Differences between life coaching and professional counseling practices

Life coaching and counseling are sometimes loosely defined as the same profession by non-professionals. This can be mainly attributed to how closely the fields are related regarding the result, and how the two professions can sometimes utilize similar techniques to reach the client's personal goal. This paper examines the differences and similarities between counseling, the act of offering professional psychological advice or help, and life coaching. It focuses on how each practice tackles its problems to achieve its objectives. Despite the interrelation that may exist, the two practices are distinct from each other. One difference is represented by the expected level of education between the two professions. In most cases, the life coach may indulge in the process of coaching an individual regardless of their level of education, certification or any other legal license. However, the counselors are required to meet a specific minimum educational level, as outlined by state laws, and they should also be licensed, besides being certified by National Counseling Bodies and institutions for them to practice. It is important to note that, the aims and strategies of the life coaches and the counselors tend to be similar and can target the same life goals. In both cases, the clients are assisted to detect, utilize and focus on their personal life potentials with the aim of realizing a positive output. On the other hand, counselors work with clients with psychological problems while coaches focus on achieving life goals. Also, they help clients to formulate a plan to achieve specific life goal while counselors tend to overcome life challenges experienced by clients. Counseling and coaching have become part of individual life with each performing parallel yet streamlined roles. The theme of the proposal focuses on comparing life coaching and counseling practices in addition to showing how the difference between the two professions plays significant roles in assisting specified types of clientele. Moreover, the paper will show the significance of life coaching approaches to specific individuals who do not require mental or behavioral assistance but with a set of goals that need to be achieved. It will also show that counseling rather than life coaching is the best choice for an individual who has been experiencing psychological problems and other behavioral disorders.

Introduction Life Coaching Life coaching can be defined as a professional discipline that aims at helping an individual achieve their set goals in life. The life coaches take the responsibility of helping their clients focus on the bigger picture at hand so that they can make the initial steps in realizing their potential. Cole (2000) describes coaching as an action-focused collaboration which revolves around a person's current standing and how his/her goals can be attained (p.95). Furthermore, the author asserts that nothing is better than having one's very own "Bela Karolyi" for helping one get past life's "uneven bars" and "balance beams" (p.95). The ongoing collaboration known as coaching aids people in achieving satisfying outcomes in life. Coaching enriches clients' learning, improves their QOL (quality of life) and helps them perform better (Cole 2000). In Grant's (2003) opinion, goal-centered coaching is a solution-focused, methodical, and cooperative process that endeavors to boost performance, wellbeing, and self-aimed learning (p.752).

Prior to the recognition and acceptance of the life coaching field, managers typically attended "charm schools" for behavioral counseling and acquiring human relations abilities, so that they may be well prepared for their corporate posts (Hall et al. 1999). Myles Mace is credited with first applying the tool of 'coaching' for developing managerial skills, in the year 1958 (Eggers & Clark 2000). During the 70's, National Training Laboratories were opened to certain executives for offering them rigorous offsite coaching. By the former half of the next decade, GE and other corporations began offering personal efficiency training to their executives. The latter half of the decade witnessed the introduction of the 360-degree feedback concept; however, follow-up assistance was hard to come by (Hall et al. 1999).

According to Cowell and Judge (1997), Californian, Dick Borough coined the phrase "executive coaching" in the year 1985, when explaining the techniques he employed for leadership development. Three years later, Forbes published its "Sigmund Freud Meets Henry Ford" article (Machan, 1988). In a number of ways, the practice of coaching originates from managerial development courses, and appears to have been implemented at the same time on USA's western and eastern coasts. Widespread use of management coaching by HR professionals started somewhere at the turn of the twentieth century's last decade (Judge & Cowell, 1997).

The profession mainly focuses on engaging the client in an intensive discussion and initiative-oriented process to establish their strengths and weakness on a given aspect of their life. Customarily, the life coaches support the clients in their journey to pursue the highest achievable success thus enabling them to move towards happiness and satisfaction. Also, the life coach motivates their client's dreams and visions by offering an upper hand in emotional, psychological and directional support.

The practice of life coaching was established in the late 1940s. However, according to Hudson, (1999), the life coaching approach was only recognized as an autonomous discipline in the late 1980s. This was mainly due to the rapid change in the structure and functionality of the organizations around the world. There was an insatiable need for individuals to be trained to be proficient in political leadership, succession planning and other personal oriented goals. The world changes made it difficult to analyze and predict the fate of individuals. This was because aims and goals became more susceptible and easily swayed by the societal variations as stated by Rao, (2010). Life coaching evolved to fill the gap which would facilitate the feeling of continuity of life following a drastic and dynamic social transition. It is important to note that both disciplines adhere to strict confidentiality as an important aspect needed to achieve the respective goals in a harmonious manner.

