Counseling or Therapy

Therapy seems to have acquired a bad rap yet coaching is especially vulnerable because the field is unregulated. However, many good aspects of coaching have been borrowed from therapy. In a therapeutic setting, a psychologist helps a person gain insight into problems. I believe that recognition of these problems should be paired with action. Gaining insight allows for a better understanding of issues and leads to more effective and efficient action taking. Although insight alone is fascinating, specific strategies must be implemented to foster behavioral change.

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Why separate Insight from Action?

The concepts and strategies of behavior change are quite different from those which bring about insight. When therapy is done solely for the purpose of insight, frustration can occur. Some people even consider it navel-gazing! People begin to wonder why their time spent in therapy has not resulted in change. This especially happens when dealing with people who have experienced the extremes of life, which I have focused on extensively. They definitely do NOT want to go back THERE, so they often deny and minimize the impact of events.

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Do you really have to “go remote” and dig into your history in order to get better?

Well, sometimes yes, and sometimes no. I believe that the critical factor is the disconnection between insight and action. This mistake is often made by therapists and psychologists, and is a primary concern in coaching. There is a large group of mental health professionals who focus on changing behavior (action): cognitive behavioral therapists or simply behavioral therapists. These specialists do what I, and Perry London (from my study at Harvard), like to call “action” work. Although people in this type of therapy attempt to begin new behavior patterns, they often hit a plateau in progress. The use of insight or “going remote” can play a critical role in helping a person become unstuck. In other words, it is sometimes necessary to discover exactly why you are stuck before progress can resume.

What is the Distinction between “Insight work” and “Action work"?

Because “monsters” hide in a person’s past, psychologists and therapists spend years learning to work with people’s histories. I believe that coaching has focused on moving forward to avoid the overwhelming and intense emotion that is often associated with discussing someone’s’ past. Internal personal barriers can prevent a person from moving forward. Without the training to handle these emotional experiences and helping a person integrate pieces of their past into a coherent narrative of their life, a coach is at a loss for what to do. Expertise and skill regarding both “insight work” and “action work” may be crucial in helping a person make progress in their life. The training of a psychologist-coach allows for practice of each type of work. Although some psychologists many choose to only focus on “insight work” or “action work” solely, I am interested in both. For those who are interested in determining how you got to where you are in life as well figuring out how to move forward, therapy is appropriate, and possibly coaching at some point. For others who simply want to move forward, coaching is most likely a better fit. However, “insight work” may be important during some point of the coaching process, therefore, a person qualified in both areas would be best. "Dr. Charles Shinaver's Counseling and Consulting Work"

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Counseling ONLY within STATE, but Coaching all over the WORLD!

Counseling can only be provided to residents of the state of Indiana (by Dr.Shinaver). However, Dr. Shinaver can provide coaching to people all over the world. It should be noted that counseling is typically considered to be a distinct activity in comparison to coaching. As a matter of fact to do counseling or therapy one must have a license within one’s own state and the client must also reside within that state. Dr. Shinaver has a license to do counseling and/or therapy within the state of Indiana for residents of Indiana. So, if you are outside of the state of Indiana and you need counseling you will need to find a local professional. Coaching is a different matter altogether. Coaching is not regulated by a state licensure process. So, if you reside out of state Indiana and you want to get coaching from Dr. Shinaver you can do so! As long as you can reach him by phone or the internet he can do coaching with you! Call Dr. Shinaver now at 317-641-7794. He actually might even answer himself! Or e-mail him at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Charles Shinaver, Ph.D.