Almost two years ago, I Googled the phrase “wellness coaching.” After I followed the link to http://www.wellcoaches.com/, life as I knew it took a decided turn and headed in a new direction. With an MA in counseling, more than 30 years with the Forest Service, and the option of retirement on the horizon, I decided to become a wellness coach when I grew up. It has been a wild and wonderful ride so far, and I am ready to share the fruits of that experience with those who have expressed an interest in what I am doing (…and “why). This message is about “Why?”
The coaching role has compelling appeal for me because it begins with a powerful assumption: “The client wants to take charge of their health and happiness, and is fully capable of doing so.” The coach provides structure, support, and specialized training in the science of behavioral change. Together they accomplish wonderful things.
The coach-client relationship is a shared journey to a destination designed by the client. The coach is a guide who asks thought-provoking questions and offers unconditional acceptance of the client: where they are now and where they want to go in the future. Together, coach and client develop a detailed itinerary and together they take the journey, checking in regularly to measure and celebrate progress, review challenges, adjust course as needed, and plan the next segment of the trip.
As a wellness coach, I have the privilege of sharing and delighting in the experience of personal growth and change. I get to do it again and again—in different ways with different people, each of whom brings vision and challenges, strengths and successes, motivation and strategies as rich and diverse as humanity itself. Coaching is truly an endeavor in which giving and receiving are one and the same.
I give thanks every day for the insights that come from coach training, from reading, from peers, and most of all from the remarkable fellow-travelers who are my clients. I eventually decided, with encouragement from a small bevy of supporters, to share those insights with a wider audience. The results are a new mailing list (PLJ Wellbuddies) and a periodic e-journal (Reflections).
I anticipate getting fancier with time, but I want to begin small and simple. Coaching emphasizes the importance of taking small steps toward a long-term vision. This issue of Reflections is the first step. I am excited to embark on the journey with your support.
Please help Reflections grow toward its potential by providing feedback on what works well and what could work better. Share your experiences and insights with regard to health, happiness, and lifestyle balance. Ask questions. Share in designing the vision and plotting the itinerary.
And, please, tell me if and when you want to “unsubscribe.”
Until next time, be well.
Pam
Sunday, April 26, 2009
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