When dealing with workplace mistreatment, it’s easy to feel trapped. Helpless. Like it’s you against the world (or at minimum, a nasty boss or co-worker). Even when your situation feels overwhelming, it’s important to remember that you are not alone in the battle to stay healthy and grounded.
You may have family members or friends who are sources of support, but your most powerful ally in overcoming workplace trauma may be a trained professional, especially a therapist. Even when we have a good idea of what we need to do to help ourselves, taking the steps to do so can be daunting.
It’s often advisable to get in touch with someone whose career is based on supporting and assisting folks experiencing trauma, a rough patch, or anything else impacting their day to day.
However, it can be overwhelming to figure out just who to talk to. Should you call up a therapist? A counselor? Alife coach? How do these professionals differ, and how do you choose?
In this article, we’ll explore the differences between psychotherapy, counseling, and coaching to help you make a decision and address your workplace challenges.
PSYCHOTHERAPY
If you were asked to describe a mental health professional helping a client, chances are you’d think of a person lying on a long couch while a bespectacled, austere doctor takes notes on a clipboard.
This is the typical perception of psychotherapy, and although it is partially correct, psychotherapy isn’t just Freud lookalikes and cushy couches.
Psychotherapy has been around for hundreds of years and has evolved over time to be modern and practical; in fact, psychotherapy may be the best way forward for people looking to cope with mistreatment and trauma in the workplace.
The American Psychological Association (APA) defines psychotherapy as a psychological service provided by a trained professional. It involves communication and interaction to assess, diagnose, and treat emotional, cognitive, and behavioral dysfunctions.
There are two key points in this definition. First, psychotherapists must be thoroughly trained and licensed, ensuring oversight and regulation. They must complete a supervised training period, usually lasting two to three years. Only then can they qualify for a license.
Further regulations vary from state to state within the U.S., but psychotherapists must have a master’s degree in an applicable field from an accredited university. They also must complete a certain number of hours of continuing education each year as long as they are practicing.
Earning initial degrees plus additional training means that psychotherapists are always kept up to date with the latest information, best practices, etc., for the benefit of their patients.
Secondly, the verbs “assess, diagnose, and treat” in the definition are superimportant in differentiating between psychotherapists and counselors or coaches.
As psychotherapists have degrees in the field of mental health, they are able to diagnose patients’ mental/emotional disorders, which can be crucial to both treatment and long-term maintenance.
However, it’s important to note that therapists will refer patients to a psychiatrist for a prescription as needed.
Now that we’ve covered what makes a therapist a therapist, let’s see why therapists are the professionals best equipped to help you handle workplace trauma or workplace abuse.
When we imagine the stern, glasses-wearing therapist, we may also think of them saying something along the lines of “Let’s talk about your childhood …” To an extent, this does represent a reality of psychotherapy!
Some people choose to see a therapist to unravel past trauma, but psychotherapy can also be a useful tool to evaluate just how your past impacts the way you handle current struggles.
“Mistreatment can really trigger trauma,” says coach and mental health advocate Pamela Sampel, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, “so it can be really messy for people to figure out what it is they need.”
Those who experienced trauma at a young age may struggle to regulate their emotions as adults. They might feel heightened shame or sadness in stressful situations, making it harder to cope with current workplace mistreatment or trauma. This may also lead to reluctance in seeking outside support.
A therapist, after discussing both your past traumas and present-day troubles with you, can help you to develop a set of techniques and coping mechanisms for stressful situations.
This is a key element that makes psychotherapy the most powerful weapon in your arsenal when dealing with workplace trauma: The “tools” you acquire through psychotherapy can be applied not only to your current situation but any adversity you may face in the future.
And because those tools, as well as the guidance you receive from a therapist, are versatile, psychotherapy can also help you to deal with chronic or recurring issues.
Psychotherapy offers great versatility with various types available. Cognitive psychotherapy focuses on correcting dysfunctional thought patterns, while narrative therapy helps individuals “re-author” their personal stories. Holistic psychotherapy blends different approaches to best assist the patient.
There are some practical considerations for those looking at psychotherapy to aid recovery from work place mistreatment. It’s important to remember that psychotherapy is generally not a quick fix but rather a process over a number of weeks, months, and sometimes even years.
According to the APA, it takes about 15 to 20 sessions for 50% of patients to show what they deem to be “recovery.” As psychotherapy sessions tend to be weekly, you can do the math and see that psychotherapy takes commitment and consistency!
Additionally, a single hourlong psychotherapy session can cost anywhere from $100 to $200 in the U.S., with higher prices in major metropolitan areas. This is a big weekly spend for many people, so be sure to budget carefully.
Also check with your health insurance provider to see if mental health care is covered (it often is!), and choose an in-network therapist to keep costs low.
COUNSELING
Defining “counseling” can be a bit tricky because many people use the term interchangeably with “psychotherapy.” Although there are some similarities between counseling and psychotherapy, they’re not the same thing!
