Every Story Has a Frame

At Storyboard Coaching, I often remind people that every story begins with a frame. Each frame represents a moment in your life—a chapter in your story. Some frames are filled with joy and purpose. Others are marked by pain, confusion, or transition.

The question I hear most often is: “Do I need a coach or a counselor right now?”

It’s not about which is better. It’s about discernment. It’s about knowing where you are in your story so you can choose the path that best supports your growth.

Counseling: Healing the Past

I remember sitting with a pastor who had just stepped away from ministry after decades of service. His eyes carried the weight of grief and exhaustion. What he needed wasn’t a vision-casting session. He needed space to heal.

That’s the gift of counseling. Counseling looks backward to help us understand how past experiences shape our present struggles. It provides tools for processing trauma, grief, anxiety, or depression. Counselors are trained to diagnose and treat mental health challenges, offering a safe place to restore stability and wholeness.

Counseling is about healing broken frames. It’s about reframing painful narratives so the story can continue.

📖 “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” (Psalm 147:3)

Coaching: Shaping the Future

On the other hand, I think of a young couple I worked with who had already done the hard work of counseling. They had faced their wounds, rebuilt trust, and found stability. But now they were asking, “What’s next for us?”

That’s where coaching shines. Coaching is forward-focused. It helps people clarify goals, unlock potential, and take action. It assumes a baseline of health and stability, then builds momentum toward transformation.

Coaching is about designing new frames. It’s about storyboarding the next chapter with clarity, accountability, and hope.

📖 “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing!” (Isaiah 43:18–19)

The Faith Lens

At Storyboard Coaching, faith is the foundation. Scripture reminds us: “Without vision, the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18). Counseling helps restore vision when it’s clouded by pain. Coaching helps sharpen vision when it’s time to act.

• Counseling through faith: God’s healing presence meets us in our brokenness.
• Coaching through faith: God’s calling propels us into new chapters of purpose.

Both are sacred. Both are necessary. The discernment lies in knowing which season you’re in.

Criteria for Discernment

Here are guiding questions to help you discern:

• Are you stuck in unresolved pain or trauma? → Counseling may be the right path.
• Are you stable but unclear about your next step? → Coaching may be the right fit.
• Do you need diagnosis or treatment for mental health? → Counseling provides professional care.
• Do you need accountability, clarity, and action steps? → Coaching provides forward momentum.
• Are you asking “Why did this happen?” → Counseling helps explore the past.
• Are you asking “What’s next?” → Coaching helps storyboard the future.

📖 “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.” (2 Corinthians 13:5)

Practical Exercises

Here are a few simple practices to help you discern your season:

1. Journaling Prompt: Write down your current challenges. Are they rooted in past wounds or future goals?
2. Prayer Exercise: Ask God, “What season am I in?” Listen for whether He highlights healing or vision.

Storyboarding Your Season

At Storyboard Coaching, we use the metaphor of frames and chapters:

• Counseling frames: Healing broken frames, restoring clarity, and reframing painful narratives.
• Coaching frames: Designing new frames, setting goals, and building momentum toward transformation.

Both honor the story God is writing in your life. The key is knowing which frame you’re in today.

Integrating Both Paths

Sometimes, the answer isn’t either/or—it’s both/and. Many people benefit from counseling and coaching at different times. Counseling may provide healing, while coaching provides momentum. Together, they create a holistic path toward growth.

📖 “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

Why Storyboard Coaching Exists

My journey—from counseling to pastoral ministry to coaching—has taught me that people need spaces for both healing and growth. Storyboard Coaching exists to help leaders, couples, and individuals storyboard their next chapter with clarity, faith, and hope.

We don’t replace counseling. We complement it. We help people move from healing to action, from restoration to transformation.

Choosing Your Next Frame

Your life is a storyboard. Each frame matters. Counseling helps repair broken frames. Coaching helps design new ones. Both honor the story God is writing in you.

The question isn’t “Which is better?” but “Which do I need right now?”

📖 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5–6)

Call to Action

If you’re ready to clarify your next chapter, I’d love to walk with you through coaching. At Storyboard Coaching, we’ll storyboard your goals, align them with your faith, and take practical steps toward transformation.

👉 Schedule a coaching conversation with me today.

And if you discern that counseling is what you need right now, please know that I value and honor that choice. I maintain trusted connections with professional counselors and can help you find the right fit.

👉 Reach out, and I’ll connect you with a counselor who can walk with you in healing.

Thanks for stopping by the fire,

Coach Dennis