What's the difference between Counselling and Coaching is a question that I get asked often, so here goes...

Counselling

'Counselling is an umbrella term that covers a range of therapies. It is delivered by trained counsellors who work with people over a short or long term to help them bring about effective change or enhance their wellbeing. Usually individuals choose to have counselling because they are experiencing difficulties and distress in their lives. It may be easier to talk about personal, family, or relationship issues with a person who is independent of friends and family. Other life issues and events which can be very difficult to deal with include bereavement, divorce, redundancy, health issues, bullying and so on. However, individuals do not have to be in crisis or on the verge of one, before choosing to have counselling. They may be experiencing underlying feelings of dissatisfaction with life in general, or be seeking balance in their life and spirituality. All of these reasons and more will bring individuals to therapy. http://www.bacp.co.uk

Coaching
The International Coaches Federation defines coaching as partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximise their personal and professional potential, which is particularly important in today's uncertain and complex environment. Coaches honour the client as the expert in his or her life and work and believe every client is creative, resourceful and whole. Standing on this foundation, the coach's responsibility is to:
· Discover, clarify, and align with what the client wants to achieve
· Encourage client self-discovery
· Elicit client-generated solutions and strategies
· Hold the client responsible and accountable
This process helps clients dramatically improve their outlook on work and life, while improving their leadership skills and unlocking their potential.
It is clear that there are many similarities between counselling and coaching in as much as the process relies heavily on a relationship of trust and rapport. Both the Coach and Counsellor must be empathic and non-judgmental for the client to progress and feel valued throughout the process. Both modalities require advanced listening skills and the ability to reflect, whilst providing valuable and honest feedback.

· Coaching is more action, performance and progress driven and looks at specific goals.

· Counselling is more process driven and whilst time will be spent working on the 'here and now', the client may wish to focus on past issues that are currently holding them back in the 'here and now'.

In Coaching there is a tendency for the coach to reframe problems into opportunities, whereas counsellors are more likely to explore particular patterns of behaviour to establish the cause of issues or problems in order that the client can gain an understanding and move toward a more fulfilling life.

The difference ties in beautifully with Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Maslow saw human beings' needs arranged like a ladder. The most basic needs, at the bottom, were physical — air, water, food, sex. Then came safety needs –security, stability — followed by psychological, or social needs — for belonging, love, acceptance. At the top of it all were the self-actualizing needs — the need to fulfill oneself, to become all that one is capable of becoming. Maslow felt that unfulfilled needs lower on the ladder would inhibit the person from climbing to the next step. When times are tough most people can benefit from a counsellor. However, once the individual has progressed through those tough times they quite often want to "progress" toward being the absolute best they can and this is where coaching comes into play.

If you plan on being anything less than you are capable of being, you will probably be unhappy all the days of your life." — Abraham Maslow

Yet, according to Maslow, only 10% of us reach our full potential in life, or become fully satisfied with who we are.

So how do we make that 10%?

Simple. By taking action. The ability to grow as a person is an ability we all have. It's an ability that takes planning, but will provide tremendous satisfaction, happiness and peace in the end.

Jigsaw is proud to announce the release of our Diploma of Leadership Coaching and Mentoring. This course is nationally and internationally accredited and upon successful completion you will be eligible to become a member of the International Coaches Federation. http://coachfederation.org/

The Diploma is Vet Fee Approved to eligible participants, meaning there are no upfront fees. Our trainers: Chris Nunn and Kathy McKenzie are highly experienced coaches and very well respected internationally and nationally in this industry. We have a class commencing soon. Numbers are strictly limited to 15 per class.

For further information contact Jigsaw (RTO #32423) on 1300 943 438

Whatever the mind of man/woman can conceive and believe, it can achieve. –Napoleon Hill