxiety overwhelming your daily life?
• Do you need to heal past trauma? This can be Trauma with a capital T or trauma with a lowercase t. Trauma is whatever thoughts or experiences limit you from expressing your fullest self.

If you answered Yes to any of these questions, consider interviewing licensed therapists to partner with. Let’s continue…

• Are you ready to take action to create your future?
• Are you ready to take radical responsibility for your thoughts, feelings, and actions?
• Do you have a future vision and want accountability to create it?
• Are you ready to commit to creating a future plan and take action?
• Are you ready to proactively change your mindset with daily practice?

If you answered Yes to any of these questions, you may be ready for coaching and could consider interviewing certified coaches to partner with.

You’re not going to know if you need counseling or coaching until you try a few on for size. Be open to whichever one feels like it’s calling you the most.

Be honest with yourself. A lot of times the answer lies within you. Many times you know what you need to do; it’s just a matter of following through and investing in your well-being and planning your future with clarity.

Just like you go to the dentist twice a year (or you should!), consider investing in your emotional and mental well-being just the same. The goal of coaching and therapy is for you to learn how to do the work on your own. Just like your dentist doesn’t brush your teeth twice a day—you do, because you are worth it.

Therapy can create a baseline of what it means to be in a healthy relationship with yourself and others. Taking the time to educate and learn about yourself is a great reason to seek out a therapist.

Then, with the foundation set, you can work with a coach to design your future knowing you’re capable and supported.

Finding your life coach or therapist is like trying on a pair of jeans. You have to find your style, find what feels good, and find what works for you.

And guess what? It takes time.

You’re being vulnerable with someone you don’t know. Pay attention to how you feel in the process, keep advocating for yourself, and don’t give up! Life coaching and therapy is not a one-size-fits-all—it’s a personal choice.

How to find the coach that is your perfect fit:

• Ask friends for recommendations
• Search for “certified mindset coach”
• Read Google reviews
• Do interviews or introductory sessions; some professionals offer these informational interviews for free or at a reduced rate.