By Nathalie Buschor, Executive Coach and Psychotherapist
Coaching is on trend. There is hardly a company today that does not offer coaching programs for leaders. And there seems to be a coach for every area of life: business, career, health, self-development.
Coaching can achieve a lot. It creates clarity, supports decision-making, and gets people moving. I myself have been working for many years as an Executive Coach in Zurich and internationally, and I greatly value the solution-focused, goal-oriented work with leaders.
And yet: coaching has its limits.
Especially at the top management level, leaders often face issues that go much deeper than a strategic decision or career goal. Recurring conflicts, ongoing exhaustion, failed relationships, or intense inner pressure are not solved by tools or mindset shifts alone – they are rooted in biography, relationship patterns, and unconscious dynamics.
This is where the interface between Executive Coaching and Psychotherapy begins.
While typical coaching certifications are often short and unregulated, psychotherapists complete a long, state-recognized academic path – including years of training, supervision, and clinical practice. They do not just acquire methods, but also the ability to guide people safely and responsibly through emotionally demanding processes.
Why the Combination Matters
I bring both worlds together: Executive Coaching when clarity, performance, and leadership skills are needed. Psychotherapy when deeper issues are at stake. Sustainable change happens where outer steps and inner processes come together.
Leaders in particular benefit from this combination:
C-Level sparring at eye level – to reflect on and sharpen complex decisions
Strengthening resilience – to master pressure, responsibility, and change with confidence
Developing authentic leadership strategies – that are not only effective but also sustainable
My Conclusion
Coaching is valuable – but not always enough. Real transformation requires depth, time, experience, and humanity. Those who perform at a high level and carry responsibility also need the inner stability that sustains long-term success.
About the Author: Nathalie Buschor is an Executive Coach and Psychotherapist based in Zurich. She combines depth psychology, behavioral, and systemic approaches with many years of leadership experience in international finance.
👉 www.buschor.biz
Her book on digital leadership addresses this very challenge – one already recognized in Silicon Valley: good leadership without personal development is an illusion. Especially in demanding situations, it will not deliver what is needed.
