Integral Coaching
Integral,
or transpersonal, and spiritual coaching recognizes
not only the psyche, but also the spirit, and the manner
in which the condition of the psyche and the body may
affect the well-being of the spirit. In order for spiritual
coaching to be effective, the inner journey must be
valued, recognized, and honored just as much as the
external, materialistic quest.
Integral Coaching is very closely related to holistic
or transpersonal work, in that it looks at the entire
human being. This entails examining not only what is
going on emotionally, but also what is happening in
the mind, the body, and the spirit.
A client who
comes to my office may walk in expecting to discuss his or her lack of
motivation. Or depression. Or anger. Or fear. Or obsessiveness. Or relationship
problems. Or anything at all. But he or she will generally not expect
the questions I will ask that deal with many factors beyond the mere outer
appearance of the problem.
So it might be important for me to
inquire about the daily routine. Or the eating habits. Or the support network.
Or whether the job (even if the problem has to do with the primary
relationship) offers any kind of intrinsic satisfaction. Or whether the chronic
sore throat might have to do with never speaking one's truth. Or whether life
no longer offers a sense of adventure.
Thus the whole human being comes in for coaching, and
not just the part that is seemingly causing the current
life problem. And precisely because the whole human
being is being treated (if necessary, I will, of
course, refer the client out to a medical doctor, or
any other kind of therapist, and will then work together
with that practitioner in order to bring about the desired
results), the path towards resolution will automatically
bring all parts of the individual together.
I dedicate my work to the human being who is seeking
to become more whole, seeking growth and personal development,
and seeking to understand the life she or he is living.
Hence my work consists not only in bringing about greater
consciousness and awareness about the mind and the emotions,
but also about the body and the spirit, since when one
of these is out of balance, the others must also be
taken into consideration in order for the whole human
being to become well. Please also visit my Radio
Page in order to listen to a recent show that aired
on this topic under the title of Transpersonal Psychology.
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