I bring lived experience as someone who has navigated my own mental health challenges. This unique perspective allows me to deeply understand and empathize with my clients’ struggles in a way that’s grounded in real-world experience. Therapists may or may not have lived experience and rely primarily on clinical expertise and therapeutic frameworks.

A life coach helps clients with depression by focusing on goal-setting, motivation, and practical steps to move forward in their lives. A therapist, on the other hand, focuses on treating the underlying psychological issues, exploring past traumas, and managing mental health symptoms.

My work as a coach involves sharing my lived experience with mental health challenges and using practical tools—like action plans, weekly check-ins, and personalized exercises—to create momentum and help clients see their own progress and start to plan for a more positive future, step by step. Therapists use clinical interventions and diagnostic criteria to address underlying mental health challenges and offer evidence-based treatment.

While I have lived experience and training in peer support, I am not a licensed mental health professional. Therapists are licensed professionals with formal education in diagnosing and treating mental health conditions.