I was reading an article by the well-known coach (in coaching circles, at any rate!) Patrick Williams. In one issue of Choice, he was discussing the boundaries between counselling and coaching in the light of the fact that many counsellors also coach. He lists Solution Focused Brief Therapy as a transitional model sitting between the two paradigms. And I think, yes, that makes sense.
My take on it is that counsellors of young people probably flirt at this boundary more often than they realise. And probably without mentioning the words or the difference to the young person.
In some ways, and especially with adults, this could be seen as unethical. But young people couldn’t really care less which paradigm we’re operating under. They just want thing to improve. Some maybe wouldn’t really understand the difference if we explained.
I think we therapists have traditionally dallied at – and temporarily crossed over – the boundary for a number of reasons, two of which are.
1 Our clients do get well, get better, find the own agency again – but want us to see them safely on firm ground before they leave. These last few sessions are really coaching. But it feels like a continuation of the same work. Where did the line change?
2 If a client comes with an anxiety problem, for instance, or a lack of confidence, once we have explored and dealt with any originating trauma, there is still the necessary work to get things moving out in the world again – maybe a series of steps to growing confident again, or to acting despite anxious feelings. This is really more of a coaching scenario.
I’m pondering these things because I have become involved in the Youth Coaching Academy’s project called Coach in Every UK City and am setting up a pilot coaching service in a secondary school on their behalf. My main experience of coaching – despite long hours studying the YCA material, Julie Starr, Dave Ellis, Choice coaching journal et al – is with these twilight scenes with young people. It feels very strange to have to work in a purely coaching modality and to be told to look out for clients that should rightly be referred on to a professional therapist!
For the sake of my coaching accreditation and this project, I will of course adhere to the rules. But heck, I know in my guts where I belong on the continuum. If “consultancy” weren’t such a non-YP word, I would hedge my bets and relabel my practice. As many coaches of adults are doing. Besides, there are excellent youth coaches out there dealing with exactly the same topics that we therapists deal with. They don’t seem to have a problem with labels!
Time for a big upheaval in the helping professions methinks.
If you’re interested in the YCA, they train adults and young people (that’s the significant bit) to become accredited life coaches for young people. Have a look at the video by Harry Singha on their website. I can certainly recommend their home learning course, but I’m off to Bath at the weekend to finish my accreditation in person. Sort of transitional, then!
