Therapists vs. Coaches vs. Spiritual Healers: Finding Clarity in the Modern Healing Debate
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So you’ve finally reached that point: you’re ready to feel better. Maybe you’re burned out, anxious, or simply feel disconnected from it all. You start searching for help, and suddenly your feed is a maze of titles and opinions. Therapists, wellness coaches, energy healers, spiritual guides, ‘somatic practitioners,’ ‘inner matrix trainers’… everyone promising transformation, each with a different approach and philosophy. Before long, instead of clarity, you end up feeling more confused than when you started.
Spend five minutes on social media and you’ll feel the polarization. Therapists calling out coaches for monetizing trauma buzzwords and resenting how they don’t need to worry about licensing boards, CEUs, or ethical codes. Coaches dismissing “talk therapy” as outdated and ineffective, usually with the humble disclaimer, “It might work for some people, but it didn’t work for me” (the implied message being… you are probably one of them). And spiritual healers warning that true healing won’t happen until you align your energy, cleanse your chakras, or connect with your ancestors. Each side convinced their way is the “real” path to healing.
The conversation can get muddy… and heated! So yes, I’m joining the healing professions debate (beats joining the political one, though I might write about that next. Stay tuned.) By the end of this post, my hope is that you’ll have a clearer understanding of what’s really beneath the noise and feel more grounded in your own path to healing.
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Therapy, Coaching, and Spiritual Healing: Why It Gets Messy
The boundaries between therapy, coaching, and spiritual work have become increasingly fluid. Many coaches now use therapy language, calling themselves “trauma coach” or “CBT coach.” Many therapists have embraced mindfulness and body-based practices once considered “woo-woo.” Meanwhile, spiritual healers have started using therapeutic terms like inner child work and shadow integration.
The internet and social media platforms have opened up conversations about healing like never before, which is a good thing. But it’s also made it harder to tell where one role ends and another begins, blurring the lines between professionals, influencers, and lived-experience voices. Clients aren’t always sure who’s qualified to do what, and professionals sometimes feel misunderstood or protective of their work.
And if we’re being honest, there’s ego on all sides. Therapists get frustrated when people with little to no clinical training claim to “heal trauma” (in all 50 states, may I add… fellow therapists will get it). Coaches argue that therapy focuses too much on labeling problems and keeps people “stuck in their story.” Spiritual practitioners often feel dismissed by the clinical world.
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So here we are: therapists clutching their DSMs, coaches flaunting their six-figure testimonials, and spiritual healers promising an awakening. At its core, though, this debate isn’t really about healing. It’s about trust and territory in a world that’s becoming increasingly holistic and interconnected.
The digital age has blurred more than just the lines between helping professions. We Google our symptoms instead of waiting for an appointment. We download legal templates instead of calling an attorney. We trade stocks and write our own business plans per ChatGPT’s recommendations. We drink influencer-endorsed concoctions to boost our mood or extend our lifespan. And now, we even have self-help apps claiming to let you ‘give yourself EMDR therapy.’
It’s only natural then, that well-intentioned, empathic people in the helping professions are branching out beyond their formal training. They’re embracing alternative ways to heal and connect, trusting that their lived experiences, curiosity, and intuition are as valuable as any credential. It’s not necessarily wrong; it’s a reflection of how our culture has evolved in an age of instant access and self-directed learning.
So where does it get messy? Somewhere along the way, the conversation shifted from collaboration to competition. Who gets to be seen as credible? Who gets to claim the best results?
Going Back to the Roots of the Debate
It’s easy to forget that, at their core, these professions were never meant to compete. They were meant to complement each other.
Therapy, coaching, and spiritual healing all come from very different worlds.
Therapy grew out of psychology and medicine. Its purpose is to treat mental and emotional distress in a safe, ethical, and evidence-based way.
Coaching evolved from performance and leadership models. It’s future-focused, action-oriented, and centered around growth rather than diagnosis.
Spiritual healing often comes from ancient or faith-based traditions. It aims to connect people with something larger than themselves, addressing meaning, energy, and inner peace.
Each was designed for a different purpose, addressing a distinct part of the human experience.
But much like the dimensions of well-being (physical, emotional, mental, financial, spiritual), they are very much intertwined and interdependent. When they’re allowed to inform one another instead of compete, we can tap into their potential to create a more holistic path to healing; one that honors both science and soul.
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Choosing the ‘Right Path’ to Healing
In my view, there’s no clear “winner”… because healing isn’t a competition. It’s a personal, evolving process that depends on what you need, when you need it.
Over the years, I’ve worked with clients who came to therapy after spending months or years in coaching, and others who sought therapy after deep spiritual experiences that shifted how they saw themselves and the world. I’ve also met people who found healing outside of any professional setting altogether, through art, nature, friendship, or even community.
What matters most isn’t the label, but whether you feel a genuine sense of safety, trust, and connection with the person guiding you. If something deep inside you feels seen, understood, and supported, that’s worth listening to. The therapeutic alliance, or simply believing that healing is possible, can be just as powerful as the approach itself.
It’s true that not all therapists, coaches, or spiritual healers are created equal, and that’s a good thing. Everyone brings something different to the table. For some people, seeking help from someone with advanced education, supervised training, and years of clinical experience helps build trust and faith in the healing process. For others, formal training matter less than a shared lived experience. Some of my clients have shared that they chose to work with me not because of my credentials, but specifically because I understand what it’s like to be a mother, a Latina, an immigrant, or a military spouse.
Both preferences are valid. You deserve to work with someone who feels like the right fit for you. Do your research, ask questions, and trust your intuition. The best match isn’t always the person with the most letters after their name; it’s the one who helps you feel safe enough to grow, explore, and believe that change is possible. And remember, these paths aren’t necessarily mutually exclusive. Many people often benefit from combining different kinds of support.
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Still, I find it relevant to add a word of caution. If you’re considering working with a coach, it’s worth doing a little extra vetting for any criteria that matter to you. What kind of formal training or lived experience do they have, if any? What coaching institute or certification did they complete? A quick look at the program’s reputation can tell you a lot. The truth is, coaching is still largely unregulated, which means training and standards can vary widely, and anyone can call themselves a coach. That doesn’t make all coaching bad (far from it), but it does make discernment essential.
Different modalities serve different parts of us. The magic isn’t in picking one; it’s in knowing which voice to listen to at a given stage in your journey.
Finding Balance in Your Healing Journey
I think we’d all do better (therapists, coaches, healers, clients) if we stopped arguing about who heals better and started asking, what does healing mean to me? Most of us aren’t just one thing. We’re intellectual and spiritual, logical and emotional, grounded and searching.
Healing doesn’t belong to any one discipline. It belongs to the human experience. It’s deeply personal. Some of us need structure and accountability; others need stillness and faith. Sometimes we need a mirror, sometimes a guide, and sometimes just a witness.
The goal isn’t to pick a side. It’s to find what helps you grow, and to stay open to the idea that healing often unfolds in layers, sometimes calling for different kinds of support along the way.
Because the truth is, no one “wins” the healing debate. When we stop competing and start collaborating, everyone does. However you choose to heal or grow, I hope you keep trusting your intuition and honoring what works for you.
If therapy feels like your next step, I’d be honored to walk that journey alongside you. You can learn more about my practice at Graceful Mind Therapy or get to know me better on the About Maria page.
by Maria Perdomo-Torres, LCSW-S, MHA, CFSW
