Coach Approach

Before I became a coach, and I was struggling to decide if I wanted to invest in a coach training course, I remember being asked, "What's holding you back?"

The answer shocked me, because I could hear this old voice in my head saying, "Who do you think you are? Your life is a mess. You're a basket case. What makes you think you have anything to offer?"

However, when I was reading the book Whole Child Whole Parent by Polly Berrien Berends, she told a story in which her child said to her, "But, …

Ethics is more fascinating than you may think! As a coach, love and non-judgment are our starting and ending places, which isn't as easy as it sounds. 

Sometimes you may come across people that are very different from you, and so one thing that is really important is to just imagine any kind of scenario in which you might feel you have any kind of judgment toward another person, and consider how you can best serve that person while remaining true to yourself. 

Let me give you a scenario:

Let'…

“You can’t be anything you want to be, but you can be a whole lot more of who you already are.” ~Tom Rath

Valeyne Grotrian is one of our senior faculty members with Awaken Coach Institute. She offered a fantastic CliftonStrengths workshop within our community about being even more fully yourself. She said, 

"The first time I heard this Tom Rath quote about 15 years ago, I was in disbelief at its claims. Maybe even a little ready to pick a fight with whomever Tom Rath was. How dare you discoura…

Now is the time to……. Raise your number by one

Sometimes I like to take a really short, deep rest with yoga nidra - a practice that's like sleeping, and it's a quick way to rejuvenate mid-day. (#coachinghack) I follow Ally Boothroyd on youtube. Ally always begins by asking me to see if I can get "just one percent more comfortable".

With a quick scan of my body, I can usually find that moving one hand, adjusting a pillow, taking a sip of water, or covering my eyes, with the intent of becoming "o…

If you're like me, you grew up learning the "Golden Rule" -  treat others the way you want to be treated. 

It wasn't until later that I figured out that everyone is unique. The way I want to be treated isn't the same as the way another person wants to be treated. 

For example, my dad always taught me to ask for exactly what I want. He told me that asking for things clearly is kind and helpful to others (and more likely to meet with success). I appreciate it when someone tells me what they need…

My husband Ben and I love to bike to the Rhine River, sitting by its banks to enjoy the mesmerizing flow. Last week, it was a fearsome, rushing torrent ready to sweep away everything in its path. This week, it has dropped to a steady roar as it passes between giant boulders.

Spiritual coaching often draws wisdom from the profound teachings of nature. In the realm of spiritual growth, water serves as a guide.

In the grand confluence of streams, the journey of water mirrors our paths through the…

I had a situation recently when I was really hoping and longing for real partnership, ideas generation, and closeness with some people I really enjoy. I was feeling a bit lonely and wishing for more from them, and I was starting to get a little desperate.

The more I wanted, the less closeness I felt.

Until I remembered to move into "creative hopelessness".

Creative hopelessness is the idea that, when you see reality clearly and stop hoping for it to be different, your hope can be placed accu…

If you're like me, you want to care for and protect others, and make sure they feel great when they're with you.

Which sounds really warm and loving, but I've found out in my life that it can be a recipe for confusion, and can even lead to others moving away from the intimacy I want to create. When I don't speak the truth, when I'm fearful of being real, when I hide my true feelings, it can feel smothering or duplicitous - all in the name of care, protection, and love.

When I am more concerned…

As I continue my journey of discovering my neurodiverse nature, I’ve been reading lots and lots of books about the topic, from such a wide variety of wonderful autistic women. :-)

One of my favorites is “What I Mean When I Say Im Autistic” by Annie Kotowitz. Her writing about sensory stuff is sooooo useful for all of us, no matter what our neurotype. She writes,

“Trying to stop an emotion – in yourself or someone you love – is like trying to stop a wave.

I speak from experience as someone who…