Divorce Coaching vs Counselling: What's the Difference?

Understanding the Distinction

If you're considering becoming a divorce coach, or simply trying to understand what divorce coaches do, one of the most common questions is: "How is divorce coaching different from counselling?"

While both professions support people through difficult times, they have distinct approaches, goals, and methods. Understanding these differences is essential for anyone considering a career in divorce coaching.

The Core Difference: Focus and Direction

Counselling typically focuses on understanding the past—exploring how past experiences, trauma, and patterns affect current emotions and behaviours. Counsellors help clients process and heal from emotional wounds.

Divorce Coaching focuses on the present and future—helping clients navigate their current situation and move forward constructively. Coaches help clients set goals, make decisions, and take action.

What Divorce Coaches Do

Divorce coaches help clients with practical and emotional aspects of separation, including:

Decision Making

• Clarifying priorities and values
• Weighing options objectively
• Making informed choices about the divorce process

Practical Navigation

• Understanding the divorce process
• Preparing for solicitor meetings
• Organising finances and documentation
• Creating co-parenting plans

Emotional Management

• Developing coping strategies
• Building resilience
• Managing stress and anxiety
• Maintaining focus during difficult moments

Moving Forward

• Setting post-divorce goals
• Building a new identity
• Creating a vision for the future
• Accountability and support

What Counsellors Do

Counsellors (or therapists) help clients with deeper emotional processing, including:

Therapeutic Exploration

• Understanding why the marriage ended
• Processing grief and loss
• Exploring patterns from childhood or past relationships
• Working through trauma

Mental Health Support

• Addressing depression or anxiety
• Managing complex emotional responses
• Supporting those with mental health conditions
• Deeper psychological work

When to Recommend Each

As a divorce coach, you'll need to understand when coaching is appropriate and when a client might benefit from counselling instead (or in addition to coaching).

Divorce Coaching is ideal when a client:

• Needs help navigating the practical aspects of divorce
• Wants to move forward but feels stuck
• Needs accountability and structure
• Is functioning well but needs support
• Wants to focus on goals and action

Counselling may be more appropriate when a client:

• Is experiencing severe depression or anxiety
• Has unresolved trauma affecting their ability to function
• Needs to process deep emotional wounds
• Has mental health conditions requiring clinical support
• Is unable to focus on the future due to past pain

Many clients benefit from both—working with a counsellor for deeper emotional work while using a coach for practical guidance and accountability.

Training Differences

The training pathways for coaches and counsellors are quite different:

Counselling Training:

• Typically requires a degree-level qualification (2-4 years)
• Clinical supervision requirements
• Registration with professional bodies (BACP, UKCP)
• Focus on therapeutic techniques and mental health

Divorce Coach Training:

• Certificate programmes (typically 3-6 months)
• Focus on coaching methodologies and divorce-specific knowledge
• Accreditation through coaching bodies (ICF, CPD)
• Emphasis on practical skills and business development

Why Choose Divorce Coaching as a Career?

For those considering a career change, divorce coaching offers several advantages:

Shorter Training Path Become certified in months rather than years, while still making a meaningful difference.

Growing Demand More people are recognising the value of specialised support during divorce.

Flexibility Work around other commitments, set your own hours, and choose your clients.

Personal Fulfilment Help people through one of life's most challenging transitions and see tangible results.

Business Opportunity Build a practice that can provide substantial income while doing meaningful work.

Is Divorce Coaching Right for You?

If you're considering becoming a divorce coach, ask yourself:

• Do you prefer focusing on solutions rather than analysing problems?
• Are you energised by helping people take action and see results?
• Do you want a career that offers flexibility and independence?
• Are you comfortable with the practical aspects of business development?
• Do you have life experience or skills that could benefit others?

If you answered yes to most of these questions, divorce coaching could be an excellent fit.

Take the Next Step

Ready to explore whether divorce coaching is the right career path for you?

Book a free discovery call to learn more about:

• Training programmes and what's involved
• How to build a successful coaching practice
• Whether your background and skills are a good fit
• Answers to your specific questions

Your experience and empathy could be exactly what someone going through divorce needs.