Coaching vs. Therapy: A Musician’s Perspective

T.L. Mazumdar Author

Oct 31, 2024 |

Explore the differences between coaching and therapy for musicians. Learn which approach is right for your specific needs.

Introduction

As musicians, we’re bound to find ourselves navigating emotional highs and lows and a brand of uncertainty inherent to the lifestyle.

While it’s perfectly fine to turn to the usual sources for support like the camaraderie of friends, family, and peers, sometimes we need more.

A ‘qualified’ perspective.

Two avenues usually considered here are coaching and therapy. 

And while both aim to provide support and insight, they might cater to different needs, particularly in the context of artists.

Let’s discuss.

Therapy: A Deep Dive into the Psyche

Therapy, in its traditional sense, is a space for deep emotional and psychological healing. The aim is to explore underlying issues—traumas, emotional blockages, and past experiences that may hold someone back from thriving not just as an artist but as a human being. Some common evidence-based approaches therapists usually use for this purpose are Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), psychoanalysis, or mindfulness-based therapy (Cooper & McLeod, 2011).

All of these can be incredibly useful tools for musicians when dealing with issues like depression, anxiety, or burnout. The intensity of life as an artist can amplify mental health challenges. The touring lifestyle, financial instability, and pressures of being creative can strain even the most resilient amongst us. Therapy helps by offering a space to process these experiences and work through long-standing emotional difficulties that may surface in both personal and professional contexts (Rogers, 1951).

Here’s the thing though: therapy is generally retrospective—it usually delves into your past to make sense of the present. So for those of us who feel "stuck" due to unresolved psychological issues, this can be a transformative deep dive.

But not every challenge in an artist's life stems from trauma or mental health analyses. Sometimes, the roadblock is more about professional growth, personal development, or feeling overwhelmed by the demands of the industry.

This is where coaching can be an invaluable alternative.

Coaching: Forward-Focused Empowerment

Coaching is a forward-looking process.

It's about identifying where you are now and helping you map out where you want to go. While therapy tends to focus on healing the past, coaching is more focused on growth. As a musician, this can be an empowering force that gives us the much-needed clarity to navigate the complexities of a modern artistic career—without necessarily digging into deep psychological wounds (Grant, 2017).

In artist coaching, the mentor will usually act as a guide, helping you set tangible goals, develop strategies, and hold yourself accountable. Whether it’s about balancing creativity with financial sustainability, overcoming performance anxiety, or enhancing productivity in your daily routine, coaching offers practical tools for advancement. It’s a proactive partnership, emphasizing collaboration to enhance skills, refine your artistic voice, and push past self-imposed limitations (Ives, 2019).

For musicians, coaching often addresses both the personal and professional. It's holistic, meaning it takes into account how your creativity, well-being, and career intersect. Coaches may help you manage time, hone leadership skills, or even navigate the tricky world of branding and social media—things often left unaddressed in therapy. Unlike therapy’s introspective nature, coaching empowers you to take immediate action, bridging the gap between where you are and where you want to be.

Where the Lines Blur: Integration of Coaching and Therapy

One of the unique challenges in the music industry is that emotional and creative worlds are often intertwined. For many musicians, issues like self-doubt or imposter syndrome don’t just affect their emotional well-being—they directly impact their art. This blurring of the personal and professional is why some artists could benefit from both therapy and coaching.

In fact, there’s growing evidence suggesting that coaching, when combined with therapeutic elements, can create profound transformations. Many artist coaches integrate mindfulness practices, emotional intelligence, and even somatic techniques, bridging the gap between emotional healing and professional growth (Bachkirova, Spence & Drake, 2016). 

A musician might, for instance, work through stage fright with a coach while simultaneously processing deeper anxiety with a therapist. The combination allows for a comprehensive support system that addresses both the “why” and the “how” of personal and creative development.

How to Choose: Knowing What You Need

So, how do you know which path is right for you as a musician? It starts with self-awareness.

- If you find that your emotional struggles are affecting all aspects of your life—relationships, daily functioning, your sense of self—therapy may be the best first step. Licensed therapists are trained to work through trauma, anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges that require expert intervention.

- If your main concern is professional direction, creative blocks, or balancing the emotional demands of an artistic practice, coaching may be the more effective path. A coach can offer concrete strategies, foster accountability, and provide support in navigating your artistic journey.

Ideally, they’ll have a basic to strong knowledge in psychology as well, even if not licensed therapists themselves.

How to Find the Right Coach or Therapist as a Musician

Finding the right coach or therapist as a musician requires some thoughtful research and self-reflection. Here are a few suggestions.

Start by identifying your needs: if dealing with mental health challenges such as anxiety, depression, or trauma is your most urgent pain point, a licensed therapist with experience in these areas is essential. It's even better if the therapist understands the unique pressures of a creative career. Look for someone who might have had prior experience working with artists, as they’ll be more attuned to the emotional demands of the music industry.

For coaching, seek someone who has expertise in helping musicians or creatives balance both personal and professional growth. A good artist coach should offer guidance on topics as diverse as overcoming creative blocks to managing the business aspects of your career, al which is ideally mastered without your mental and/or phsycial health being collateral damage.

When researching potential coaches, look beyond their website. Have they appeared on podcasts, written articles, or contributed to industry discussions? Are they a practising artist themself? What credentials do they bring to the table? These can provide insights into their philosophy and approach, as well as demonstrate their commitment to helping artists.

The Discovery Call

Many coaches offer a *discovery call*—a free or low-cost consultation where you can get a sense of their style and whether their approach aligns with your goals. Use this opportunity to ask about their experience working with musicians, their methods, and how they tailor their coaching to individual needs. Pay attention to how well they listen to you and whether their guidance feels constructive. Finding the right fit is crucial, as both therapy and coaching rely heavily on trust and rapport—so take the time to do your research before making a decision.

Conclusion: It’s Not Either/Or

In reality, coaching and therapy are complementary, not mutually exclusive. For musicians, finding the right balance between introspective healing and forward-focused action can be key to thriving in an unpredictable industry. The right coach will not only help you define goals but also support you in a way that aligns with your mental, emotional, and creative well-being. Whether you need to heal, grow, or simply find clarity, there’s a path forward that honors the whole you.

At the Holistic Musician Academy, for example, I do my best to assist in a form of all-round development for artists. This approach integrates elements of coaching and, when appropriate, therapeutic principles, all geared toward helping artists thrive both personally and professionally.

The way I see it, every musician’s path is unique, (the kind of generic statement that has a lot more to it than meets the eye), and my goal is to help you find the balance between your inner well-being and outward success.

References:

Bachkirova, T., Spence, G., & Drake, D. (2016). *The SAGE Handbook of Coaching*. SAGE Publications.

Cooper, M., & McLeod, J. (2011). *Person-Centred Therapy: A Pluralistic Perspective*. Palgrave Macmillan.

Grant, A. (2017). *The Third Generation of Workplace Coaching: Creating a Culture of Leadership Development*. Coaching: An International Journal of Theory, Research and Practice, 10(1), 37–52.

Ives, Y. (2019). *What is ‘Coaching’? An Exploration of Conflicting Paradigms*. International Journal of Evidence Based Coaching and Mentoring, 12(2), 100–113.

Rogers, C. (1951). *Client-Centered Therapy: Its Current Practice, Implications and Theory*. Houghton Mifflin.

Categories: : mental health, music business, self care