I draw on five key areas in my practice: working with strengths, narrative approaches, mindfulness, self-compassion and resilience. See below for more.
“Thanks very much Angela for the session today. It was very, very helpful. Although I found it difficult, it was good when you delved further and did not just accept my answers. I liked your approach… not pushy but still probing.”
Working with strengths
As a positive psychology practitioner, I use a strengths-based approach in my coaching. This means I will work with you using scientifically-validated tools to identify your strengths and to help you deploy them in creative and novel ways. When you begin to look at what strengths you bring to a situation this can have a profound effect on your outlook and energy. You can initiate a positive, upward spiral where you experience greater self-efficacy, effectiveness and enthusiasm. When you start working from your strengths you become better at rising to challenges and working towards goals.
See here for the science:
Narrative approaches
I also use a narrative approach. My first degree was in English literature and I know how powerful stories can be to persuade, encourage and inspire. As human beings we are drawn to stories to help us understand our world and communicate with each other. I know that when I am up against challenge, a powerful way of shifting my perspective to a more productive outlook is to ask myself: ‘what story am I telling myself here?’ I can work with you to review the stories you are telling yourself about your life or the stress you are experiencing and help you uncover a new narrative that will energise and motivate you.
See here for a discussion of narrative approaches to coaching:
(https://www.bacp.co.uk/bacp-journals/coaching-today/july-2015/the-stories-we-tell)
Mindfulness
I am a mindfulness practitioner which means I have a regular meditation practice and incorporate other mindfulness practices into my everyday life. I also use mindfulness practices in my coaching. Mindfulness is useful in developing resilience. Becoming more mindful can help you to become much more aware of your emotions, moment by moment, and in becoming aware of them, you can start to choose how you respond to them.
I have trained in mindfulness with teacher and author Ed Halliwell. Ed wrote (along with Jonty Heaversedge) the best-selling:
See Ed’s website (https://edhalliwell.com/book.html)
I have also benefited hugely from Andy Puddicombe’s meditations at Headspace:
Self-compassion
Self-compassion builds on the wisdom of mindfulness and invites you to offer a compassionate response to your everyday experience of troubling emotions. In effect it helps train you to be less in thrall to your ‘inner critic’. It is a powerful antidote to stress and is a great workplace intervention. It creates a warmer and kinder atmosphere for your internal world. I bring a compassionate approach to coaching and also invite you to engage in self-compassion practices.
I have trained with Alex Newte-Hardie in mindfulness based self-compassion (MSC). See her website for an introduction to MSC and to sign up to her courses. (https://www.alexnh.com/)
See also world-renowned expert on self-compassion, Kirsten Neff. (https://self-compassion.org/)
Research into self-compassion at work: (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/328068530_Soft_is_hard_building_resilience_with_loving_kindness_meditation_at_work)
Resilience
My coaching style is also influenced by the work of author and resilience expert, Dr Chris Johnstone, (see http://collegeofwellbeing.com/). Chris has developed some highly effective tools built on his years of experience and extensive knowledge of the research into resilience and positive psychology and I use many of them in my work. His book Seven Ways to Build Resilience (https://www.littlebrown.co.uk/titles/chris-johnstone/seven-ways-to-build-resilience/9781472141132/ ) is a great way to get started on developing your resilience.
My understanding of the research and theory of resilience has been further enhanced by my research dissertation into flourishing amongst family carers of people with severe mental health conditions. I was supported and guided in this by the Post Traumatic Growth Unit, at the University of East London, headed up by Dr Iona Boniwell. My research gave me the opportunity to explore what sustains resilience in extremely challenging life situations. I met with some amazing people who had really turned their lives around in circumstances that, at first, looked extremely bleak. Their energy and inspiration powers my coaching as I learnt from them that theories of resilience and flourishing work remarkably in real life.