Coaching, Counselling & Psychotherapy

Similar tools can be used in different professional relationships. The clearest distinction is in the purpose of the service, your needs, and the practitioner’s role and scope. This page explains how coaching may differ from counselling, then separately explains what the terms mean under current and upcoming British Columbia regulation.

Choosing the Right Kind of Support

Mental Health Coaching

Coaching is a collaborative, goal-focused service. It helps you apply practical tools, build skills, work through obstacles and move toward meaningful change.

Focused on goals, skills and action
Does not diagnose or treat mental disorders
Best when you can participate safely and consistently
May complement—not replace—medical or psychotherapeutic care

Counselling & Psychotherapy

These services may focus on psychological distress, emotional or behavioural patterns, relationships, trauma, mental-health management or treatment. The practitioner’s legal authority, training and scope determine what they may provide.

May include assessment and treatment
May address complex or significant mental-health needs
May include deeper emotional or trauma work
Psychotherapy will become a regulated BC profession in 2027

A diagnosis does not automatically rule out coaching. Someone whose condition is stable and appropriately managed they may use coaching alongside their healthcare provider. Suitability depends on current functioning, safety, goals and available supports.

Why Can Sessions Look Similar?

Coaches and counsellors may both use questions, reflection, education, goal-setting, behavioural practice and tools drawn from approaches such as TEAM. A method by itself does not determine what service is being provided.

The difference is the agreed purpose and scope of the relationship. In coaching, tools support skill-building, problem-solving and movement toward a defined goal. In psychotherapy, similar techniques may be used as part of managing mental health or treating a diagnosed disorder.

Where Do I Fit?

I am a Registered Professional Counsellor (RPC) with the Canadian Professional Counselling Association, a certified life coach and a Level 5 TEAM Master Trainer. I am not an MPCC, clinical counsellor or psychotherapist.

At this time, I offer coaching only. Before we begin, we establish a coaching relationship and coaching goals. Under my CPCA obligations, coaching and counselling are separate professional relationships; I do not move a client from one to the other within our work. If your needs fall outside coaching, I will discuss referral options with you.

Psychotherapy, Counselling & Regulation in BC

“Counselling,” “clinical counselling” and “psychotherapy” are not interchangeable legal labels. Professional associations may define their own credentials and scopes, while provincial law determines which health professions and titles are regulated.

What is regulated now?

Psychology is a regulated health profession in BC, and titles such as “psychologist” are restricted.
Counselling and clinical counselling are not currently designated as standalone regulated health professions in BC. The words “counsellor” and “clinical counsellor” are not, by themselves, provincial licences.
CPCA is a professional association, not BC’s statutory health-profession regulator. Its RPC and MPCC credentials describe CPCA membership categories and scopes.
Coaching is not a designated health profession in BC. A voluntary credential may show training and accountability, but it is not a provincial licence.

What changes on November 29, 2027?

Psychotherapy is scheduled to become a regulated health profession governed by the College of Health and Care Professionals of British Columbia (CHCPBC). The title “psychotherapist” will be restricted, and practitioners who wish to practise psychotherapy in BC will need authorization from CHCPBC.

BC’s regulation describes psychotherapy as health services that include assessing mental-health status for psychotherapy; using communication-focused psychosocial interventions to manage mental health and to treat diagnosed mental disorders or conditions; and advising on mental health—with the primary purposes of promoting, maintaining and restoring mental health.

Important: BC law does not say that non-clinical counselling is coaching. CPCA’s distinctions between RPC mental health counselling, MPCC clinical counselling and mental health coaching are association-specific; they are not three separate BC-regulated professions.

Choosing support

Coaching may fit when you want practical tools, structure, accountability or help with a defined goal, and you can participate safely in a forward-moving process.

A regulated mental-health professional or other qualified healthcare provider may fit better when you need diagnosis, treatment, trauma processing, crisis support, psychiatric or medical care, or help with symptoms that significantly interfere with daily functioning.

If you are in crisis, at immediate risk of harm, or having active suicidal thoughts, coaching is not appropriate. Call 911, go to the nearest emergency department, or call/text 988 in Canada.

This information is educational, not legal or medical advice. Regulation is still being implemented and details may change. Last reviewed September 2026.

Could Coaching Be a Good Fit?

This is a guide, not a diagnosis or eligibility test. Coaching may be worth exploring if most of the following are true:

Coaching may fit when…

You are functioning reasonably well day to day.
You want help with a specific goal, pattern or skill.
You want practical tools, structure and accountability.
You can reflect, experiment and practise between sessions.
You have adequate support for needs outside coaching.

Please seek clinical or medical care when…

You are in crisis or at risk of harming yourself or someone else.
Symptoms significantly interfere with daily functioning.
You need diagnosis, psychotherapy or trauma treatment.
You need psychiatric, addiction or medical care.
Your current needs make goal-focused coaching unsafe or impractical.

If you are unsure, a consultation can help determine whether my coaching service fits your goals. It is not a clinical assessment, and I may recommend another provider.

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