What is The Mindful Coach Method?

. Disconnected is the new normal.

Our modern world teaches us to disconnect from our senses. We push ourselves to succeed, be recognized, and be appreciated at extreme costs to our health and well-being. In Japan, there is even a word for literally working yourself to death.

When you’re hungry, your body tells you, “hey, we need some food!” In the same way, when we’re overworked or overdoing, your body is speaking to you,  “hey, this can’t go on, we need rest and to relax a bit, or I’m going to break down.”

But you will not be rewarded for noticing this. On the contrary, continuously overworking is celebrated, resulting in accolades, bonuses, promotions, and other benefits.  But this also leads to burnout, breakdowns, and mental illness. So our work culture is often at odds with what we authentically need as individuals to thrive.

In addition, the social pressure to look good, fit in, demonstrate success, and be accepted is extreme. Just look at the plastic surgery industry as evidence of these extremes. So our social culture is often at odds with what we authentically need to thrive. 

Repeatedly over-ruling and ignoring what our bodies are telling us has consequences.  We become accustomed to ignoring our felt (somatic) senses, which is where all the true richness in life is. Living in a disconnected place day-to-day becomes normal.  The result is persistent feelings of being inauthentic, disconnected, exhausted, depressed, and anxious. Even if you achieve material success, fame, or status – the high of “winning” only lasts a while then you find yourself in need of another achievement to feel alive. Your power is outside of you, in the hands of others who must deem you worthy, or a thrill so intense it cuts through the numbness, so you can for a moment – actually feel something.

It needn’t be this way.

There is within us is a north star.

Even though we live in a culture that doesn’t support our wholeness, within you and every living being is the urge to be healthy and whole. And more – to live the life you were born to live. This urge (“I know I can be happier, better.)” moves people to seek coaching and take action on living a too-small or painful life. The skills needed to help people truly align with their core self, inhabit their embodied authority, and learn to live from this place – these skills are not “problem-solving” or “mindset” issues. They are an identity shift that requires a unique coaching skillset.

What is the Mindful Coach Method?

I spent many years following my north star  – exploring and practicing mindfulness, meditation, somatic psychology, group dynamics, and spiritual practices with the best talents I could find-  to learn how to make deep changes in myself and to help others. This was no casual inquiry. I went deeply into those practices and gained some truly powerful insights at the feet of world-class teachers along the way.

When I decided to move from my technology career to coaching, I pursued several coaching certifications.  I learned a lot, but the coaching practices were not nearly as well grounded in the deeply connected and mature methods I had experienced when training in Hakomi (somatic psychology), Matrix Leadership Training (mindful group presence and facilitation), and others. While coaching presence and mindfulness is valued as coaching skills, they are not often taught as actionable resources you can use in sessions.

To address this gap, I developed The Mindful Coach Method, a training for coaches and other helping professionals that help deepen the coaching skills needed for our times. The method includes The Somatic Insight Cycle which adapts techniques from somatic psychology such as Hakomi into a well-defined coaching framework.  The method helps people gracefully and powerfully reconnect to their somatic experience in the moment and re-identify as the core self, not the self we’ve become to meet societal demands.  The “ah-ha” moments you can quickly help clients experience in this work are amazing to behold and truly fulfill the mission of helping people really transform, which has called so many coaches.

If you are still reading this and leaning in, sign-up for news, events, and notifications.  Read the clients’ testimonials, and check out The Mindful Coach Method.  Feel free to reach out as I’m happy to discuss this work with you and explore if this is a good fit for 1:1 or coaching training.