Life coaches articulate for strategies and mechanisms which are best suited to facilitate easier means of achieving life goals without negating the skills balance line. For one to become effective life coach, one should depict high ability in strategizing, accountability, and even motivational skills. This is the only way of ensuring that the client manages to achieve their life goals in the most effective and efficient ways while under their guidelines. Unlike counselors and consultants, life coaches move along with the client life journey; every step from the beginning until the set goals are achieved. Counseling
According to Bangert-Drowns, Kulik, & Kulik, (1983), life counseling is more of a contextual therapy where individuals are given room to discuss their psychological and mental problems in search of life solutions while maintaining secrecy and confidentiality. Life counseling is considered a psychological science which approaches the issues and disturbances which affect the individual brain and other psychological problems. The science and art of counseling involves engagement of at least two individuals in a cooperative relationship wherein one (the consultant) is an educated, competent, and experienced individual, typically certificated and licensed as a helper, while the other individual (the client) seeks assistance. The relationship is aimed at resolving client problems, issues or concerns springing from their endeavor to manage life in a progressively more complex environment (Maples, 1996, p.47). The ACA (American Counseling Association) offers a more abridged definition; it states that counseling is a fairly short-duration, theory-centered, interpersonal process of aiding individuals who are, in essence, psychologically fit in resolving their situational and developmental issues (ACA, 2007).

Counseling represents an ethical and competent application of relationships for facilitating emotional development and acceptance, self- knowledge, and optimum improvement of individual resources. The general goal is offering a chance to endeavor towards leading a more resourceful and satisfying life. Counselor-client relationships differ in accordance with need; however, they might deal with developmental problems, tackling and solving particular issues, decision-making, crisis management, dealing with internal conflict, knowledge and personal insight enhancement, and relationship skill improvement (Gladding 2004).

The task of counseling addresses wellness, professional development, personal development, and pathological issues. That is, a counselor addresses relationship-related areas (Casey 1996), including inter- and intra- personal problems associated with adjusting and finding meaning in familial, educational, professional, and other contexts. Counseling is carried out with individuals regarded to be performing properly but experiencing some serious issues. Counselors cater to the requirements of a broad array of individuals. Their clients have situational or developmental problems which need to be dealt with, in terms of remediation or tweaking. Normally, their issues get resolved by means of short-term interventions. However, in some cases, treatment might be prolonged to take into consideration, and address, disorders covered under the APA's (American Psychiatric Association's) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM IV). Counseling represents a theory-based activity. Experts in the field apply numerous theoretical techniques, which include cognitive, behavioral, systemic, and affective techniques. These theoretical models are applicable to individuals, families, and large groups. The process of counseling can be intervening or developmental. The emphasis of counselors is client aspirations. Therefore, the activity of counseling entails change as well as choice. Counseling may be termed as the "run-through" for action, in certain instances (Casey, 1996, p. 176)

In the U.S., counseling emerged as a profession somewhere between the latter half of the 1890s and the start of the twentieth century. All through the early part of that century, vocational guidance represented the chief emphasis of counselors; psychometrics was a component of its initial groundwork as well. During the 30s, the counseling profession started expanding beyond vocation-related issues, and the world witnessed the emergence of the notion of guidance through education (Gladding, 2004). Only in the year 1942, with Carl Rogers' work, Counseling and Psychotherapy did the notion of guidance -- offering recommendations, training or a focus -- start vanishing from counseling-related literature. The mid-20th century saw the reinforcement of the counseling profession through events such as the American Personnel and Guidance Association's founding, the founding of the Counseling Psychology branch of the APA (American Psychological Association), the formulation of novel counseling and guidance theories, and the 1958 National Defense Education Act's enactment (Gladding, 2004). Counseling spread its wings and ventured outside the academic setting during the 70s, accompanied by the introduction of programs in cultivating helping skills and professional organizations, as well as counseling licensure. The next decade witnessed the emergence of the concept of standardized counselor training certification, thereby transforming counseling into an independent, recognized profession, accompanied by diversification of counselor specialties with major emphasis on development and growth (Gladding, 2004).

During the life counseling process, the clients are assisted in identifying their problems as well as specifying specific solutions to overcome their mental challenges. Life counselors are expected to specialize in a given approach of counseling such as Applied Behavioral treatment. More importantly, the psychological problem affecting the client usually determines the type and approach relevant in offering counseling therapy. Life counselors explore the thoughts and emotions of human beings to provide therapeutical changes which are relevant to the individual life. Life counselors encourage their client to speak their problems out to identify causes and effects, and possible solutions to the outlined problems. In most cases, the counselors will give the individuals advice on how to cope with the life issue or induce the reconciliation mechanism between the client and their life issues. Likewise, the process of life counseling is conducted through face to face communication, through telephone counseling or even online counseling. The life counseling approach is dependent on factors such as age, gender and the counselor's techniques.

Literature review

Hudson (1999) explains that coaching is an art of helping and guiding an individual toward a fulfilling future. Some believe that learning begins and ends with childhood; therefore there will be more working than learning. But in modern professions, there is a great deal of reinvention and small chapters that will require learning. This could be in form of getting new jobs or switching career paths. Continuous learning and personal renewal could be essential in adjusting to the changes, and each person is responsible for devising their curriculum. These challenges face individuals, teams, and organizations.

This is where the life coach comes in. The coach is a teacher, and whether it is an individual, a client or a company, the relationship is usually deeper than that. Their function is to relate particular goals to the whole plan created in close consideration with the client's core values. The coach helps the client see more options and resources that might be at their disposal, while guiding them through a learning process of managing change rather than fearing it.

