Depression affects millions of people worldwide, and as a coach, you’ll inevitably work with clients who experience it. It is therefore essential for coaches to know how to navigate these sessions effectively.
Understanding how to coach someone with depression requires clear boundaries and knowing when coaching is appropriate versus when a referral to therapy is needed. As coaches, we’re not treating depression, but we can absolutely support clients with depression in achieving their goals.
In this article, we will explore practical strategies for coaching clients with depression, maintaining professional boundaries, and creating positive outcomes while staying firmly in the coaching domain.
Understanding Depression vs. Coaching Scope
Before we discuss what you can do in a session, let’s clarify what we mean by coaching someone with depression. We’re talking about clients who:
- Have been diagnosed with depression by a mental health professional,
- Are receiving appropriate treatment for their depression,
- Want coaching support for goals beyond their mental health treatment,
- Understand that coaching is not therapy.
You are a coach, not a therapist. Your role is to support clients in moving forward with their goals, not to treat their depression. This distinction is crucial for both ethical practice and client safety.
The ICF Core Competency on Ethics specifically addresses this boundary. We work with the whole person, which includes their mental health context, but we don’t work on their mental health directly.
When Coaching Is Appropriate
Coaching can be incredibly valuable for someone with depression when:
- They’re receiving appropriate mental health support
- They have specific goals they want to achieve (career, relationships, lifestyle)
- They’re looking for accountability and structure
- They want to develop strategies for moving forward
- They’re committed to taking action despite their depression
Example scenario:
A client with depression wants coaching support to change careers. They’re working with a therapist on their mental health and want a coach to help them navigate the practical steps of career transition while managing their energy levels and motivation challenges.
Essential Strategies for Coaching With Depression Present
1. Start With Energy Awareness
Depression often affects energy levels significantly. Begin sessions by checking in on your client’s energy and capacity.
Coach: “On a scale of 1-10, where’s your energy today? What feels realistic for our session?”
With a question like this one, you are helping the client set appropriate expectations and work with their current capacity rather than against it.
2. Break Goals Into Smaller Steps
Large goals can feel overwhelming when depression is present. Your coaching superpower here is helping clients create manageable, specific actions.
Instead of: “I want to find a new job”
Coach towards: “This week, I’ll research five companies in my target industry”
The key here is to make progress feel achievable. Small wins build momentum, which is particularly important for clients managing depression.
3. Use the “Good Day/Challenging Day” Framework
Help clients plan for both types of days.
Coach: “What would moving forward on this goal look like on a good day? What about on a more challenging day?”
This creates flexibility in their action planning and removes the all-or-nothing thinking that can sabotage progress.
4. Focus on Values and Purpose
Depression can cloud someone’s sense of direction. Values-based coaching helps clients reconnect with what matters most to them.
Coaching questions that work well:
- “When you imagine achieving this goal, what will that give you that’s important?”
- “What values does this goal connect to for you?”
- “How does this align with who you want to be?”
5. Maintain Future Focus
While acknowledging where they are today, keep conversations oriented towards where they’re going.
Coach: “Given what you’ve shared about your current situation, what would you like to focus on moving forward?”
Professional Boundaries: What Coaches Don't Do
Let’s be clear about what stays outside our coaching conversations:
We don’t:
- Diagnose or treat depression
- Provide therapy or counseling for mental health symptoms
- Offer medical advice about medication or treatment
- Become their primary mental health support
- Try to “fix” their depression through coaching
We do:
- Work with their goals within the context of their life (which includes depression)
- Support them in taking action towards what they want
- Help them develop strategies that work with their reality
- Maintain professional boundaries while being genuinely supportive
When to Refer: Red Flags for Coaches
Some situations require immediate referral to mental health professionals:
- Expressions of suicidal thoughts or self-harm
- Severe symptoms that prevent goal-focused work
- Client expecting coaching to treat their depression
- Requests for advice about medication or therapy
- Signs of crisis or deteriorating mental health
Your response: “I’m hearing that you’re struggling with [specific concern]. This sounds like something a mental health professional would be better equipped to support you with. Let’s pause our coaching work while you get that support.”
Creating Structure That Supports Success
Clients with depression often benefit from additional structure in their coaching relationship:
1. Consistent session times: Regular scheduling provides stability and something to look forward to.
2. Clear agenda: Start each session with a brief check-in, then move to their coaching agenda. This prevents sessions from becoming therapy-like processing sessions.
3. Written action steps: Depression can affect memory and motivation. Written commitments and action steps provide external accountability.
4. Celebration of progress: Acknowledge all forward movement, no matter how small. Progress with depression present often requires more effort than clients without depression need to expend.
Working With Low Motivation Days
Motivation fluctuates more dramatically when depression is present. Here’s how to coach through it:
When a client says: “I don’t feel motivated to do anything”
Coach response: “I hear that motivation isn’t there today. What’s one small thing you could do that would move you towards [their goal], even without feeling motivated?”
This shifts the focus from waiting for motivation to taking action regardless of feelings.
Supporting Long-Term Success
Consider these ongoing strategies:
1. Regular Goal Review
Depression can affect perspective on progress. Monthly reviews help clients see their movement forward.
2. Flexibility in Approach
What works during stable periods might not work during difficult periods. Stay adaptable in your coaching methods.
3. Connection to Their Support Network
While you’re not their therapist, you can coach them on utilising their existing support systems effectively.
4. Realistic Timeline Expectations
Progress might be slower or less linear. This doesn’t mean coaching isn’t working – it means adjusting expectations appropriately.
Key Reminders for Coaches
Coaching someone with depression is about working skillfully within appropriate professional boundaries to support them in achieving their goals despite those challenges. Remember that:
- You’re working with a whole person who happens to have depression,
- Stay within the coaching boundaries (future-focused and goal-oriented),
- Small consistent actions often work better than large commitments,
- Your presence and non-judgmental support are themselves valuable,
- When in doubt, consult with a supervisor or mentor coach.
The most important thing to remember is that you’re not responsible for treating their depression. That’s the job of mental health professionals. Your role is to provide excellent coaching that helps them move forward with what matters most to them.
When done well, coaching can be an incredibly valuable complement to mental health treatment, providing structure, accountability, and forward momentum that supports overall wellbeing and life satisfaction.
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Photo credit: Nik Shuliahin on Unsplash
