Coaching vs. therapy: Two kinds of work. I keep them apart.
Coaching helps a functioning leader change how they lead and work, toward goals agreed at the start. Therapy treats mental health, including symptoms and their history. Lisa Chen is licensed to do both, which is why she keeps them strictly separate.
| Executive coaching | Therapy | |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Performance, leadership, career and the pace you work at | Mental health, emotional wellbeing and relationships |
| Starting point | What you want to change at work and how you lead | Symptoms, history and what is getting in the way of living |
| Diagnosis | None | Can include assessment and diagnosis |
| Structure | Defined goals, a defined end, a review at ninety days | Paced by treatment needs |
| Insurance | Not covered; often paid by the employer | May be covered, depending on the plan |
| Where | Deepcrest Leadership | Lisa Chen & Associates ↗ |
A coach who knows where the line is.
Most coaches are not trained to recognize when a leadership problem is really a clinical one. That is not a flaw in them; it is outside their training.
Clinical training means I can tell the difference early, keep coaching focused on what coaching can change, and refer quickly and quietly when something else is needed.
Keeping the work clean.
Can I see you for both coaching and therapy?
No. I keep the two separate and do not provide both to the same person. If you need therapy, I will refer you to a trusted colleague.
What happens if something clinical comes up in coaching?
I say so plainly and refer you outside the engagement. If a company is sponsoring the coaching, that referral stays private.
Is coaching covered by insurance?
No. Coaching is not a medical service. Many clients use a professional development budget or employer sponsorship.
Book 20 minutes.
No charge, no pitch. By the end of the call you’ll know whether this is the right work, and if it isn’t, where to go instead.
Book a consultation