He adds that, during the 80s, many organizations adopted the prevailing philosophies of management that encouraged eliminating the middle managers so that the employees could get more freedom to manage their own results with minimal mentoring. However, trends started changing again and organizations now emphasize on working teams. This necessitated the need for a coach especially when the team hit an obstacle. To be a coach for an organization, there are specific skills of leadership, reliability and maturity, are essential. These skills are required to train teams effectively and guide organizations through transitions. A coach in an organization will deal a lot with collaboration, long-term planning and organizing. The coach will be expected to follow and nurture the organization's culture.

Caspi (2005) similarly focuses on the growing popularity of life coaching and the issues and challenges that come with it. He argues that it is important to identify the two undertakings involved in coaching which are a method and a movement. The second usage, a movement, is the description that tends to cast coaching as a practice with its unique scope that is already on a path to becoming a profession or a discipline. This is being accelerated by the presence of a gradually growing body of research and organizations offering training and credentials to individuals who want to practice life coaching. This is making it increasingly easy for individuals to get the necessary knowledge and start offering life coaching services than it was before.

Caspi (2005) adds that coaching is a goal-oriented approach, unlike most traditional psychological treatments that focus on alleviating the problems at hand. Nonetheless, both methods focus on changing behaviors, feelings and attitudes of patients for the betterment of their lives. This difficulty to distinguish the two practices, especially among the patients is what is of concern to the profession since the two don't technically offer the same service. This can result in individuals offering services they are not qualified to offer or using coaching to circumvent licensure.

Caspi (2005) insists that social workers are well qualified to do coaching and there is no need for individuals with little or no qualification providing essential psychological services. Coaching previously emphasized on helping employees in a corporation to improve productivity. However, the growing popularity of life coaching has extended its business application to personal and life domains of psychology. The methods and approaches used by life coaches in the business domain are being applied in personal and life psychology; methods which in most cases are not applicable in those situations. Most life coaches are knowingly or unknowingly taking over the roles that are otherwise meant for social workers and offering services that they may not be qualified to provide. The paper emphasizes the need for dialogue on the growing popularity of life coaching in terms of its licensing, ethics and how to distinguish social workers from life coaches.

It is a widely acknowledged fact that the life coaching approach is a behavioral modification and inspirational technique which facilitates establishment and attainment of better goals, thereby improving individuals' functioning and wellbeing (Grant & O'Hara, 2006; Newnham-Kanas et al., 2010). This "innovative" field has distinguished itself from the conventional therapeutic sphere -- life coaches do not adopt an expert's role; rather, they serve as "thought partners" (Newnham-Kanas, Irwin and Morrow, D. 2011). Furthermore, they do not offer advice, but believe their clients can independently generate effective solutions for themselves (ICF, 2015). These professionals do not feel clients need "fixing." Their emphasis is on results for the future and not on problems of the past (ICF, 2015). According to practitioners, the life coaching technique is strong and effective; this argument has been corroborated by a growing pool of scientific proofs (Maples, 1996).

Counseling, psychology and other conventional helping professions are closely regulated and standardized (Williams & Davis, 2007). But the life coaching field does not have to follow any strict regulations or training conditions, and this is considered a major future problem for the sector (ICF, 2012). A second challenge is the confusion clients experience with regard to the advantages of coaching and how it differs from consulting, mentoring and other practices (ICF, 2012). How life coaching is defined has been another well-debated topic (Williams & Davis, 2007). There are numerous perspectives, each of which offers diverse coaching contexts. For instance, Grant (2003, p.254) gives a broad definition for the term, claiming that life coaching represents a methodical, solution-focused, cooperative and result-oriented process wherein a coach helps enhance non-clinical, normal clients' life experiences and facilitate their professional and personal goal achievement.

There are numerous empirical research works that support the life coaching profession's validity (Newnham-Kanas, Gorczynski, Irwin and Morrow, 2009; Newnham-Kanas et al., 2011). But methodological rigor is absent in most of these research works. Several empirical analyses do not include any operational description of the method of coaching employed, rendering it hard to figure out exactly what the authors are referring to when they use the word "coaching" (Newnham-Kanas et al., 2009). There are various descriptions and definitions of the term "life coaching," but these definitions probably offer diverse contexts for analysis; this suggests diverse life coaching processes and results (Grant, 2003; Williams & Davis, 2007). By means of a cohesive description of the term, research scholars can assess modifications in wellness, behavior and life that may be ascribed solely to the activity of life coaching. A cohesive description or impartial definition will likely facilitate the monitoring and tracing of behavior modifications linked directly to coaching, enable result replication in similar contexts, and lastly, enable result comparison across multiple researches.

Coaching concepts include paying attention to pupils' skill development. In Garmston and Costa's (2002) opinion, coaching endeavors to improve the self-directedness of clients (i.e., their capacity of self-management, monitoring and adaptation). They maintain that a coach adopts particular techniques for improving his/her pupil's (i.e. client's) decision-making ability, intellectual functions, and insights (p. 21). In Carter's 2001 work, coaching has been described as job-related training for professional and senior leaders (p. 15). A large number of authors integrate the aspects of development as well as performance in their definition of the term 'coaching'. Gray (2005) writes that a coached client denotes an individual who wishes to attain a more superior performance level, improved learning or satisfaction, whereas Downey (2003) claims it is an art of assisting another individual in learning, developing, and performing (p. 15). Meanwhile, Hall and Linder-Pelz (2008) describe coaching as an activity dealing with goal actualization and facilitating an individual's development, performance, experience, and learning (p. 43).

