Frequently Asked Questions
Wondering what coaching is, what working together looks like, or whether it might be a good fit for you? You’re in the right place.
How do I know whether coaching or therapy is right for me?
Coaching and therapy can both offer meaningful support, but they serve different roles.
Coaching may be a good fit if you’re looking for a collaborative space to better understand yourself, explore patterns, develop greater nervous-system awareness, and move forward with greater clarity, agency, and intention.
Therapy may be more appropriate when you need diagnosis or treatment of a mental health condition, are experiencing significant psychological distress or instability, or need a level of clinical care that falls outside the scope of coaching.
I am a trauma-informed coach and a counselor-in-training, but the coaching services I offer through Created To Move are not psychotherapy or mental health treatment. I do not diagnose or treat mental health conditions through my coaching practice.
If you’re unsure which kind of support would best serve you, we can talk about that during a free consultation call.
What is the difference between coaching and therapy?
Therapy is a regulated mental health profession that can include assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of mental health conditions. Coaching does not provide those clinical services.
Coaching is generally more focused on personal growth, self-understanding, integration, practical tools, and movement toward meaningful change. In my work, that may include exploring internal patterns, increasing nervous-system awareness, developing greater self-compassion and agency, and creating space for new ways of responding to yourself and your life.
Coaching and therapy don’t have to be either/or. Many people benefit from coaching alongside therapy, and when appropriate, I encourage clients to have additional therapeutic or medical support.
What does trauma-informed coaching mean?
Trauma-informed coaching recognizes that our experiences don’t only affect what we think—they can also shape how our bodies and nervous systems respond to the world around us.
Rather than pushing past protective responses or asking, “What’s wrong with me?”, we approach what is happening with curiosity and compassion. We pay attention to capacity, pacing, choice, and what helps create enough safety and stability for meaningful movement.
My training in Internal Family Systems (IFS), betrayal trauma, the Enneagram, and nervous-system-informed approaches shapes the way I work. You are never required to disclose or revisit traumatic experiences in order for our work together to be meaningful.
What can I expect in my coaching sessions?
Every session is shaped by what you need that day. Sometimes we may begin with something that has been weighing on you; other times we may explore a recurring pattern, relationship dynamic, internal conflict, or place where you feel stuck.
Our work is collaborative and experiential. Rather than only talking about what is happening, I may invite you to slow down and notice what is happening within you—your thoughts, emotions, body sensations, protective responses, or the different parts of you that may be pulling in different directions.
At times I may also offer education, practical tools, reflection questions, or practices you can take with you between sessions.
You remain in charge of the pace. There is no pressure to share or explore something before you are ready.
If faith is important to you, it can also be thoughtfully integrated into our work. And if it isn’t, it doesn’t need to be.
How do you integrate IFS, nervous-system work, and other approaches?
I draw from several trauma-informed and experiential approaches, including Internal Family Systems (IFS), nervous-system and somatic awareness, the Enneagram, attachment, and other tools that support greater self-understanding and integration.
Rather than following one formula, we use what is most helpful for you.
IFS helps us approach the different parts of ourselves with curiosity and compassion rather than judgment. Nervous-system and somatic awareness help us notice what our bodies may be communicating through things like tension, bracing, shutting down, restlessness, or feeling overwhelmed. The Enneagram can help illuminate patterns in how we relate to ourselves, others, and the world.
Together, these approaches help us move beyond simply understanding why something happens and begin creating new experiences of awareness, choice, connection, and movement forward.
Can faith be part of our work together?
Absolutely—if you want it to be.
For clients who desire it, faith can be naturally integrated into our work through prayer, spiritual reflection, Scripture, or simply making room to explore your relationship with God alongside the rest of your healing.
At the same time, faith is never forced or used to bypass pain, questions, grief, anger, or uncertainty. You are welcome to bring your whole experience into the room.
How long does coaching typically take?
There isn’t a one-size-fits-all timeline. Some people come with a specific area they want to explore for a season, while others find value in ongoing support as deeper patterns and areas of growth emerge.
Trauma-informed work also isn’t about rushing toward an outcome. We want to move at a pace that allows change to become integrated rather than forced.
We’ll periodically check in about what is changing, what still feels important, and whether our work together continues to be useful. The goal isn’t to keep you in coaching indefinitely—it’s to support you in developing greater awareness, capacity, agency, and freedom in your own life.
Still wondering if coaching is the right fit?
You’re welcome to book a free consultation call. We can talk about what you’re looking for and whether working together feels like the right next step.