Difference between Parent Coach and Family Therapist

Often, parents are confused when I recommend a Parent Coach. If they aren’t familiar with this type of professional, they sometimes struggle to differentiate this from a family therapist. They couldn’t be more different. When an emerging adult is struggling to transition into independence, understanding which professional to hire depends entirely on the root cause of the stagnation and who needs the primary support. To break it down simply, see a chart I created below to compare the two:

Still are unsure sure how to choose the right professional? See if this helps too:

• Choose a Parent Coach if: Your young adult completely refuses therapy or coaching, and you need strategies to stop enabling, set firm boundaries, and manage household rules calmly. Not all Parent Coaches are the same. You’ll want to know what to look for when searching for a Parent Coach, including the types of questions you can ask to interview and make a selection.

• Choose a Family Therapist if: There is unaddressed clinical mental health issues (severe depression, anxiety, trauma, addiction) or deep-seated family conflict that makes calm communication impossible.

Honestly, if your young adult is all-out refusing, it might help to start working with a Parent Coach and then eventually segue over to working with a Family Therapist when the young adult is open and willing.

For questions or comments contact Joanna.