We read more and more about this, but what is it exactly? Psychotherapeutic coaching is a powerful and nuanced approach that integrates principles from psychotherapy with the goal-oriented focus of coaching. It sits at the intersection of personal insight and professional growth, offering leaders and individuals a deeper lens through which to explore behavioural patterns, emotional blocks, and unconscious drivers that may influence their performance and relationships at work.
Unlike traditional coaching, which often stays future-focused and solution-oriented, psychotherapeutic coaching is comfortable navigating the “why” behind recurring challenges. It draws on theories from psychology and psychotherapy—such as attachment theory, transactional analysis, or Gestalt—to help clients make sense of long-standing patterns. The goal is not to process trauma per se, but to increase self-awareness so the client can move forward with more clarity, autonomy, and authenticity.

Key Advantages

1. Depth and Sustainability: Clients often gain insights that lead to lasting behavioural change, rather than temporary performance boosts. By understanding what’s beneath procrastination, imposter syndrome, or interpersonal conflict, they develop more sustainable ways of leading and relating.
2. Whole-Person Focus: Psychotherapeutic coaching acknowledges the complexity of human experience. It holds space for the emotional and psychological dimensions of leadership, not just strategic or behavioural goals.
3. Stronger Self-Leadership: Clients learn not only to lead others better but also to lead themselves—making decisions that are more aligned with their values and less driven by unconscious fear or compensation.

Ethical Considerations
This approach demands a high level of ethical awareness. The boundary between therapy and coaching must be clearly maintained. While the coaching may be informed by therapeutic insight, it is not a substitute for clinical treatment. If issues like unresolved trauma, clinical depression, or acute anxiety arise, a referral to a qualified mental health professional is essential.
Confidentiality, informed consent, and clarity of purpose must be rigorously upheld. Coaches using psychotherapeutic methods must operate within their competence—ideally having formal training in psychotherapy or psychology, or working under supervision if they are still developing this expertise.

What to Be Careful Of
• Scope Creep: There is a risk of coaching becoming pseudo-therapy if the practitioner ventures into territory they are not qualified to hold. Always be clear: coaching is not therapy, even if it draws on therapeutic insight.
• Over-Reliance on Insight: While increased self-awareness is powerful, it must be linked to actionable change. A client may understand why they behave a certain way, but coaching must help them move forward, not just reflect.
• Power Dynamics: As with therapy, the coach may be seen as an authority figure. This transference must be acknowledged and managed ethically, especially when unconscious dynamics are being explored.

Psychotherapeutic coaching offers a rich, insightful, and human approach to development—particularly valuable in complex leadership contexts. But it is not for the untrained or the unaware. It demands both psychological literacy and ethical rigor. When done well, it can be transformative—not only in what leaders do, but in who they are becoming.