While our current state of the union has created so many topics that no one can agree on, the one thing we can all for sure agree on is the fact that the past 3 years have been tough. The pandemic has created stressors that we didn’t previously have to focus on. From our physical safety, disruptions in our daily routines, uncertainty about the future and when life will return to ‘normal’, financial stress and isolation, the changes we have all encountered have been large ones. This has taken a toll on our mental health and the mental health care system is busting at the seams to unsuccessfully support the needs of our entire nation.
As a licensed marriage and family therapist, I, of course, have been in the mental health space for many years. I have watched as mental health has shifted from a taboo topic to something that is embraced as a true need for humans of all generations. That said, I was blind to the variety of options for support that are out there. Previously, when I thought of mental health professionals, the ones that came to mind included licensed therapists, social workers, psychologists, and psychiatrists. That all changed when my best friend became a certified coach. I had heard the term life coach tossed around, but in my mind, they were not technically mental health professionals. Now that I have become more educated about the coaching industry, I understand the benefit. Specifically, coaches can be of great help in non-crisis work, especially given their experiences in particular niches one may be struggling from.
Often times, in my work, I see therapists criticizing coaches and coaches criticizing therapists. I am coming to you today to implore you to stop criticizing and start supporting each other. The United States is in the middle of a mental health crisis. There are simply not enough mental health professionals to cover the demand. New clients aren’t being accepted. Wait lists are long and even closed. We need to come together and help. There is a place and space in our world for both therapists and coaches. Both can have a giant positive impact on people’s lives. If we all work together, we can get people the help they need!
Since starting indiGOlifenetwork, I have heard thousands of stories and they all have one common link. Every story I hear includes ‘my life changed when I got the right coach.’ Whether you are licensed therapist, social worker, psychologist, psychiatrist, or a coach in one of the hundreds of different niches represented on indiGOlifenetwork, we are all in the business of changing lives. Let’s band together and do just that. Show your support for each other…even just that will be life changing!
