Ian Heininger is a Coaching Psychologist who specialises in
promoting strengths and bringing out the best in people,
communities, teams, and organisations. He has professional
experience as a psychologist, consultant, couple and family
therapist, clinical caseworker and counsellor and youth worker and
is the Director of Bridgebuild Coaching
Psychology Services.
How does it really fit? Is it relevant to mental
health?
When most people think of coaching they remember the days on
sporting teams as they were growing up or think of a coach who is
constantly pulling apart your technique and telling you what needs
to change to improve. If not a sporting coach some people
immediately consider the more recent wave of life coaches entering
the helping arena. So what comes to mind when you think of
coaching? And how could this idea possibly fit with your work
around mental health issues.
This brief article is not going to be able to answer many of
your questions but hopefully will raise a few for you. I have
been working with mental health issues from a coaching psychology
model for more than 8 years now (using coaching as an applied
positive psychology). I am just going to highlight the 3 main
benefits I have discovered in using this model that may be worth
considering:
- Coaching is all about creating hope and people taking ownership
over their own recovery.
- Coaching is less stigmatizing to young people (as well as most
other people).
- Coaching is fun to watch as people build momentum towards what
is really important to them (without needing much from me once they
are on a roll).
These are just 3 of many benefits I have experienced and
coaching has been a definite shift over the years away from
focussing on problems, fixing what is wrong, or avoiding what is
causing stress. The focus is on building hope and momentum.
Coaching is something that has become a valuable tool for
helping people achieve their goals for their own future and think
beyond the problems they face, while drawing out their strengths
and discovering what they are capable of.
A general disclaimer needs to be added here. Coaching is not the
best approach for everyone, and definitely not useful for severe
mental health issues which need specific interventions. Coaching
works with people who are able to focus, are motivated, and willing
and able to change. For more of the technical aspects of the model
and exploring the growing evidence base take a look around and see
what is out there (there is plenty to find).
Upcoming Coaching Resource in 2010
A coaching program called Maximise has recently been created for
use with young people and would be a great place to start if your
interested in pursuing the idea of coaching. This program was
developed in partnership with Bridgebuild Coaching Psychology and
Reconnect Mental Health and is due to be released in early 2010.
For information about the program and to find out when training
dates are finalised, contact Ian at ian@bridgebuild.com.au.