Legal Issues – Coaching vs Therapy
Scope of Practice
While we’ve talked about the limitations of coaching in a previous lesson but let’s look a little more at “Scope of Practice” which refers to the boundaries of professional activities and services.
Scope of Pratice for coaches:
Focus on supporting mental wellness and emotional resilience. They work in a non-clinical, supportive, and forward-looking way, often complementing (but not replacing) therapy. Within their scope, they may help clients with:
- Stress management
- Self-care habits
- Building self-esteem
- Clarifying goals and values
- Encouraging healthy lifestyle changes
Life coaching is future-focused and non-clinical. The emphasis is on personal growth and performance, not on treating mental illness.
What’s Not in Scope for Life Coaches
Life coaches must not:
- Diagnose mental health conditions (like anxiety, depression, OCD, PTSD)
- Treat mental illness or trauma
- Provide psychotherapy or process past experiences
- Work with active crises (e.g., suicidal thoughts, self-harm, psychosis)
- Prescribe, manage, or advise on medications
- Imply licensure if not licensed as a therapist or medical provider
Why Scope Matters for Life Coaches
- Legal protection: Practicing therapy without a license can lead to legal consequences.
- Ethical clarity: Clients should understand what kind of support they’re receiving.
- Referral responsibility: If a client shows signs of a clinical issue, the coach must refer to a licensed mental health provider.
Examples (In Scope)
A client feels stuck in their job but anxious about finding a new career. The coach helps them identify negative thoughts around feeling stuck and nervious, help identify the clients values for a career, brainstorm possibilities, and set weekly action steps.
A client is feeling burned out at work. The mental health coach helps them identify stressors, build a self-care routine, and practice daily check-ins to monitor their mood.
Examples (Out of Scope)
A client has panic attacks and asks for help managing them. The coach teaches breathing techniques and discusses childhood trauma. This crosses into therapy and should be referred out.
A client shares they were recently diagnosed with PTSD and want to work through their trauma. The coach agrees to help them “process it” and talks about past abuse. This crosses into therapy and is not
More examples IN SCOPE:
Example: Stress Management
What the coach does: A client feels overwhelmed balancing work and family. The coach helps them identify stress triggers and implement daily self-care routines to improve emotional balance through homework assignements like doing a DML and reading Feeling Great.
What the coach doesn’t do: The coach does not diagnose burnout, treat anxiety, or explore past trauma related to work or family stress.
Example: Building Confidence
What the coach does: A client struggles with low self-confidence in social situations. The coach helps them recognize negative self-talk, identify personal strengths, and set weekly goals to take small social risks.
What the coach doesn’t do: The coach does not treat social anxiety disorder or dig into childhood wounds or past bullying experiences.
Example: Emotional Awareness
What the coach does: A client wants to better understand their emotions. The coach introduces a DML and journaling exercises to help them track patterns and respond more thoughtfully in daily life with cognitive and logic tools.
What the coach doesn’t do: The coach does not analyze emotional trauma or provide psychotherapy for mood regulation difficulties or personality disorders.
Example 4: Accountability for Lifestyle Habits
What the coach does: A client wants to build better sleep and exercise habits. The coach supports them in setting realistic wellness goals, tracking progress, and troubleshooting obstacles in a non-judgmental space using a Habit Log, and so on.
What the coach doesn’t do: The coach does not treat clinical insomnia, depression-related fatigue, or prescribe specific nutrition or fitness plans beyond general support.
Example 5: Navigating a Non-Clinical Setback
What the coach does: A client recently went through a breakup and feels stuck. The coach helps the client clarify values, explore what’s meaningful now, and set action steps for moving forward.
What the coach doesn’t do: The coach does not provide grief counseling, process attachment trauma, or treat depressive symptoms related to the breakup.
Handout: Coaching Scope of Practice Statement – read over and adjust this to your needs.
Resources and training for body, mind & soul using TEAM-CBT and/or Faith-based tools.
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