Despite the difficulty of classifying coaching techniques owing to their complex nature, Ives (2008) proposes three key groups issues based on which one can classify coaching strategies: 1) Non-directive or directive, 2) Goal-driven or personal-developmental and 3) Performance-oriented or therapeutic. Although the above three groups are unconnected, this paper will perceive them as closely linked practically as well as theoretically. Goal-centered coaching strategies are normally performance-oriented, nondirective, and solution-centered. The truth is that no coaching technique stereotypically corresponds to the precise classifications outlined. Additionally, no technique is consistently conformant to the above grouping scheme. However, from an 'ideal types' perspective, one can perceive some techniques as closer to a particular group, in comparison to other groups. The three elements are simply comparative. For instance, any coaching theory would believe a wholly directive stance is not compatible with the coaching process. Likewise, every method would believe it is solution-centered, as compared to psychoanalysis. But upon comparison, these coaching techniques display significant differences, and this is what this research aims at examining.

Kiel and coworkers (1996) warn of the existence of a widespread belief that those who make it to the top management team or to other leadership positions need not bother with personal development any longer. This erroneous idea is capable of hampering leadership development. While managerial coaching is an agenda-focused approach whose main emphasis is professional objectives (Saporito, 1996), some researchers (Witherspoon & White, 1996a; Laske, 1999a; Kilburg, 2000) supported ontonic developmental frameworks owing to the relationship between professional and personal development. Diedrich (1996) assented that fulfilling the personal developmental requirements of a client during coaching is essential. Independent of the agenda of a manager, Belf (1996) supported life coaching that integrates a person's values, attitudes, views, and spiritual factors when establishing professional and personal objectives.

The most thorough peer-reviewed study performed thus far on the area of life coaching employs the TTM (Trans-theoretical Model of Change) performance improvement model (Grant, 2003). The author gauged the effects of the coaching process on mental wellbeing, metacognition, and accomplishment of goals. The research work reached the conclusion that cognitive-behavioral solution-focused (CB/SF) coaching apparently aids clients in shifting to awareness and action, from self-reflective self-regulation. Study subjects who did not achieve their goals earlier displayed improved goal achievement as well as better QOL and mental wellbeing.

People pursue counseling as well as coaching when it comes to choosing behavioral modification interventions. However, a research conducted by Hart, Leipsie and Blattner discovered numerous major differences between counseling and coaching. The former concentrates on curing some depression or some other definite condition, as defined under DSM IV. Another fundamental distinction is time-orientation. Counseling or therapy usually concentrates on retrospection and revolves around the unconscious, historical problems which lead to pathological symptoms. The emphasis in coaching is current conditions and goals for the future. Instead of curing whatever occurred in the past, the activity of coaching is relatively more action-focused, and revolves around potential maximization by means of novel skill acquisition and engaging in superior decision-making and problem-solving. Both the techniques promote insight, but coaching requires it for action and counseling requires it to cure. Whitmore and Hayden (1996) explained the above difference by stating that coaches serve clients with "how" issues whereas therapists serve clients with "why" issues.

Further differences discovered by Hart and colleagues (2001) centered on conversation types. Surveyed coaches believed their interaction with clients was more informal and casual, and frequently included elements of humor and self-disclosure. Additionally, their discussions were more task-centered and structured, and involved strategic planning towards clear and tangible objectives. On the other hand, counseling interaction was less definite and more concerned with identifying emotional problems through expressed feelings. Counseling and coaching were found to be similar in the areas of review techniques, possible power differentials, guidance that assumed the shape of recommendations, and boundary-related problems. While the latter problem is evident in both approaches, survey respondents believed more flexible boundaries existed in the coaching process.

Even more differences were reported by Richard in his 1999 work. Therapy or counseling techniques chiefly measure client progress by using self-reports of clients, while performance measurement in the coaching process is carried out through clear-cut criteria specified by both parties (i.e., client and coach). Delivery styles differ as well -- coaching is performed one-on-one (privately or occasionally in public settings), on the telephone or on the internet (video conferencing, emails, etc.), whereas counseling is nearly always conducted one-on-one in the therapist's office. Lastly, compensation methods may differ. Insurance coverage usually exists for therapy whereas sponsors or the clients themselves have to pay for coaching services.

Transference, in case of psychoanalytic treatment, is generally employed as a curative tool for highlighting client attitudes towards counselors in a bid to aid clients in achieving better insights about themselves. A majority of researchers accept that this tool is not employed by coaches (Hayden & Whitworth, 1996). In Levinson's (1996) view, a key difference between counseling and coaching is: the latter addresses reality issues and hardly utilizes any overt interpretations of unconscious client opinions of their coach for explaining projection stemming from the personal history of the client. Moreover, he recommended the application of rigorous psychotherapy when overwhelming unconscious pressures may be seen, and a client cannot advance further than his/her psychological barriers to progress.

