Is Coaching Right For You?

Christine Lloyd-Newberry
Sep 23
6 min read

Understanding What Coaching Is and How It Differs from Therapy.

In a world where professional demands are constantly growing and personal growth is more important than ever, many of us find ourselves wondering if coaching might be the right fit. With the global coaching market projected to exceed $20 billion by 2028, it’s clear that more people and organizations are recognizing its value. But who actually benefits from coaching, why do people seek it out, and how is it different from therapy?

What Coaching Really Is

Think of coaching as a forward-focused, action-oriented partnership. Its main goal is to help you achieve specific goals and unlock your potential. Unlike other helping professions, coaching starts with the belief that you are already creative, resourceful, and whole. A great coach simply acts as a catalyst, helping you spot roadblocks, develop smart strategies, and stay accountable as you work toward your objectives.

The coaching process is typically structured with clear frameworks and measurable outcomes. For instance, a program might include comprehensive assessments, personalized action plans, regular progress check-ins, and evidence-based tools. It’s all designed to create sustainable change and lasting growth.

Who Benefits from Coaching?

Coaching is for all kinds of people, but it’s especially powerful for these groups:

High-Achieving Professionals

If you've already achieved a lot but are ready to level up, coaching can be a game-changer. This

includes:

Corporate executives and leaders looking to boost their leadership skills.
Mid-level managers navigating the challenges of increased responsibility.
Entrepreneurs building and scaling their businesses.
Professional women dealing with unique workplace dynamics and systemic challenges.

People Facing Specific Challenges

Coaching excels at tackling particular professional and personal development areas, like:

Career transitions: Whether you're changing industries, aiming for a promotion, or dealing with a company restructure.
Work-life integration: Professionals who are struggling to manage competing demands and maintain healthy habits.
Leadership development: Individuals stepping into new roles or looking to become better managers.
Performance optimization: High achievers who want to improve their effectiveness and impact.

Those Experiencing Burnout or Overwhelm

A growing number of coaching clients are professionals struggling with workplace stress and burnout. In fact, a 2023 Deloitte study found that over 70% of employees have experienced burnout. Specialized burnout recovery coaching can help you address the root causes of depletion while building sustainable habits for long-term success.

Why People Seek Coaching

People come to coaching for a few key reasons, all centered on growth and change.

Goal Achievement and Accountability

Many people hire a coach because they know the power of external accountability and structured support. A coach provides:

Clear ways to break down complex goals into manageable steps.
Regular check-ins to keep you motivated and on track.
An objective perspective to help you see blind spots and new possibilities.
Professional guidance based on proven methodologies.

Skill Development and Capacity Building

Coaching helps you develop crucial competencies, such as:

Setting boundaries and managing your energy.
Improving communication and interpersonal skills.
Strategic thinking and decision-making.
Emotional regulation and stress management.
Leadership presence and influence.

System Change and Pattern Interruption

Coaching is for more than just surface-level fixes. It's about interrupting the deeper patterns that run your life. This could mean:

Breaking cycles of overwork and perfectionism.
Developing sustainable work habits.
Reconnecting with your purpose and values.
Creating healthier relationships, both at work and at home.

How Coaching Differs from Therapy

While both coaching and therapy offer valuable support for growth, they serve different purposes and use different approaches.

Focus and Orientation

Therapy typically focuses on addressing challenges in your past and present, such as emotional distress, trauma, or mental health conditions. It’s a space to explore how past experiences and psychological patterns influence your current functioning and find a path to emotional stability and healing.
Coaching is all about the future and what you want to achieve. While coaches acknowledge your past, the main focus is on developing strategies and taking action toward your goals.

Professional Training and Scope

Therapists are licensed mental health professionals with extensive clinical training to diagnose and treat a wide range of psychological and emotional conditions. They are qualified to work with serious mental health challenges, trauma, and addiction.
Coaches focus on professional and personal growth with clients who are looking to optimize their performance or address specific challenges. The coaching field is largely unregulated, so it’s essential to choose a coach with appropriate credentials and experience.

Methodology and Approach

Therapy might involve a deep dive into family history and psychological patterns. Various therapeutic modalities focus on gaining insight and healing psychological wounds.
Coaching uses action-oriented methods like goal-setting, strategy development, and accountability. While emotional awareness is important, the emphasis is always on taking practical steps.

Boundaries and Limitations

A professional coach knows their limits. They are trained to recognize when an issue is outside their scope and should refer you to a mental health professional if:

A clinical mental health condition is present.
You need to process significant trauma.
Substance abuse issues require attention.
You're dealing with serious relationship or family dysfunction.

When to Choose Coaching vs. Therapy

Figuring out which path to take depends on your specific needs.

Choose Coaching When:

You want to optimize your performance and achieve specific goals.
You are navigating a career change or a new leadership role.
You need accountability and structure to create lasting change.
You want to develop particular skills or competencies.

Choose Therapy When:

You’re dealing with symptoms of depression, anxiety, or other mental health challenges.
Past trauma or emotional wounds are impacting your daily life.
You're struggling with addiction or substance abuse.
You need help processing grief, loss, or significant life transitions.

Consider Both When: Many people find great benefit in working with both a coach and a therapist simultaneously. This is especially useful when addressing complex situations that involve both mental health challenges and performance goals. For example:

Burnout: A therapist can help you manage the depression and anxiety that often accompany burnout, while a coach can help you identify a sustainable path forward and learn new skills, like boundary setting and energy management, to prevent it from happening again.
Major Career Transition: A therapist can help you work through feelings of anxiety or "imposter syndrome" as you step into a new role, while a coach can help you build a strategic plan, develop your leadership skills, and gain the confidence to succeed.

This collaborative approach ensures you get comprehensive support while respecting the unique boundaries and expertise of each profession.

Ready to Transform Your Professional Life?

If you're a high-achieving professional woman who sees herself in this article—whether you’re navigating burnout, seeking to optimize your leadership effectiveness, or ready to align your career with your deepest values—you don't have to figure it out alone.

Christine Lloyd-Newberry, founder of Emerge Empowered, brings over 30 years of executive leadership experience and specialized training in burnout recovery and breakthrough coaching. Having navigated her own journey from clinical burnout to complete transformation, she combines professional expertise with a deep, authentic understanding of what it takes to thrive.

Her evidence-based Breakthrough Framework integrates executive coaching principles, nervous system regulation, boundary setting techniques, and sustainable systems. This approach addresses the root causes of your challenges, not just the symptoms.

Take the First Step: Book A Discovery Call Today

In this complimentary 30-minute conversation, you'll:

Gain clarity on your current challenges and what's truly driving them.
Discover whether coaching is the right fit for your goals and circumstances.
Learn about Christine's methodology and how it applies to your situation.
Explore what transformation could look like in your professional and personal life.
Receive personalized insights and next steps, regardless of whether we work together.

This call is perfect if you're:

Feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, or disconnected from your purpose.
Ready to break patterns of overwork and perfectionism.
Seeking sustainable strategies for high performance without burnout.
Looking to develop authentic leadership skills and professional presence.
Wanting to create better boundaries and work-life integration.

Reserve your spot today. Investing in yourself is the foundation of all other success. Christine’s calendar fills quickly, and discovery calls are offered on a limited basis to ensure she can provide the focused attention each conversation deserves.

[Schedule Your Complimentary Discovery Call Now]

Christine works with professional women nationwide through secure video sessions. Emerge Empowered is currently accepting new clients for individual coaching programs. For a limited time, you can also receive a 20% savings on 6-month contracts when you sign and pay before January 2026.