Do you need a coach or do you need a psychologist? There are still traces of that archaic mentality in which the need to have a psychology professional was indicative of madness. Going to the psychologist was a kind of stigma that even the closest relatives were unaware of. And then the coaches appeared, modern shamans who looked dangerously like psychologists but had a cooler, more trendy aura. Around here we are wondering about the differences between coach and psychologist. If you are interested in knowing them, keep reading. They are not as OBVIOUS as you may think… 
How is a coach different from a psychologist?
- The main difference between a coach and a psychologist is training. And the degree. A psychologist is a person with a degree in Psychology and who, in addition to becoming a member of this professional group, has had to sign a code of ethics that guarantees its good practices.
- A coach is a trainer (according to the literal translation) of skills. The coach may or may not have studies, they may have Engineering studies and have taken a specific course to be a coach. Or she may not have more studies than those of some online courses to be a personal development coach.
- From this point of view, it is the guarantee that you are dealing with a professional that differentiates the psychologist from the coach. But this does not mean that a coach cannot be useful to you, as long as you find a professional and not a smoke seller. Above all, stay away from those coaches who promise you to be happy if you follow their techniques.
When to go to a coach
- A professional coach does not cover everything. There are some who are dedicated to improving your professional skills, who teach you techniques to be the best version of yourself at work, to bring out your full potential. This type of coach trains you to succeed. Are you looking for it? Well, put yourself in the hands of a coach.
- You will find a coach for each type of problem. For shyness, for procrastination, for vital reluctance when your life has lost its meaning, to overcome a breakup, even to get back together with your ex-partner. To improve the relationship with your family, to drive away toxic people and to give off such good energy that you are so happy that you don’t know if you are living or dreaming.
- Be careful, a coach can be very useful, but due to the lack of regulation in terms of qualifications, you can also find many scammers. Our advice is that for matters that do not require unraveling the ins and outs of the human mind, go to a coach. For everything else, the psychologist will help you more and better.
When to see a psychologist
- To give you a clearer idea. You’ve been sad and down lately and you don’t know why. You don’t feel like doing anything, you don’t like anything and a feeling of emptiness invades you. You can go to a coach to teach you strategies to lift your spirits if it is a temporary and temporary situation. But, what happens if that state of mind is the result of depression?
- A coach cannot treat depression. If someone can help you overcome depression, it will be a psychologist. The psychologist is an expert in the human mind, in untangling tangled thoughts that anxiety leads you to, for example, in offering you tools to get to know yourself better, in giving you light so that you can look at your behaviors objectively and, ultimately, in explaining the strategies you need to change that behavior.
- Our advice is that you can go to a coach without problems when you are trying to solve a particular characteristic or when you want to have another attitude towards life. But if that specific problem is linked to a disorder, the psychologist will be the only one who can help you. Don’t leave your mental health in the hands of amateurs, no matter how well-intentioned they may be. Better work side by side with a professional.