It is widely agreed that managerial coaching and therapy are different in terms of the former's emphasis on job performance problems and interpersonal skills. Bricklin (2001) is of the view that emotional and interpersonal skills increase in significance as a person scales the rungs of the corporate ladder. According to Tobias (1996), coaching is simply a different way of presenting psychological interventions; the term 'coaching' makes the intervention appear less curative and intimidating. A number of counselors and psychologists perceive coaching to be a novel means of employing their skills; consequently, they are starting to shift from the counselor's role to the role of a coach (Williams & Davis, 2002). The above trend has given rise to concerns that counselors qualified in clinical therapy are now joining the coaching domain without appropriate coaching skills. There are a few coaching models that don't differentiate much between counseling and coaching, compared to other models.

Scant peer-reviewed researches can be found on the subject of life coaching as a means to train and guide professionals in regard to sound empirical life coaching principles. Nevertheless, literature depicts inclusive corporate plan templates created expressly for the life coaching field. Rogers' (2004) tool for formulation of corporate plans was analyzed thoroughly for its impact and effectiveness. Most study subjects stated that the tool's advantage lay in its specific design for the life coaching field, with a focus on personal growth and not on business-related growth. Wilkins's (2000) research on personal coaching based on grounded theory revealed added differences between corporate mentoring and coaching. The research indicated that coaches, unlike mentors, didn't provide expert recommendations to their clients. Rather, they adopted an experiential, facilitative strategy for encouraging learning.

The focus of Gargiulo's (2004) study was the need for looking ahead in life, rather than backward, and having faith in the individuals guiding a person. Coaches' as well as counselors' work must reflect a genuine wish to guide and support those under their wing till they are able to do so independently. They need to bring the person across a sequence of developmental training phases. The author symbolically linked surmounting the problems one encounters in life to the learning of how to steer a bike across the bends and potholes one encounters on the road, through a coach's assistance. Davis and Williams (2002) describe life coaching as a strong, future-focused human relationship.

To the above analogy, Strenger (2004) adds that difficulties associated with looking ahead frequently hamper progress. To successfully get across potholes, one not only requires coaching and practice, but also harmony and depth of vision. Strenger claims he could confidently cross the rough terrain because of his deep respect for, and faith in, his coach. Likewise, Davis and Williams (2002) elucidate that the relationship between a coach and his client is a powerful and significant bond founded on trust. They further state that there are some pupil-coach bonds which may be go so far as to be termed "soulful."

Critical Differences between Life Coaching and Life Counseling

Goal Orientation

The end goal has already been identified as the main difference between the approaches employed by counseling and life coaching. In life counseling, the theme of discussion is usually focused on the mental and behavioral health issues which are usually noted down in the presence of the client. The disorders may range from acute depression to dysfunctional psychosocial disorders. It is important to point out that, counseling deals with the repair of the damages mainly from previous mental and behavioral strains of which the patient may not be aware. The counselor mainly employs polite and efficient interview, coupled with dialogue and discussion to establish the causative agent of the client's mental disorders. In extreme situations, the counselor may recommend that the patient is put on medication, close therapies, and periodic analytical interventions.

On the other hand, life coaches focus on prospective goals to be realized by the client in the future. The approach employed usually puts emphasis on utilizing the individual's potential and capabilities to achieve a given goal or goals set by the client. Life coaches try to help an individual to maximize their inputs on particular activities and targets to achieve fulfillment both the individual and the society. Moreover, both approaches are oriented on creation and promotion of self-realization and awareness. However, they work on a completely different timescale with counseling moving from the past experiences and traumas to the present condition, whereas, life coaching moves on from current conditions to future possibilities.

Literature on the subject indicates that every coaching relationship is associated with some aim. Evidence-based works cite numerous philosophical perspectives related to life coaching, with different objectives. Newnham-Kanas and coworkers (2010) as well as Kimsey-House and coworkers (2011) state that there are three principles, namely -- balance, life process, and fulfillment -- which form the basis for life coaching and function as objectives to enable change and maximize client ability (Newnham-Kanas et al., 2010; Whitworth et al., 2007). Fulfillment denotes that an individual is leading an active life that he/she treasures, whilst being wholly expressive of who he/she is. Life process highlights the client's current QOL, what's taking place with him/her at present, and where he/she is now. Lastly, balance is crucial to the client's QOL, concentrating on harmonious flow, progress, and action (Whitworth et al., 2007). Crafting a highly fulfilling life for oneself means creating a pleasant life with purpose and meaning, true to one's personal values (Newnhamkanas et al., 2010). Attaining balance necessitates opening the perspective of the client on different aspects of his/her life, together with turning his/her newly emerged options into meaningful action (Irwin & Morrow, 2005; Newnham-Kanas et al., 2011b). Obeying the 'life process' principle in the coaching process helps deal with inner emotional experience and whatever is taking place currently with the client (Newnham-Kanas et al., 2010). The above three elements propel a client towards achieving his/her utmost potential and cultivating a more balanced, fulfilling life, reflecting a more efficient life process (Newnham-Kanas et al., 2010).

Learning is a second aim of coaching, as put forward by researchers (Griffiths & Campbell, 2009). Cox and Lawton-Smith (2007) are of the opinion that client development constitutes a salient aspect of coaching. Coaching endeavors to minimize opposition to learning, optimize conditions for learning, and facilitate client advancement (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990; Wang & Millward, 2014). The ICF (2015c) suggests that enabling learning and outcomes are integral to the process of coaching. Professional and personal performance enhancement represents yet another coaching goal (Whitmore, 2004; Stewart et al., 2008). Also, clients can put forward a number of individual expectations and goals for coaches (Lawton-Smith & Cox, 2007).

