Certified Trauma Recovery Coaches (CTRC's) provide another layer of support alongside Psychotherapists, Psychologists and Psychiatrists in a system of mental and emotional healthcare that is currently strained and under resourced. Some of the differences between a coach and therapist are as follows:

 

Coaching and Therapy address emotional and mental health issues in slightly different ways. A psychotherapist, psychologist or psychiatrist might work with someone to first diagnose and then treat a mental health disorder. They are trained to work with people who may be facing a life threatening mental health crisis. They may or may not address the trauma at the root of the mental health disorder. Some do, while others treat the symptoms with medications and/or behavioral therapy. The therapists who do address trauma, may utilize different tools to help a person process past events, such as Talk Therapy, EMDR, Psychoanalysis or Desensitization Therapy. They may also use tools like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help people shift out of maladaptive behavioral patterns. Many therapists work from a hierarchical model where they stay neutral or shut down while the client unmasks.

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Trauma Recovery Coaches do not diagnose or treat mental health disorders. Coaches work from a peer to peer relational dynamic that is client led. The number one goal of Trauma Coaching is to establish safety with our clients. We then help our clients to understand how the echoes of the past are impacting them in the here and now and support clients in building their competence and capacity to respond to stress in healthy ways. Coaches provide tools, psycho-education, and resources while modeling regulation, self compassion, healthy boundaries and self care. 

 

Coaching is a modality designed to give people a light in hand and the comfort of someone walking beside them as they navigate the dark and challenging path from adversity to greater resilience, lightness and joy.