What is a Mental Health Coach?
Mental health coaches are not licensed mental health care providers, and as such will not attempt to diagnose a client or presume to be able to subscribe treatment for mental health related problems. However, the coaches available at our Care and Counsel Center have been certified in Mental Health Coaching through the American Association of Christian Counselors (https://www.aacc.net), and prayerfully seek to come alongside those who are struggling with mental health. All of our Mental Health Coaches abide by our Mental Health Coach Code of Ethics and Conduct.
Coaching is a form of strengths-based support for persons undergoing mental duress and/or living with serious mental illness (e.g., bipolar disorder). Coaches help clients develop a healthy balance in life, give guidance in decision making, offer support in navigating mental health difficulties, and assistance in establishing a recovery plan. Coaches help clients find ways to obtain and maintain stability, manage difficult symptoms, rebuild relationships, and find a purpose for living. Coaches also help clients find resources for professional care and treatment, family support, and education.
What is the Role of a Mental Health Coach?
Mental health coaches are unlike licensed mental health care providers in that coaches do not diagnose or offer professional care or treatment for mental health difficulties and disorders. Coaches support any positive change, helping persons in professional care to manage symptoms, build support for recovery, and work on life goals such as relationships, work, and education. Mental health coaching is action-oriented with an emphasis on improving one’s present life and reaching goals for the future.
Mental health coaches use a partnership model wherein the client is considered to be the expert on his or her life, the one who decides what is worth doing, while the coach provides expertise in supporting successful change. Mental health coaching focuses on achieving any goals important to the client, not just recovery-related goals. Mental health coaching emphasizes honoring values and making principle-based decisions, creating a clear plan of action, and using current strengths to reach future goals. The coach provides accountability to help the client stay on track.
Adapted from https://www.lightuniversity.com/mentalhealthcoach/