The mental health coaching and mental health counseling are interrelated but they aren’t the same. Mental health coaching is a process of helping the clients to envision life without depression or other obstacles to emotional well being. Mental health coaching is a niche area of the broader coaching field, and while it may touch on some therapeutic elements, it is not therapy and does not aim to treat mental health diagnoses such as depression or anxiety.

Instead, professionals who work in this area aim to support clients to overcome barriers in their life that may be caused by their mental health.

They do not see mental health as an ‘illness’ and instead see it as an area of life that sometimes needs addressing through clear life goals, external guidance, personal skills development and behavior changes (Philips, 2015)

Coaching has developed considerably over the last few years or so. It’s no longer a one size fits all approach. Coaches have become more nuanced and focused on how they support their clients.

Mental Health Coach helps the clients in these areas but not limited to:

• Identifying, clarifying, and defining goals.
• Developing individualized action plans to support the client to achieve those goals.
• Holding the client accountable for progress and achievement of those goals.
• Helping the client to identify key strengths and skills, as well as areas for focus and improvement.
• Provide support, guidance, motivation, and feedback throughout the client’s journey.

Counselors have a broader range of clients they can work with than coaches. They can work with individuals with normal cognitive processes who have experienced difficult life events, just like coaches, but they also work with people who have serious mental issues like bipolar disorder. Counselors often work as part of a mental health care team, which can include physicians, nurses, psychologists, and social workers.