The Difference Between a Coach, Mentor, and Therapist (and When You Need Them)
Maybe you’re in a career rut, or you need individual guidance to get through personal struggles—whatever that is, self-help books won’t help. Seeking help can be the key to moving forward. But who exactly should you contact? If you’ve started looking for guidance, you’ve probably seen three different titles: life coach, mentor, and therapist. While all of these roles overlap, they also have key differences in how they meet your needs.
There are different cases for coaches, mentors and therapists depending on what you are trying to get from them. How do you know which one is right for you? Here’s what you need to know about choosing between coach, mentor, and therapist.
Trainers: for concrete, short-term results
Professional coaching is essentially a one-on-one consultation to help you achieve your goals, whatever they may be. While this may sound like your understanding of a mentor, there are some important differences.
Coaching is often short-term, well-structured, and designed to deliver specific, tangible results. Compared to mentors and therapists, a coach is the least personal type of relationship. This means you have fewer strings attached and don’t have to worry about finding the “perfect solution” for a multi-year investment.
Cost : The cost and duration of coaching can vary greatly , averaging between $75 and $200 per hour for career and life coaches.
Mentors: For long-term growth
Compared to focused coaching sessions, mentoring is a mutually beneficial relationship in which the mentor invests in your growth as a person. The mentor must be able to give understanding and give advice that is in the interests of the mentee.
Ideally, mentoring occurs organically. You meet someone you would like to be like, and they are also interested in helping you follow in their footsteps (or forge your own path). While a coach may promise to give you the tools to achieve certain skills and milestones, a mentor is a more personal relationship designed to help you achieve long-term growth.
Cost : Unfortunately, not all of us can meet the mentors of our dreams in the wild. If you choose to pay for the mentoring program, CNBC reports that many sessions start at $50 an hour, although many mentors charge over $100 an hour.
Therapist: For healing from your past
It seems obvious, but it needs to be said: a therapist is a licensed medical professional. There are no coaches or mentors.
Coaches and mentors are focused on your future goals and are not necessarily qualified to delve into your past trauma. Therapists are medical professionals who can diagnose conditions that may underlie what you think is holding you back. There are many different types of therapy available to you. Here is our guide to choosing the right therapist for you .
Cost : The cost of therapy is highly dependent on your insurance coverage. In most parts of the country, a person can expect to pay between $100 and $200 per session .
Takeaway
Think about your goals to figure out which guide is right for you. For short-term results-based help, look into coaching. For a more personal investment in your long-term growth, seek mentoring. And for aspects of your mental health that may be holding you back, therapy may be right for you.
There are bound to be snake oil vendors in the fast-paced world of self-improvement, so always do your research before investing in a potential partnership.