According to the American Counseling Association (ACA)2, counseling is “a professional relationship that empowers diverse individuals, families, and groups to accomplish mental health, wellness, education, and career goals.”
A few crucial words in this definition highlight how counseling differs from psychotherapy, in particular “empower” and “goals.” Counseling generally focuses on concrete goals with the overall objective of improved well-being; it is largely action oriented.
Like therapists, counselors hold a degree in an applicable field and must be licensed to practice in their state. Some counselors also focus on a particular specialty, such as couples counseling, counseling forLGBTQ+ people, and so on.
Counseling may be ideal for handling workplace mistreatment if you’re looking to manage current stressors. It focuses on present issues, making it useful for short-term support before transitioning to a better situation.
Counseling is often seen as cost-effective due to its short-term nature and clear end goals. It can help with managing a work “crunch,” dealing with an abusive boss, or overcoming imposter syndrome for workplace confidence.
Counseling generally does not aim to find the deeper, historical hows and whys behind your responses to a current situation; in this form of “talk therapy,” your counselor helps you to find solutions for (or coping mechanisms to handle) what you’re currently dealing with.
In terms of the number of sessions, while some people go to counseling longer term, even as few as six sessions 3 can be tremendously beneficial to a patient. Counseling is also an ideal choice for people not looking for a mental health diagnosis or further referral to a psychiatrist for medication.
Your counselor will generally work with you through conversation, questioning, and recommendations — this straightforward approach can be quite appealing as it is introspective but also nets results!
COACHING
Coaching, or “life coaching,” is the youngest profession among the three discussed here. Coaches generally don’t require degrees or certification in most countries. This makes it crucial to choose a coach carefully.
The International Coaching Federation offers a searchable database of ICF-credentialed coaches as well as a helpful list of questions to ask a potential coach. The Harvard Business Review also recommends trying sample sessions with a few coaches to find your ideal fit.
What might a promising coach-client relationship look like? According to Sampel, a great coach “will help you develop adaptability and … create an excitement around that adaptability” that propels you forward on a healing path.
She adds that a person participating in coaching feels motivated to implement the routines discussed with their coach because positive progress made through coaching tends to be very visible and centered around personal action. “[You’re] looking to the future and being excited.”
In contrast to psychotherapy and counseling (to a lesser extent), a coach does not — and, in many cases, legally cannot — address mental health issues such as the impact of past trauma on how you experience your present.
A good coach will recognize that an emotional disorder, traumatic experience, etc., may be coming to the forefront, but when that is the case, they should refer you to a specialist for further advice or treatment. Specialization is, in fact, what can make coaching so appealing to people dealing with workplace mistreatment.
Some coaches work within very specific fields, and if you look online, you can find hundreds of career coaches — who better to help you out when your current challenges stem from your employer?
Coaching may be a good fit for someone needing to “upskill” in order to improve workplace situations or lessen misunderstandings that may be an underlying cause for mistreatment.
To that end, acoach can help you to achieve a specific, concrete goal, such as becoming better at budgeting (money or time!) or communicating more clearly with co-workers.
As a supplement to psychotherapy, coaching could help people who believe that coping/recovery hinge at least in part on honing a specific skill,increasing motivation, and keeping an eye to the future.
Once the intended goal has been achieved, a person may choose to end their coaching — having this set goal and timeline may help to keep some people motivated and may also assist with scheduling.
One last note is that the price of coaching canvary wildly and is not covered by health insurance, so before committing to coaching as a path, be sure that your choice is budget friendly.
CONCLUSION
Each person experiences workplace mistreatment, abuse, and trauma differently, and thus it’s important to remember that there is no “one-size-fits-all” solution for the overwhelming negative emotions that result.
Workplace issues can often worsen emotional problems or trigger personal trauma, making psychotherapy a clear choice. For those focused on progress, coaching can supplement therapy sessions. Others may benefit from the dynamic, short-term approach of counseling.
Considering your budget, time constraints, and personal goals is essential to making the right choice. Resources and options are also available for people with limited budgets.
For example, some psychotherapists work on a sliding-scale payment system — the Open Path Psychotherapy Collective is one place where you can search for psychotherapists operating this way.
Medicaid also covers the cost of some mental health services, although eligibility and services covered vary from state to state and must be checked.
Lastly, especially in urban areas, affordable help may be available at Federally Qualified Health Centers, which are government-funded, community-based health centers. Just remember that you are not alone, and improvement is within reach!
Jen
©Velamentis. All rights reserved. Please contact us if you would like to reprint any content in part or whole.
Contributors:
- Avery Schwartz: Copy Editor
- Pamela Sampel: Subject Matter Expert
- Gary Whitmer: Subject Matter Expert
Email content@velamentis.com with feedback
Leave a Reply