Level of communication

The level of communication employed in the two approaches is different depending on the issue at hand. A life coach can sometimes bring in suggestions on the goals the client should set and how they should be achieved. During the coaching process, the life coaches encourage a free and less formal interaction where the client is encouraged to express themselves freely and openly. Consequently, life coaches are tied to the intimately shared contextual goals which could be oriented toward achieving fulfillment at work or in business terms. Counselors, however, do not stipulate their boundaries thus are considered undefined. They tend to apply all the techniques which they deem essential in defining, analyzing and coming up with the cause and solution to the problem or psychological issue at hand. The main focus is orienting and guiding the patient towards a lifelong mental stability. In most cases, the counselor initiates and encourages dialogue to enable the client to share their emotional attachments to the problem issue being handled. To increase the efficiency of the sessions, the therapists usually set a strict plan and strategy to help speed the process of shifting the client from emotional turmoil to emotional peace within the shortest timelines.

Farson and Rogers (1957) regard active listening to be the most valuable and key life-coaching interactional aspect, as it triggers personality transformations in individuals. This skill may have a positive effect on client outlooks with regard to themselves as well as other people, in addition to a positive influence on their perceptions. That is, through active listening, a client becomes more amenable to novel experiences, less wary, and more emotionally developed. Active listening represents a forceful ability springing from sincere interest (Rogers & Farson, 1957). A life coach is a good listener on every level. The coach has to trust his/her instincts and by well-cognizant of the environment, and individual clients' emotions and body language (Newnham-Kanas et al., 2010). This skill necessitates a focus on clients -- coaches must be mentally present and on hand only for their clients. Schneider and colleagues (2011) indicate that coaches must, hence, be mindful at all times, and devote absolute attention to listening to whatever the client says and refrains from saying (i.e., implicit messages the client is giving) and strive to understand. An important component of lending an ear to clients is deepening one's understanding by confirming and mulling over all that the client says (Williams & Davis, 2007). Additionally, Farson and Rogers (1957) maintain that clients should be certain their coach is viewing things from their standpoint. When a coach engages in active listening, his/her clients will also, typically, pay heed to him/her. This helps them be certain with regard to their own feelings, possible contributions and thoughts (Rogers & Farson, 1957).

Level of confidentiality

Coaching contracts are of a more formal nature than counseling contracts. Other facets which contribute to making coaching contracts appear more formal in comparison to therapeutic contracts are predetermined timelines, quarterly evaluations, outcomes, up-front payments, frank dialogue on client expectations, and the necessity to prove the outcomes aimed for. By contrast, contracting in case of therapy seems less clear and more flexible. However, confidentiality is not so serious an issue in the coaching process. Nevertheless, coaches refrain from sharing client information and identity with third parties without the permission of their clients. On the other hand, a client will proudly tell others who they obtained their coaching from (Jarden and Anticich, 2005). Some scholars feel coaching lacks close monitoring and clear rules relating to the confidentiality aspect. Coaching contracts are not accompanied by any legal protection in terms of maintaining confidentiality. Both coaches and clients can simply 'blab' to anybody. However, this is absolutely forbidden in case of counseling. Barriers to confidentiality within the context of coaching may include an instance when the coach is a company's external consultant, and the client is the company itself.

On the whole, a majority of individuals who play the role of both counselor and practicing coach give considerable importance to the matter of confidentiality very. However, they are doubtful of whether others, who do not possess the clinical education of a counselor, do the same. Most therapists who engage in coaching abide by therapist rules and do not forget the oath they took as psychotherapists, when practicing coaching. The counseling field has well-defined laws which govern what they are allowed to say and how; counselors have to strictly abide by these laws (Jarden and Anticich, 2005).

Life coaching approach tends to be formal with strict contractual regulations compared to life counseling. The goals and objectives of life coaching are clearly defined with strict observance of maximum client input towards achieving the laid out goals. The process of coaching, therefore, becomes very particular and oriented towards achieving a given attainable goals depending on the needs of the client. In addition, the contracts are under constant review to ensure constant progress and various tests subjected to the trainee to determine how much the program is benefiting them Moreover; the coaching process is determined by fixed timelines, outcomes, and most probably a payment upfront. During the coaching process, the individual may be integrated into the aligned objectives by conducting open reviews about their feelings in relation to the gained training and the maximum inputs needed to hit the objectives.

On the other hand, the life therapist is not oriented so much on future achievements of the clients but more on the past injuries and recovery. Therefore, the process of counseling is not regulated by any timelines, clearly defined goals or objectives. The whole session is dependent on how long the client takes to recover. The contracts in counseling are simple and friendly as they do not involve reviews or strict outcome upfront. Contracts are not strict and fixed but rather put down by word of mouth. However, to maintain the ethical standards of the professionals, the federal government steps in by creating regulations to guide the counselors. As a result, they are held accountable for misconduct or irregularities that may be committed when they are offering their services.

The level of confidentiality in life coaching process is not as strict as the practice is aimed at achieving goals which would make the client shine in the related field. Although by ethics coaches are not supposed to reveal their clients, the client is at liberty to publicly declare their life trainers.

