Colin MacDonald, co-founder of Not Therapy, has made it his mission to mentor young people to overcome various mental and emotional challenges with a distinctive approach. His focus is unique, forged from his similar experiences as a young man and an ambition for a different, more holistic approach. Not Therapy’s approach to counseling is a breath of fresh air in overcoming the stigma, especially in young people, to overcome mental, academic, emotional, and career challenges.
MacDonald’s vision formed from his struggles with family estrangement and addiction issues suffered when he was a high school student. After completing treatment, he committed to finding community, achieving mental health stability, and excelling academically. He also started a rigorous exercise program to get into shape. His recovery journey included two years of wilderness therapy and therapeutic boarding school. MacDonald’s academic performance improved significantly, earning him a place on the honor roll multiple times and ultimately leading to a Bachelor’s degree in Communication from Eastern Washington University.
MacDonald is passionate about helping others achieve their full potential by assisting them in building frameworks for life success and mental health. His passion grew after experiencing his rigorous therapy’s personal impact on him. A vital part of his plan is building trust with his clients and their families for a collaborative experience. This process includes daily check-ins for accountability and support.
A Successful Career
Driven by his victories, MacDonald became a sales account executive in the Seattle Mariner’s front office and a sales and business development team leader at several software companies. After his success, MacDonald transitioned to life coaching because he knew the impact it would have on other young people and how this coaching system would have helped him in high school.
Numerous approaches exist to mental health struggles, all with varying degrees of success. Not Therapy’s approach to life coaching focuses on individual client development through personal goal setting and developing a mental health roadmap. This provides tangible results through expert counseling and personal experience. A key factor of the coaching is having clients focus on future goals and habits rather than past trauma.
Transforming the Lives of Others
The success of Not Therapy’s system in transformational life coaching has been a whirlwind. After launching their website, MacDonald and his partner, Hayley Caddes, showed up at the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs (NATSP) with a handful of stickers and a dream. They were face-to-face with counselors they were familiar with from their days of counseling. Less than a year later, they were asked recently to speak at the panel to discuss the overlooked needs of their alumni clients.
MacDonald and Caddes at Not Therapy have successfully worked with over 30 young people, a testament to their committed and unique approach to coaching. Their success combines personal tragedies, victories, and a dedication to helping people in comparable situations with similar approaches that transformed Colin MacDonald into who he is today and made Not Therapy successful. Looking to the future, MacDonald hopes to build a mentor network and collaborate with schools.
