logo
episode-header-image
Aug 2024
23m 19s

Coaching versus Therapy

Essential Communications - Tom Henschel
About this episode

Tired of feeling like a fraud, a leader searches for help down different paths. She and her coach talk about how coaching is, and is not, like therapy.

The leader in this episode wrestles with feelings of being a fraud. Tom talks about three resources to help manage that feeling:

“The Executive Impostor”  Episode #176 of “The Look & Sound of Leadership”

Self-Esteem at Work by Nathaniel Branden & Warren Bennis

The Confidence Code by Katty Kay and Claire Shipman


Additional tools to support your professional development are these free PDFs from our Essential Tools bin:

Johari Window

Readiness in Coaching


You can listen to Tom’s conversations on these two shows:

“I Need at Coach” with Adam Packard 

“Take Five” with Paul Butler


This episode is tagged in four categories in our podcast archive:

For Women

Managing Yourself

Personal Growth & Self-Development

Self-Talk


Four episodes, in addition to “The Executive Impostor” listed above, that will help you dive deeper into the ideas in this episode are:

52 - Coaching v Therapy 

191 - Coaching Under Attack

78 - Unmasking a Stand In

171 - Taming the Wild Child


Be in touch with Tom here.

Grab a free transcript of this episode here.


We share more resources in our monthly Essential News email. Sign up here.

To all of you, from all of us here at The Look & Sound of Leadership, thanks! 

Up next
Oct 2
How to Guarantee Psychological Safety
A toxic boss destroys psychological safety on her team. One of her direct reports talks to his coach about how to survive. And how to keep his own team safe. Core ideas in the episode:Don’t take other people’s bad behavior personally.You are not a victim. You have choice.Document ... Show More
22m 44s
Sep 11
How to Supercharge Introversion
Concerned his introversion makes him less effective, a corporate vice president asks for coaching – from an extrovert! Together, the coach and client explore ways to assure his introversion is a strength.Myers Briggs Type Indicator assesses four preferences. One is Introversion a ... Show More
23m 50s
Aug 7
How to Manage Defensive People
A leader with a direct report who is, she says, the most defensive person she’s ever known, devotes an entire coaching session to gathering tools to help her cope. All the tools and ideas and scripts in this episode are in an easy-to-understand infographic. Download it for free h ... Show More
28m 24s
Recommended Episodes
Jun 2025
740: How to Lead Organizational Change, with Michael Bungay Stanier
Michael Bungay Stanier: Change Signal Michael Bungay Stanier is best known for The Coaching Habit, the best-selling coaching book of the century and recognized as a classic. He was a Rhodes Scholar, and was recently awarded the coaching prize by Thinkers50. He's now the host of t ... Show More
39m 22s
Feb 2025
Navigating Standardized Testing Woes: Coaching Conversation: Episode 233
Standardized testing season is upon us, and that means you’re likely to experience some big feelings in your schools and coaching conversations. In this episode, Elena demonstrates how you can skillfully coach a teacher to consider how they want to approach this season. Notable m ... Show More
29m 56s
Apr 2025
Transformational Coaching Dispositions: Episode 237
Cultivating our way of being—how we show up—is the most important work we can do. In this episode, Elena shares the five Transformational Coaching dispositions that will change your conversations—and your life. Notable moments: 01:18 The Power of Setting Intentions04:37 Transform ... Show More
15m 15s
Apr 2025
730: How to Take Initiative, with Tom Henschel
Tom Henschel: The Look & Sound of Leadership Tom Henschel of Essential Communications supports senior leaders and executive teams. An internationally recognized expert in the field of workplace communications and self-presentation, he has helped thousands of leaders achieve excel ... Show More
36m 16s
Jan 2025
Taking a Confrontational Stance: Coaching Demonstration: Episode 229
Change is why we coach. And it’s why working with a client who is stuck, resistant, or has hit a plateau can be so frustrating. In these moments, you need to be prepared to take a confrontational stance. That’s what Elena will show you how to do in this episode. Notable moments:  ... Show More
18m 3s
Mar 2025
The Truth About Bringing Your "Authentic Self” To Work - A Leadership Coach Explains
Work takes up more of our lives than almost anything else—so it’s no wonder that it can leave us feeling drained, stuck, and oftentimes further away from who we authentically are. This week, JVN is sitting down with leadership coach and author Mory Fontanez to unpack what it real ... Show More
51m 17s
Aug 4
Sage Robbins On Mindfulness, Holistic Healing, & The Secrets To Emotional Mastery
#873: Join us as we sit down with Sage Robbins – motivational speaker, wellness advocate, former actress, & the wife of life coach, Tony Robbins. With a blend of grace & strength, Sage has been a transformative force both on stage & behind the scenes at some of the world’s most i ... Show More
1h 20m
Jan 2025
520: A Harvard Expert’s Guide to Mastering Conversations
Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 520, an interview with the author of TALK: The Science of Conversation and the Art of Being Ourselves, Alison Wood Brooks.   In this episode, Alison shares how her experiences at Harvard shaped her understanding of one of the most critical skill ... Show More
51m 22s
Jul 29
Career Confidential: A Job Interview Is a Conversation Between Two WHAT??
Welcome to a special “Career Confidential” episode of Becoming You! Listen in this week as host Suzy Welch, aided and abetted by her no-holds-barred colleague and mentee, Dustin Liu, turns the pod’s spotlight on job success—particularly, winning the interview game. But that’s not ... Show More
32m 32s
Sep 29
Coaching Core Human Needs [Demonstration]: Episode 260
When our core needs go unmet, we suffer. When they’re met, we thrive. In this episode, Elena shares a live coaching demonstration of how to help a client recognize and respond to unmet core human needs. Listen in to deepen your understanding and build your capacity to support tru ... Show More
18m 9s