Midlife Brainiacs

Adult Development

Midlife as an age or phase (Erik Erikson)

Orders of Consciousness: 1: Infancy/childhood, 2: I see the world only from my perspective, 3: I see and admire other perspectives, 4: I can see other perspectives as well as my own, 5: I see my own and others’ perspectives simultaneously and systemically, which allows me to continuously become more expansive and inclusive. (Robert Kegan)

The Concept of Flow (Mihaly Czikszentimihalyi)

Self-Actualization and Peak Experiences (Abraham Maslow)

Adult Learning

Andragogy: the art and science of helping adults learn (Malcolm Knowles)

Transformational Learning: Begins with disorienting dilemma, habitual beliefs force “reflective discourse”, then undertake action towards new perspective, causing transformational learning. (Jack Mezirow)

Experiential Leaning: (David Kolb)

Concrete Experience (CE), Reflective Observation (RO), Abstract Conceptualization (AC), Active Experimentation (AE)

Learning Styles Inventory:

Diverger/reflector (CE/RO), Assimilator/theorist (AC/RO), Converger/pragmatist (AC/AE), Accommodator/activist (CE/AE)

Transitions in Adulthood: Endings, Neutral zone, Beginning (William Bridges)

Other References:

Fitzgerald, C., & Berger, J. G. (2002). Executive Coaching: Practices and Perspetives. Mountain View, California: Davies-Black Publishing.
Stober, D. R., & Grant, A. M. (2006). Evidence Based Coaching Handbook: Putting Best Practices to Work for your Clients. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

The Positive Approach

Summary:  look at what’s good, what’s working and build on it.

Dr. Martin Seligman, father of  PP and Authentic Happiness Coaching (AHC)– the Pleasant Life, the Engaged Life, the Meaningful Life.

Positive Emotions, Flow, Hope Therapy and Values in Action (VIA) 

Other Types of Psychology:

Humanistic:  growth oriented, self-actualization, coach-client relationship, collaboration, directiveness, empathy, unconditional positive regard, authenticity/genuiness/congruence, holistic view, uniqueness of the individual, choice and responsibility. – (Carl Rogers)

Psychodynamic Model: 1.  defense mechanism (denial, projection, intellectualization, regression, rationalization, displacement, sublimation, substitution, compensation, resistance) 2.  Transference and counter-transference, 3.  Parallel process. (Sigmund Freud)

The Ego and Mastery of the Environment:  (Erik Erikson) Trust vs. mistrust, autonomy vs. shame/doubt, initiative vs. guilt, competence vs. inferiority, identity vs. identity confusion, intimacy vs. isolation, generativity vs. stagnation, integrity vs. despair.

Object Relations Therapy:  (Fairbairn, Kernberg, Kohut)

Brief Psychodynamic Therapy (Blagys and Hilsenroth)

Additional References:

Fredrickson, B. L., & Losada, M. F. (2005). Positive Affect and the Complex Dynamics of Human Flourishing. American Psychologist , 60 (7), 678-686.

Gable, Shelly and Haidt, Jonathan (2005) What (and Why) Is Positive Psychology? Review of General Psychology, Vol. 9, No. 2, 103-110.

Kauffman, C. (2006) Positive Psychology:  The Science at the Hear of Coaching, Chapter 8, In Stober, D. and Grant, A., Evidenced Based Coaching, (pg. 219-253).  John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Hoboken, New Jersey.

Kouzes, James & Posner, B. (2007). The Leadership Challenge, Chapter 8, Experiment and Take Risks. (p. 210). John Wiley & Sons, San Francisco, CA.

Peterson, C. and M. Seligman. (2004). Character Strengths and Virtues. New York: Oxford Press.

Rath, T., Harter, J. (2010). Wellbeing: The Five Essential Elements. Gallup Press, Washington, D.C.

Scott, W. R., & Davis, G. F. (2007). Organizations and Organizing: Rational, Natural and Open Systems Perspectives. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Seligman, M. (2002). Authentic Happiness. Free Press:NY.

Seligman, Martin (2000) Positive Psychology, Positive Prevention, and Positive Therapy; Chapter prepared for C.R. Snyder & S Lopez (Eds.) Handbook of positive psychology, University of Pennsylvania, PA.

Seligman, M., Parks, A. & Steen, T., (2004), A balanced psychology and a full life, Phil.Trans. The Royal Society, London B 359, 1379-1381. Doi: 10.1098/rstb.2004.1513

Mindfulness in Coaching

MINDFULNESS

Teaching mindfulness is such great tool and can be a vital part of the coaching experience regardless of what other theories you may use during the coaching sessions. It’s a powerful tool for self-growth and exploration. It can be used to develop self, relationships, and your coaching presence.

