Why I’m Both a Coach and a Counsellor… Why I choose to be both
When the unexpected happens, and life changes in ways we never anticipated… it can disrupt all the systems that usually keep us in control of life… and, in that moment, the usual order can disappear in an instant… leaving us feeling as though the world has been turned upside down.
The plates that you’ve been spinning threaten to crash to the ground and life can become chaotic and overwhelming. Grief, life admin, neurodivergence, parenting through loss... it can be messy and complex. One day you might be struggling to hold back the tears… the next moment you’re having to sort out home admin or legal paperwork and look after family… all whilst remembering to put three meals on the table each day and keep up with day-to-day life. It can feel a lot… emotionally and practically.
Added to this can be another layer of confusion… of not knowing where to turn to for help and support. Counselling can offer emotional space… but sometimes you need someone to give you pointers on how to tackle paperwork. And, coaching can give you practical tools, but sometimes you might really need permission to not be okay.
That’s why I am both a qualified counsellor and a coach… because real life doesn’t fit neatly into boxes and healing and rebuilding life after major changes can get complicated. It’s not just about either looking back or moving forwards… it is about doing both at once, in a way that feels authentic and relevant to your experience, and in a way that helps you to cope with everything that life is asking of you.
This blog shares why I am so passionate about my integrated approach… especially for those who might be navigating grief, life admin, and/or neurodivergence.
Counselling vs Coaching - The Key Differences
This is my Rainbow Hunting explanation of the main differences between counselling and coaching, and why having access to both can make such a difference when you’re rebuilding life after loss or change.
Counselling offers a safe, compassionate and non-judgmental space for you to explore what’s happening for you emotionally.
When we work therapeutically, we slow down and explore how your past experiences have shaped the way you are now. The answers to this lie inside of you, and whether that’s grief, trauma, neurodivergence, or the weight of life transitions, the therapist’s role is to support you to find the answers within yourself.
In counselling, we might explore:
How grief can affect your nervous system
How your past experiences or attachment styles are shaping your life now in the present
Why certain things activate you and feel overwhelming
What you need to fully process your emotions
How your neurodivergent brain might work differently
Counselling provides you the space to feel, process, understand and heal.
Coaching, on the other hand, is about gently moving forwards… at your pace.
It’s about finding practical tools and strategies to help you navigate the messy realities of life. And when it comes to grief, it is not about "moving on," but about finding ways to live with, and grow life around, your grief.
In coaching, we might explore:
How to create healthy routines that feel supportive (not exhausting)
How to tackle important life admin (Wills, paperwork, finances) when your brain feels foggy
How to set boundaries and say no when you need to
How to explore what happiness might look like now… even in the midst of life’s storms
What I find fascinating is that most people I work with need both approaches at different times.
Which Support Do You Need?
The truth is, it depends on where you are, what you’re dealing with right now and what you are looking for going forwards.
You might benefit more from counselling if:
You feel emotionally overwhelmed or stuck in patterns you don’t understand
You’re struggling with anxiety, depression or trauma symptoms
You need a safe space to process what has happened
You don’t know where to begin with rebuilding life
You might benefit more from coaching if:
You’re ready to take action, but you need (and would like) tools, support and accountability
You want to explore new ways of living alongside life’s storms (eg: grief or neurodivergence)
You know what you need but need help with the “how” (eg: sorting life admin/making tricky decisions)
You want to build new habits and to reclaim some sense of control in your day-to-day life
Most of my clients find that the real magic happens in the space between these… where we process and respect your emotions and you are supported whilst you take gentle action to create the life you want.
Why I Offer Both Coaching & Counselling
When I switched careers from a Wills and Probate lawyer to create Rainbow Hunting, my wish was that I could become the support I wish I had received when I became a widow and my life was turned upside down.
Some days I needed therapeutic support to process the trauma and the grief… and a space to tell my story, unburden myself and feel all the feelings. But, I also needed practical help rebuilding my life as a solo parent, dealing with probate and creating my business… someone to help me work out what had to happen with bank accounts and what questions to ask a solicitor.
I didn’t want to tell my story more than once… I didn’t want to have to choose between "emotional" support and "practical" support… I wanted someone who could hold both! I wanted a compassionate soul who could understand that rebuilding life after loss meant reflecting on both the inner world and the world outside the front door.
So that’s the space I’ve created through Rainbow Hunting… it’s a space where:
You don’t have to be okay to get started
You don’t have to choose between feeling and doing
You can take things at your own pace
You can build a life that honours your loss and allows space for hope and joy again
Combining all of this allows me to offer something unique… my counselling training adds relational depth and the coaching background (plus my lived experience) keeps it practical, grounded and real.
How This Works in my Practice
I am “person centred”, which means that our sessions flow naturally and I’m led by the client… some days you might want to focus more on feelings, other days practical steps might be needed. And sometimes, we’ll move between both in the same conversation.
So a session might look something like this:
Starting with exploring how you are feeling emotionally (counselling)
Helping you to understand why your nervous system might feel so heightened (psychoeducation)
Supporting you with the practical steps you can take to move forwards (coaching)
I always check in and make sure you’re comfortable with where we go. You are in control, always.
It’s really important to me that clients feel safe, so if I sense that we might be moving into deeper therapeutic territory, I check in to make sure that clients are comfortable exploring the issue further, or whether we set it aside for another session. This re-contracting ensures that you feel safe and in control of your own sessions.
My Faith Framework
There is no “one size fits all”, everyone’s experience of grief, neurodivergence or major life changes is different, but most clients I work with on an ongoing basis follow a natural progression along this FAITH framework that I have created:
Foundations – This is about self-care and safety, and making sure that you are looking after your basic human needs (sleep, healthy food and drink, exercise etc)
Awareness – Increasing your own understanding of your patterns, what activates you and how you respond to the things that are causing you distress
Information – This is the psychoeducation, sharing my knowledge about grief, trauma, neurodivergence, or whatever's relevant to your situation
Taking action – Developing practical strategies and tools to help you navigate life’s storms
Happiness – Supporting you whilst you build a life that feels meaningful and joyful to you
How long this takes is honestly the same as a piece of string, because some people need (and want) to spend longer in the therapeutic phases, others may be ready to move quickly to action. There's no right or wrong when it comes to how you interact with therapy and coaching… what works for you is what is right for you.
The Power of Integration
What I love about my combined approach is that I can support you whilst you look as far back as your childhood to understand how your early experiences shaped you, at the same time as being practical and forward-looking about your future. I can hold space for your deepest pain (yes, I witness a lot of tears and emotions)… whilst also helping you to plan practical steps towards the life you want.
Whether you're navigating grief, discovering you're neurodivergent, rebuilding your world after major life changes, or simply wanting to live more authentically in a less overwhelmed way… having both therapeutic and coaching support means you get the whole picture.
Is This Right for You?
If you’re wondering whether you need coaching, counselling, or both… let’s have a conversation to explore whether this kind of integrated support could help you.
In a free 20-minute discovery call, we can explore where you are, what you are hoping for, and whether working together might be the right fit for you… if you feel ready to process your emotions and take practical steps forwards, I’d love to hear from you.
Ready to explore what's possible? Book a free discovery call to discuss how integrated coaching and counselling support might help you find your rainbows in this stormy world.