Which support path is right for you?
Therapy, coaching can help you achieve different wellness goals
Kayla Klingensmith, D.M.D., has gone to therapy off and on since college and consistently for the last four years. She said she likes what therapy provides.
“When I first started therapy, a lot of my work was focused on my anxiety and panic attacks,” said Dr. Klingensmith, owner of a dental practice in Pennsylvania and vice chair of the ADA New Dentist Committee. “Therapy helped me gain the tools to work on those areas of myself and realize where my anxiety was truly coming from and that I did not have to feel this way for the rest of my life.”
After the COVID-19 pandemic, therapy helped her overcome burnout that was so severe she had considered quitting dentistry.
“My current therapist has really helped me gain the confidence to ask for what I need and find moments of rest in my life,” Dr. Klingensmith said.
She has worked with several therapists over the years and said she believes there is someone out there for everyone.
For some, that person could be a therapist. For others, it could be a coach, representing the growing popularity of coaching as a way to achieve wellness goals.
When Eric Block, D.M.D., a certified life coach and ADA wellness ambassador, experienced burnout, he turned to both therapy and life coaching to reset. They both helped — but in different ways, he said.
“Therapy helped me explore my past, including childhood patterns and unresolved emotional issues. I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression — something only a licensed mental health professional can do,” said Dr. Block, who co-founded the International Academy of Dental Life Coaches, an organization dedicated to supporting dental professionals’ well-being through life coaching. “Life coaching, on the other hand, focused on my present and future. As a high-functioning professional, coaching helped me gain clarity, set goals and feel more fulfilled in both my personal and professional life.”
Coaching helped him overcome perfectionism, imposter syndrome and delegation challenges — all common struggles in dentistry, he said.
“Life coaching is a great fit if you're feeling stuck, unmotivated or unsure of your next steps,” said Dr. Block, who owns a dental practice in Massachusetts. “A coach can help you gain clarity around your personal and professional goals. As dentists, we are leaders, and sometimes we need support and accountability to build confidence, strengthen leadership skills and move forward with purpose.”
Wellness goals that lend themselves well to therapy are focused on overcoming or healing from emotional or psychological barriers, as therapists treat mental health conditions and emotional challenges that stem from past experiences or trauma, said Nikole Benders-Hadi, M.D., chief medical officer at Talkspace.
“Therapists are skilled and trained in helping explore and resolve issues from the past or current conditions that may be preventing someone from living their best life,” Dr. Benders-Hadi said. “Therapists are also able to deal with specific mental health conditions like anxiety or depression and can guide people in developing coping skills.”
Good therapists help their clients develop skills to manage mental health challenges or emotional distress, she said. These skills can include improved emotional regulation, resilience and self-management strategies.
“Therapy can also help you achieve better self-awareness through the use of introspection for growth,” Dr. Benders-Hadi said. “This often leads to building more healthy relationships, improved boundary setting, and the ability to use mindfulness and relaxation techniques more effectively.”
ADA member dentists and dental students have free access to Talkspace Go and discounted access to Talkspace Therapy through 2025.
Over the last four years, Mary Wolf — who is a licensed counselor and certified executive, life and spirituality coach — has worked with the South Dakota Dental Association through the Be Well Program, which offers three free, confidential sessions to every dentist and team member in the state. These sessions can be used for either counseling or coaching, depending on the individual’s needs.
As a counselor, Ms. Wolf worked with a younger dentist who was experiencing intense anxiety and panic attacks after an incident left her wondering if she wanted to continue as a dentist, she said.
“Through counseling, she was able to explore the emotional toll of the incident and how it affected her perspective of dentistry and her self-worth,” Ms. Wolf said. “We uncovered the meaning that she had assigned to the incident, which is often guilt. By letting go of the guilt and allowing herself to be human, she was able to continue and enjoy her work.”
Ms. Wolf said she also worked as an executive coach with a younger dentist who was feeling overwhelmed after buying in to her first practice. She helped the dentist develop a plan for hiring and retaining team members, practice difficult conversations, and gain confidence in handling the unexpected issues that could arise.
“Coaching can help dentists who are learning their own leadership style and working on assertiveness,” she said. “If dentists learn to lead early in their career and set clear boundaries, they set themselves up for more satisfaction throughout their career.”
Ms. Wolf said she has witnessed younger dentists, fueled by imposter syndrome, try to prove their worth by overachieving. Coaching can help them let go of their fear of failure and get comfortable with making mistakes in order to realize a realistic and sustainable work pace for a long career in dentistry.
“The common thread between coaching and counseling is growth, but the path depends on whether the focus is healing from the past or creating strategies for the future,” she said. “When paired appropriately, both counseling and coaching can help dentists thrive in both their personal and professional lives.”
The ADA encourages all dentists, including new dentists, to safeguard their mental and physical health. To access available resources, visit ADA.org/wellness.
