Relationship coaches can offer general support and strategies for improving communication or reaching goals in a relationship, but they aren’t licensed mental health professionals. A couples therapist is clinically trained and licensed to address deeper emotional, relational, and psychological issues, including trauma, attachment patterns, and long-standing conflict.
Therapists also adhere to strict ethical and confidentiality standards and often integrate research-based approaches like the Gottman Method. If you're dealing with repeated arguments, emotional disconnection, or intimacy struggles, working with a licensed couples therapist is likely the most effective choice.