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Foundation Four- January 2019
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45 Replies
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Initial Post:
When I think about coaching and/or guiding others, I sometimes have trouble narrowing down my ideal client. At first I started with just that anyone who comes to me is my ideal client. When I tried that specifically it backfired immensely! Since I was getting people who needed more counseling than coaching or people who just weren’t committed. Just recently I was able to tap into some ideas that allowed me to have the ideal client though. My ideal clients are people who truly want to make a change in life and fulfill their life purpose through guidance and coaching.
The population that excites me the most is young adults from 18 to 30 year olds….where most of my clientele some from anyways. Even though just recently I have two practice clients that are 50+ year olds which is interesting.
At NatureLink I am trying to offer Nature Connected Coaching along with other methodologies such as mentoring(youth & families) and transformational wilderness guiding(youth & adults). For example….. The NatureLink school (After School, homeschool programs, etc) uses Deep Nature Connection mentoring(8 Shields modeling) to implement stronger connections between self, nature, and others.
– The Nature Connected Coaching is a service that we offer for 1-on-1 clients and also for groups…even though I haven’t figured out how to do it more effectively with groups other than do it within a workshop.
– The guiding takes place within our immersion programs (The Guild School/Community School- a year long program for 18 to 22 year olds). And possibly some other immersion programs that I haven’t started yet.So what I guess what I’m trying to say above is that I am slowly figuring out how to blend mentoring, guiding, and coaching into multiple platforms in at NatureLink. Surprisingly it has been working out very well, even though things are still somewhat slow with the coaching part.
A lot of my potential Nature Connected Coaching clients are coming from previous programs and I can see this as a fun way to obtain clients since I have already gained their trust. I also have been really trying to meet them exactly where they are and really use their surrounding greenspace to work with. Just recently I have been using my house/farm to take clients and have been seeing some really cool interactions + understanding more and more on how to use my space effectively.
I feel that using nature/wilderness sessions as close to where the client actually lives/works is very effective. Sense of place is a big factor to our work and by using the energies of the local landscape and mirroring that back into the clients present lifestyle really resonates with me. They also seem to get out more often and create their own sitspot experiences if you use places nearby that they can access. A client can’t relate to much if this place is foreign to them and a completely different landscape and by using places they are familiar with it creates as safe container and space to work in.
I really enjoyed this past Foundation and can’t wait to learn so much more in Foundation 5!
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Hey Ben,
Every time I hear about your interlocking, multifaceted, programs I am so impressed. You have amazing ideas and it is just so great that you put things into practice. I think I hear you when you say you want to move from believing that what ever client comes to you is your ideal client, to a place where you know you really fit and the client fits for you. I struggle with the same issue, and so remain indecisive about who is my “ideal” client.
Kudos to you for all the things you are making happen, your vision, your persistence, and patience. Looking forward to seeing you soon!
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You are so inspirational in your business. Thank you for always showing up and sharing your great work!
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Ben,
That is so awesome that you can use your farm space to work with clients. I’m going to have to research some city spots that I will be able to work in with clients. I’m happy for you to have that resource and learning how to use that space in new ways.
I’m like you as far as trying to figure out where mentoring and coaching begins and ends, I think in a way we are doing both, and as long as we just go with our gut instincts, we will lead our clients down the right path.
