Simply put, therapy offers to heal you from your past while coaching focuses on achieving the results you want for your future.

Here are a few other differences:

Treatment: Psychotherapists are able to treat mental illness while coaches generally work with people who are high functioning. If past trauma, addiction or depression becomes in issue, coaches may refer out and oftentimes, coaches and therapists can work together with a client. My goal is to get my client the best help possible so if something is outside of my realm, I'll suggest a referral.

Accreditation: Therapists are licensed and accredited while coaching is an unregulated industry. However, many coaches have training and certification. In both industries, the level of certification doesn't guarantee a good experience. In order to find a professional that feels right, make sure to take advantage of their free intake session.

Payment: Because therapy treats mental illness, insurance covers many appointments. Coaching is an out of pocket investment in your future results. Often, companies will cover the cost of coaching. If it is coaching to improve your work, it may also be tax-deductible as a business expense.

Why I became a coach: Having been in therapy for many years with several different therapists, I felt like I was just pushing the paper around on the desk and not being given strategies to change. I wasn't growing or learning or solving the issues. I wanted actual tactics and tools to better understand - and change - my thinking. The therapists I saw weren't able to offer that. I wanted to stop feeling trapped in my cycles of thoughts. 

With one session with a coach, my whole world opened up. Thoughts I'd had deeply believed, were called into question and I started to entertain different truths. Coaching gave me the power to consider different stories - about myself, my circumstances, and my relationships. That was magical and powerful and unlike anything I'd ever experienced in therapy.

 Best decision ever.

You can expect an hour (60 minutes) of focused attention on your mind to gain a better understanding of how you're thinking and the results your thoughts are creating. No two clients - or sessions - are alike but here are the basics of how I coach:

At the beginning of a course or 1:1 coaching, we outline your goals and intent. And get clear on that. Then we work towards that weekly. We meet by phone or on Zoom and you share what's holding space in your head. Sometimes clients bring topics they want to work on - money beliefs or career goals, for example - and sometimes the session focuses on whatever is happening that week in achieving the goal. It is my job to listen for patterns of thoughts and help you become aware of them. I generally don't give advice because I believe you have the answers and the session is a process of discovering them together. We focus on the results you want and work to create intentional thoughts that can achieve those results. I teach you tools to use to become more emotionally literate and accepting, guide you on awareness of your thoughts and help you break or build habits. 

These skills will benefit you in all areas of your life. (I wish they taught them to kids in school. If they did, we'd be a more functional society.) The skills you learn in coaching don't only benefit you. They benefit all who come into contact with you - your family, friends, co-workers. They benefit you now and will for future generations. 

Coaching is a choice - and an investment. We spend money on things we don't get lifelong benefits from more often than we spend money on things that serve us forever. I believe that education and self-growth is a great investment always. It can help you earn more money, among other things.

However, if you're not ready to commit, I offer affordable groups and online courses that deliver amazing value for the price. I wanted to make these tools accessible. I also offer plenty of free resources. There is a free webinar under "courses," I offer free weekly text coaching to anyone who signs up (text "hello" to 310-564.7265) and at @abbieschillercoaching on Instagram.

But rather than just think you can't afford coaching, let's figure out how you CAN. Everything is solvable.

If you're unsure what's possible, book a 30-minute session with me and lets discuss.

If you are looking for coaching and debating between a group coaching experience or private, answer these questions:

1. What is your "why" for wanting coaching?

2. Do you benefit from one-on-one focus or prefer to listen and learn from others?

3. What works best with your schedule?

In one on one coaching you'll work on any limiting thoughts, unexpressed emotion and inconsistent action. In group, you'll work on the theme of the week which could be anything from organization to manifestation. 

Unable to decide? Drop me an email at [email protected] and let's chat.