Coaching

Coaching is defined as a professional relationship that focuses on personal and professional growth, goal-setting, and performance enhancement rather than the treatment of mental health disorders. While counseling often looks back to heal past trauma or address clinical pathology, coaching is primarily future-oriented and action-based, working with functional individuals to bridge the gap between where they are and where they want to be. The ACA emphasizes that while counselors may use coaching techniques, the two remain distinct; coaching does not involve clinical diagnosis or the "repatriation" of psychological health, but rather the maximization of a client's inherent potential through accountability and strategic planning.