Client Historical Background

The greatest distinction between counseling and managerial coaching is, possibly, the focus (or lack of focus) on clients' past experiences. A coach is required to look at, and work for, the present. They need not delve into a client's past for attempting to discern why he/she behaves in a certain way. There are some coaches who try not to delve into familial problems, or depression and other problems of the mind; they also do not provide referrals if they notice pathological symptoms. Duality and flexibility seem to override differences between the maintenance of counseling and coaching relations. In the latter case, the client's relationship with his/her coach [social, sport, etc.] demands that boundaries be maintained. In therapeutic relationships, a dual relationship is considered taboo. Furthermore, coaching is not accompanied by stigma the way counseling is. In fact, people even tend to publicize that they're being coached by a particular individual (Minor, 2010).

According to the study conducted by Hudson, (1999), in the article, The Handbook of Coaching, it was evident that the historical context of the client played a significant role in distinguishing the two approaches of counseling and life coaching. During the coaching processes, the coach does not usually get deep into the history of their client to relate their behavior with the current condition. One of the respondents in the study, explained that coaches try to steer clear of factors which are not oriented to the main goal of the contractual agreement. This includes less association with the client's family members. Hence, client psychological problems that may arise due to interfamily relationships or other personal relationships may not be addressed (Hudson, 1999). Nonetheless, the client and their life coach sometimes find themselves sharing social activities in varying degrees. Such may include engaging in the same sports activities. This may be conducted provided the professional limits are not compromised between the life coaches and the clientele. Furthermore, the coaching processes are usually not associated with social stigmatization hence the client is at liberty to declare the process in public. The natural limits between the coach and the clientele may facilitate the process of coaching to be conducted even in public places and joints that provide the atmosphere conducive for training. Thus the coaching process appears more flexible provided the goal is not diverted.

However, counseling is outlined a procedural therapy to heal past experiences and mental stress that the client maybe experiencing. As a result, understanding the historical background of the patient is critical if not the most important activity. The approach should be conversant with the source of the mental instability which could be attributed to the family, genetic make-ups or discomforts with certain historical experiences. Considering a case of a victim whose parents die of a car accident, the counselor helping the individual recover from the psychological problem must understand the relationship that existed between the individual and the deceased. There exist strict rules regulating the duality and the flexibility of the therapist while conducting the counseling process. Consequently, the level of social interactions that are not session related between clients and the counselor are limited. This eliminates the possibility of the discussion of the therapy process in public. Furthermore, there are designated areas and places where counseling should take place to ensure that privacy and serenity are maintained for free communication. Qualified counselors also take doctors hypocritical oath to safeguard the personal information of the client. Due to a high level of secrecy of the life counseling approach, the technique became more rigid and fixed to a specified time and place.

In most cases, the clients and the life coach may be in communication through mobile phones and other social media platforms. This is usually not the case with counselors and their clients. The preferred mode of communication is face to face with a few exceptions for video communication. The counselor understands the boundaries that exist between them and their clients. The comprehension of one not to explore during the mental healing process is essential in the healing process.

Detection of 'Red-Flags'

The method applicable to identify hitches while practicing either of the two life approaches is also different as outlined by Tobias, (1996). There are specified issues that every coach should observe and relate them to the failure of the coaching process. In such cases, the coach should seek further assistance from more qualified life coaches or terminate the contract of coaching as soon as possible as any further progress may not be fruitful. Heightened levels of depression, anxiousness, alcoholism could be indicators that the client needs more than just life coaching. Practitioners suggest that in cases that should raise red flags are when the victim experiences other social problems, rage, anger or fails to turn up for the session as stipulated. The life coach should be in a position to identify and detect this signs in a timely and fairly accurate manner.

'Red flag' identification revolves around the following two topics of concern: (a) Particular client problems and traits that coaches must be capable of identifying as danger signs that need to be referred and (b) Problems linked to individuals who serve as coaches but aren't professionally qualified clinicians. Beginning with the client-related issue, red flags that most commonly indicate more profound client problems include symptoms of depression, paranoia, panic attacks, substance abuse, and personality disorders. A psychologist playing the role of trainer for counselors, who will take on the role of coaches, states that coaches must watch out if a client struggles with emotional drama or plays the victim's role, remains absent, fails to follow through, claims he/she can't continue, or expresses very strong (negative) emotions in two or more coaching sessions. Gut instincts are red flags, and coaches must not attempt to tiptoe around them (Minor, 2010).

A coach should be very careful if a client's mood starts becoming a key aspect of coach-client interactions and begins assuming the role of a predominant belief system to the extent that the coach is well aware of its lack of connection to the client's current-day situation. If one hears something along the lines of, "Nobody save you cares for me," there is definite cause for serious concern. Suicidal ideation, excessive reliance, persistent aggressiveness or anger, and self-destructive behaviors or urges denote red flags as well (Maples, 1996).

The aforementioned issues are a prelude to the other subject of concern, namely, coaches who aren't professionally qualified clinicians, and their ability to identify emotional or mental issues lying outside the coaching domain. Counselors should be capable of identifying and handling issues, and of asking proper questions to assess an issue. One disadvantage for non-clinically trained coaches is their lack of knowledge and myopia in terms of their regarding all persons as whole and well. They fail to recognize pathology, and lack the skill set necessary for managing or treating such issues (Maples, 1996). A second subject of concern in regard to non-clinicians is boundary issues. Coaches might bring to the surface strong pockets of counter transference and transference via the establishment of highly intimate discussions which produce power differentials, without well-defined process articulation or parameters. A plus point of a clinical background is awareness of the distinctions and where one must not tread.

