Coaching: The focus of coaching is the present and the future; helping clients clarify their goals, overcome obstacles, and move forward in their personal or professional lives. The approach is collaborative and empowering. The methods used are thought-provoking questions, goal setting, accountability, and values and strengths-based exploration.
Therapy: The focus of therapy is the past and present; helping clients heal emotional pain, trauma, addiction, or mental health issues. The approach is diagnostic and clinical; often involves exploring past experiences to understand current behavior or distress. The methods used are psychotherapy techniques, cognitive-behavioral therapy, EMDR, talk therapy, etc.
Consulting: The focus of consulting is solutions and expertise; provides direct advice or strategies to fix a problem. The approach is directive and expert-led; the consultant diagnoses the issue and recommends a course of action. The methods are analysis, strategy development, implementation support.