To be mindful require authentic “listening”…that is really listening at a deeper level.

Awareness training is a way to get the client to become mindful by – through observing of self with dialogue, narratives, and inquiries.

C.O.A.L – curiosity, openness, acceptance, and love instills authenticity and is the key to being a good coach.  (*Daniel Siegel’s – Reflections on the Mindful Brain) without COAL you can’t fuel a good mindset.  There are 4 streams of awareness: SOCK – sensation, observation, concept (understanding the nature of the processes), knowing (about healing and well-being).

Mindfulness increases our awareness:

• Lives can be transformed through the use of mindful reflection, dialogue or inquiry.
• Awareness is an outcome of mindfulness. Performance = Potential – Interference (from Tim Galwey’s “The Inner Game of Work”).
• Observe Self and be able to critique our own irrational thoughts.
• Need for presence (with clarity) in coaching and all relationships.
• Being able to stay present and listen to the client without making assumptions and judgments. COAL – curiosity, openness, acceptance, and love is the key to authentic and productive coaching.
• Mindfulness causes authentic kindness, compassion and empathy to emerge which draws others to be drawn to us.
• Different cultures use various forms of mindfulness.
• Mindfulness can improve a range of conditions including anxiety, chronic pain, and depression.
• Discernment is a form of dis-identification from the activity of a person’s mind.
• Identifying your own chatter as an activity of the mind can be freeing which brings calmness and compassion.
• Mindfulness can help the client open up and be the pilot to go where they want to go.

Studying all of these perspective can give you a well-rounded view and application of mindfulness.

“Does the coach bring up the topic of mindfulness for the client to explore?” One way to address the subject is to let the client define it in their own terms and then use their language to start the discussion. This would be a form of “meeting the client where they are.”  Another option is to model mindfulness for the client.

A question that might be asked to encourage mindfulness would be, “What did you notice?”.

What happens when we compare mindfulness to emotional intelligence?  “Studies have shown that specific applications of mindful awareness improve the capacity to regulate emotions, to combat emotional dysfunction, to improve patterns of thinking, and to reduce negative mindsets…Our relationships with others are also improved, as we see that the ability to perceive the non-verbal emotional signals from others is enhanced and our ability to sense the internal worlds of others is augmented” (Siegel, pg. 5).

Finally, there is another framework for mindfulness by Michael Cavanagh. He developed the The Three Reflective Spaces model which defines the shared space between the coach and the client, “together, coach and client create new insights that neither would have found individually.  Mindfulness of coach and client would seem to be foundational to making this model work.”  It’s also vital that the coach creates a safe place for the client to explore.

Dr. Richard Davidson and Jon Kabat Zinn suggest that mindfulness training can create an “emotional set point” shift and scientific research back’s it up by indicating you can become “happier” from meditation.

References:

Cavanagh, M. (2006). Coaching from a Systemic Perspective: A Complex Adaptive Conversation. In D. R. Stober, & A. M. Grant, Evidence Based Coaching Handbook (pp. 330-354). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

Siegel, Daniel M.D. (2007), Reflections on the Mindful Brain, A Brief Overview Adapted from The Mindful Brain: Reflection and Attunement in the Cultivation of Well Being, New York, NY.

Cognitive Behavior

COGNITIVE BEHAVIOR BASED THEORIES

Foundational practices: (1) cognitive rehearsal, (2) role playing (3) validity testing (4) homework, ways of acting, do something different.

Help clients reach goals by focusing on their behavior; what can be observed, operationalized and measured by correcting erroneous beliefs to alter in appropriate emotional reaction (REBT: Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy – Dr. Albert Ellis)

Behavioral Experiment (BE): to unlearn unwanted

Practical Application of CBT: creating a clear, time limited protocol for increasing client development (Christine Padesky – says CBT is focused, problem oriented, outcome oriented, structured, collaborative, empirical, skills based, educational)

CBT teaches the benefits of controlling our emotional responses (remaining cool, calm and collected) when we are faced with situations that push our buttons, emphasizing that there will always be stressful, traumatic, or life changing situations that cross our paths so it’s up to us how we choose to respond.  We can respond emotionally or remain calm.

Summary:  Ways to work with your clients are role play, (gestalt – empty chair) attached to perspective (thoughts, concrete actions, visualization), and appreciative inquiry.

Hello world!

I’m a student of Evidence Based Coaching and have been learning new models and theories that I want to share with the global coaching community.  My mission and ultimate vision for this blog is to establish and create a culture of trust, integrity and sharing among people in the coaching and consulting business by providing resources, tools and support.

I hope you share what you are learning as well.

Respectfully,

PK