As the world grows more concerned and aware of the importance of mental health, the demand for mental health coaches has increased. If you’re considering getting into mental health coaching or looking to find a coach, it’s essential that you understand their role.
A mental health coach helps clients improve their mental health. They help their clients to manage their emotions, reduce anxiety and stress, improve their relationship skills, and combat negative thinking patterns. There are several specialists in the mental health field, and it’s easy to confuse who does what.
Read on to learn more about the role of a mental health coach.
Who is a mental health coach?
A mental health coach is a professional specializing in non-clinical mental health concerns. They help clients manage their emotions, challenge self-limiting beliefs, elevate their moods, and teach them the essence of acceptance and self-love. They are great listeners who offer a support system for their clients and provide insight into what may be going on beneath the surface.
How do mental health coaches work?
The goal of a mental health coach is to help their clients achieve their life goals in a clear and healthy mental state. They do so by:
-
Asking questions on what their clients want out of their lives:
Coaches will ask such questions to see where their clients are at and challenge their limiting beliefs of themselves. They get their clients to see themselves from fresh perspectives and open up paths to personal growth and transformation.
-
Introducing coping skills and strategies
Mental health coaches teach clients techniques such as mindfulness and subconscious release to help them cope with mental health challenges. They teach breathing and emotional freedom techniques, among others.
-
Encouraging behavior change
A mental health coach holds clients accountable for new goals and practicing the techniques learned. They often give their clients homework after every session to encourage behavioral changes.
What are the limits of mental health coaching?
A mental health coach sounds much like a therapist, but there are some limits that distinguish the two. Mental health coaching does not extend to diagnosing any disorders. Coaches may advise clients to get a medical assessment, but they do not offer a diagnosis. They also cannot prescribe any medication.
While therapists and other psychologists circle back to their client’s childhood and developmental years, mental health coaches will emphasize the client’s current goals for the future. They are concerned with a client’s mental health against what they wish to achieve.
Mental health coaches avoid addressing complex mental health issues like post-traumatic stress disorder or traumas. Instead, they are cheerleaders and life coaches with a deeper understanding of mental health.
Thinking of mental health coaching?
Thousands of people struggle with mental health concerns. Getting a mental health coach is a live changing decision many are making. It’s not only a plus but slowly becoming a necessity. If you are thinking of becoming a coach, enroll in a credible institution and begin a fulfilling career path that helps people achieve their goals.
