As a coach, it’s crucial to understand when and how to refer a client to a mental health professional. This guide provides insights into recognizing signs of distress and making appropriate referrals, ensuring that your clients receive the best possible support.

While both coaching and therapy involve supporting individuals, they serve distinct purposes. Coaching focuses on personal and professional growth, helping clients set goals, overcome obstacles, and achieve their aspirations. Therapy, on the other hand, addresses deeper psychological issues and disorders, providing therapeutic interventions to help clients manage emotional distress and improve their overall well-being.

Mental health exists on a spectrum, and sometimes, a client may benefit from a combination of both coaching and therapy. A coach can provide support and guidance while a therapist addresses underlying mental health issues.

Referring a client to therapy demonstrates ethical responsibility, ensures you stay within your coaching scope, and allows for early intervention, leading to better outcomes. By recognizing when a client’s needs exceed your expertise, you can empower them to seek the appropriate professional help, preventing potential harm and promoting their overall well-being.

• Coaching Competency: If the client’s issue is beyond your expertise or comfort level, it’s time to consider referral. This might include complex psychological disorders, deep-seated emotional trauma, or significant behavioral issues.
• Daily Functioning: When the client’s problem interferes with their daily activities (work, personal, social), it may indicate a need for professional help. This includes difficulty concentrating, changes in sleep patterns, social withdrawal, or neglect of personal hygiene.
• No Progress: If coaching isn’t making progress due to underlying psychological issues, a referral might be necessary. This could be the case when the client repeatedly brings up unresolved past issues, experiences persistent negative emotions, or exhibits self-defeating behaviors.
• Indicators of Distress: Watch for signs of anxiety, depression, eating disorders, PTSD, substance abuse, suicidal ideation, or thought disorders. These conditions can significantly impact a client’s mental health and require specialized treatment.

Signs of Distress:

• Emotional Changes: Marked changes in mood, such as irritability, anger, anxiety, or sadness.
• Behavioral Changes: Decline in performance at work or school, withdrawal from social relationships and activities, or changes in weight and appearance.
• Cognitive Changes: Difficulty concentrating, negative emotions, or withdrawal from social activities.

How to Refer:

• Private Meeting: Schedule a private meeting to discuss the referral in a calm and supportive environment.
• Express Concern: Convey your care and concern for the client’s well-being, emphasizing that you want to ensure they receive the best possible support.
• Be Specific: Point out specific signs or behaviors you’ve observed, using concrete examples to illustrate your concerns.
• Active Listening: Ask open-ended questions and listen attentively to the client’s responses, validating their feelings and experiences.
• Encourage Discussion: Allow the client to share their thoughts and feelings freely, creating a safe space for open communication.
• Provide Resources: Share information about available therapists and their specialties, considering factors such as location, insurance coverage, and therapeutic approach.
• Maintain Open Communication: Let the client know they can discuss the referral further and provide ongoing support throughout the process.

Emergency Situations: If there’s immediate danger to the client or others, intervene directly and seek emergency assistance.

Remember: This guide is not intended to diagnose clients but to help coaches recognize when a referral might be necessary. By understanding the signs of distress and knowing when to refer, you can provide the best possible support for your clients and ensure their well-being.

Taymour Miri is an ICF master coach and a Gallup certified strengths coach and more recently one of the first 136 coaches world wide to be awarded an Advanced Certificate in Team Coaching. He has 30 years’ experience in leadership roles and 20 years of experince in coaching. Taymour has trained over 1,500 coaches across five continents and is the founder of International Coaching Education (ICE).