Tobias, (1996) points out the differences regarding the objectives and goals of the two practices. Counselors usually deal with those psychological effects considered by life coaches as a deviation to the set goal. Consequently, therapists assume the responsibility and pressure of engaging the patient deeply and gathering thorough information to understand the psychological problem well. The therapist is expected to have skills and expertise to comprehend the case and provide means to solve the problems. Unlike a therapist, in most cases, life coaches are unable to identify their negative inputs in the process of the training their clients.

The Control Perception

Bangert-Drowns, Kulik, & Kulik, (1983), conducted an intensive research with the objective of establishing the dominating approach between the two practices of counseling and life coaching. The ability of the therapist to handle and manage the psychological issues of an individual gave them an upper hand as depicted by the analysis of the survey. The counselor does not share any emotional ground with the psychological victim thus regarded to control the whole process of counseling. On the other hand, the result showed that the coaching process is controlled and dominated by the client. The client usually understands that the success of the process is dependent on their own input. Life coaching is more informal and the responsibility seems to be shared by both the clients and the life coach.

Focus and Intention

Griffiths & Campbell, (2008), further illustrate the existing differences between the two fields of life coaching and counseling. In the study patients felt less comfortable when in sessions with the counselors that during sessions with life coaches. However, it confirmed the general thinking that counselors offered more psychological help to problems that were not part of the goals in a life coaching agreement. Life coaches put little or no effort in problems that were not related to the goal at hand.

Counseling generally concentrates on relational discord, severe depression and other distinguishable problems hampering normal client functioning and present psychosocial or psychodynamic adjustment, as well as on the aspect of interpersonal health. A number of individuals claim that, usually, the emphasis in counseling is retrospective and deals with unconscious problems and repairing the damage caused by prior experiences. It might even encompass adjunct therapy, medication, and service coordination. Understanding and treating pathological conditions and alleviating symptoms with the aid of analytic, behavioral, or cognitive intervention lies in the therapist's domain (Jarden & Anticich, 2005).

Coaches emphasize on prospective, untapped potential, goals, and key success factors within complete individuals who endeavor to maximize their fulfillment at the workplace or in their social and personal lives. While both techniques deal with developmental problems and give emphasis to awareness, therapy promotes an awareness of prior damage for supporting healing and understanding. By contrast, coaching concentrates on current untapped possibilities for linking action and awareness (Jarden & Anticich, 2005).

With regard to conversation type and activity levels, a coach will more likely initiate subjects for discussion as well as commence a session by presenting recommendations and ideas. Coaching interactions are of a more informal, self-disclosing, and active nature; further, a client is normally deemed to be an expert in his/her own right. Dialogue within the coaching process is linked to work and business goals. While counseling can be termed as a vague process of wandering, uncovering and discovering, participants believe coaching interactions are more task-oriented, structured activities that normally involve definite action plans directed at client progress towards their established goals. Counseling dialogue more typically involves emotional processing and the expressing of feelings. Depth issue scrutiny is considered to lie beyond a non-clinician coach's boundaries (Jarden & Anticich, 2005).

Client Oriented Perspectives

One of the most significant reasons as to why an individual would seek life coaching assistance is the need excel in life. In the study conducted by Griffiths et al., (2008), the scholars established that the pressure associated with work or professional achievement are some of the factors which compel clients to seek life coaching. They seek the life coaches with the intention of getting through significant life transitions or influence a faster life progress to delineate themselves with their current situations which may not be pleasing as outlined in the article by Griffiths et al., (2008). The insatiable desire to exploit their potential is usually the main factor why life coaches become relevant to an individual's life. A respondent in the article said that she had sought life coaching to better the life she was living presently. As a result, it can be conclusively assumed that life coaching from the client's perception is associated with work, business or personal success (Griffiths et al. 2008). The clients felt that life coaching was proactive and allowed more participation to the client in the whole coaching and developmental process.

Contrary to this notion, respondent showed that therapy was significant in healing their psychological problems. The therapy was not associated with business or work achievement but the state of the mind. Unlike life coaching which was conducted by an instructor, the individual who sought a counselor or therapists faced a big challenge trying to balance their success and the peace of the mind. The victims who sought to counsel thus would not be thought as still having the same psychological problems as when they started the sessions.

Conclusion

From the above discussion, it is evident both life coaching and counseling are very similar fields that play a crucial role in the betterment of an individual's personal and psychological welfare. But they also have many fundamental differences related to requirements and approaches employed. In life coaching, the coach focuses on the end goal which is usually defined and agreed when the life coach and the client get into the life coaching contract. Counselors usually don't have any particularly defined goal except to guide the client step-by-step until a given psychological problem. The two professions are similar in the sense that they are all aimed at helping a client better their life, and most people cannot get into the deep disparities between the two. Due to these similarities, it becomes hard for clients and professionals alike to distinguish the two and determine which service they require. This can result in life coaches masquerading as counselors. Hence, there is a need for clear guidelines and oversight to clearly distinguish the two fields.

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