Do You Know What Coaching Is?

by Sharn Somasiri
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Do You Know What Coaching Is?
Are you considering coaching but not entirely sure what coaching actually is?
You are not alone. Many people feel drawn to coaching before they can clearly explain why. They know something needs to change, yet they are unsure what kind of support will truly help.
Often, there is an inner nudge that support is needed, even if the form of that support is not yet clear. You may already sense that what you are looking for is not therapy. It is also not mentoring. And so, coaching becomes the question.
So, what is coaching? And how does it differ from therapy and mentoring?
Let’s explore the differences.

Coaching, therapy or mentoring. What is the difference?

In short, therapy heals, mentoring advises and coaching empowers you to move forward through clarity, choice, and building self-trust.

Coaching is not about becoming someone else. It is about learning how to move forward as yourself, with greater awareness and intention.

Therapy focuses on understanding and healing past experiences, emotional wounds, and mental health challenges. The aim is to reduce distress and improve psychological wellbeing.

Mentoring is based on guidance and shared experience. A mentor offers advice, insight, and direction, based on having already walked a similar path.

What happens in Coaching?

Coaching is a structured, forward focused process that helps you clarify what you want, understand what may be standing in your way and gain new perspectives so you can move forward in a way that works for you.

A coach does not tell you what to do or fix your problems for you. Coaching works on the belief that you already have the inner resources you need. The role of the coach is to help you access them, strengthen them and use them intentionally.

Coaching begins with awareness. As you start to notice your internal patterns, assumptions and rules, you begin to understand your thoughts and behaviours and how they have been shaped over time. This awareness opens choices for you. You can consciously decide what still serves you, what no longer does and how you want to move forward with your life.

Conscious decision making is where empowerment begins.

Coaching is deeply practical. Insight alone is not enough. Coaching supports you to turn awareness into action by setting meaningful goals, making aligned decisions, and following through in a way that does not rely on pressure or willpower.

While coaching is not about reliving the past, it does acknowledge that past experiences influence how you think and respond today. In coaching, we explore the past only to the extent that it provides insight into present patterns. This understanding often creates greater self-compassion, emotional regulation, and a stronger sense of inner safety, which makes change sustainable rather than forced.

As you become more grounded in the present, you can focus on what you want and support yourself more effectively in achieving it.

People often come to me for coaching when they feel stuck, overwhelmed, anxious or disconnected from themselves. Others come when things look fine on the outside but feel misaligned on the inside. Coaching meets you where you are and supports you to move forward in a way aligned with your individual needs.

At its core, coaching is a partnership. A space to think clearly, challenge old narratives, regulate emotions and build confidence through action.

If you are ready to stop surviving and start living your life with intention, coaching may be exactly what you need.