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Foundation 4 *Initial Post*
When you think about coaching and/or guiding others, who comes to mind? What is the population that most excites you, and why? I would like to work with young adults and ‘elders’, for similar reasons. It feels like both of these populations are prone to be in the grips of a hero’s journey, but not know how to deal with it, or even know they are on such a journey. Our culture doesn’t have rituals or rites of passage for these very important times in our lives—the adolescent passing into adulthood, and the post-working life elder moving into the final chapters of their lives. Both phases are overlooked by culture and by those around us. Young people are expected to ‘go out get a job, get married, start a family” and elders are encouraged to ‘settle down’ and ‘enjoy retirement’, yet for so many these cultural prescriptions can often feel empty and supremely meaningless. There is no larger cultural perspective through which to view these huge changes–only the lens of the ‘lonely individual’ caught in a new place that demands a new thing we may not be used to—growth– and some uncomfortable feelings that may accompany it. I want to help people see themselves anew in these places that can be challenging to everything they’ve learned so far. I want to help them ask the right questions—those that come from deep inside—and not just rely on the cultural ‘shoulds’ to get us through. I see myself working with these two populations of clients in very similar ways—to begin the sessions with a deep honoring presence, with stated gratitude and with mindfulness exercises, and to spend a large part of the session—not just the threshold– out in nature. This is the place where I feel I can connect to the world, and from where I can offer the fullness of my total 360 degree presence and attunement for a client. Two organizations that ‘work’ with similar populations are Outward Bound, and NOLS. Although they are not in the ‘coaching’ business, many of the experiences that older and younger students have on these courses can serve as a kind of wilderness rite of passage, and can have some similar elements involving personal growth, new awareness of one’s own life, and can open us to a discovery and a deep knowing of new inner strengths and/or capabilities.Ideally, I’d like to work with folks kind of like a NOLS course, but to afford individual attention to each person each day during the course of an 8-10 day backpacking trip. I am not sure how I find these clients yet…Other groups that do this kind of work frequently have clients mandated to attend—programs like Crossroads or bluefire. These programs are using more of a clinical wilderness therapy approach to diagnose and fix issues with (mostly) young adults and this kind of work does not interest me so much because clients are not attending of their own free will, (also sometimes an issue on NOLS courses!)
A big part of what I see myself offering is transformation of how the individual sees themselves and their lives, whatever life stage they are at. I believe I can do this using my natural empathetic presence, nature centered coaching, mindfulness exercises, all combined with a long experience in nature, finally letting nature work her magic.
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Hey Sandy,
I like your passion and vision of taking young adults and elder adults into a time of reflection and self-awareness. I feel like I have observed the same thing about a lack of acknowledgement of different times of passages in a typical life and how when that is not addressed a life can be hollow and individuals feel disconnected from themselves and their community. I really resonated with the things that you pointed out. You seem to be a good match for what you write about.
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Sandy,
I can so see you in all of what you said. It fits energetically so well. And I do love the transition points you are focusing on – SO needed at both stages.
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Sandy, you are going to do so well with your coaching. Your post really resonated with me and a very deep level. I am in the middle of my own hero’s journey at the moment (even reading Joseph Campells book right now). As someone who has been caught up with the norm of what society has me doing, instead of doing what I want to do; I can tell you have a very passionate message behind you. Maybe we will have to work together. I enjoyed the book you lent me by good ol’ Alan Watts. I look forward to seeing you and everyone else on Monday.
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Hi Cory,
Thank you and it’s great to hear from you! I enjoyed reading your post as I myself gravitate towards the estoteric, more soul-ful or spirit-ual way of seeing the world, and thus this informs totally my working in partnership with clients. I feel you are looking very deeply at issues around the nature of consciousness and letting those passions direct your offerings to your clients, which feels very in tune with how you want to live your life. This feels worth noting–that as we are being called to have our work and home life be supportive and in consonance with one another. I look forward to seeing you on Monday. Glad you liked the Alan Watts book.
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When I think about coaching/guiding I think of being the tool to help someone discover or rather uncover more about themselves. I feel that through coaching we are able to use the coach or guide to help us see what is already there. In my own experience these are things that have been buried deep and don’t necessarily want to be uncovered by the conscious mind and it is only through guidance that they can be seen. I am not sure I have an exact “ideal” population that I want to work with other than what every coach wants….. a willing client. The niche that I want to work in is on the other hand more specific. My nature in the nature connected coaching is going to be more often than not a gym setting. My ideal client will be coming to me with the understanding that we may take the session out onto the gym floor.
An ideal client session for me would be anywhere from 1.5-2 hours long to adequately go through the ceremony. Severance phase would take place in an office setting then threshold and incorporation will take place on the gym floor. As far as goal specific, all I can hope and ask for is that client feel that they made more progress through the session. I can help facilitate the client reaching his or her goals, but also can’t expect that they will be attained every session. However, thinking more about what I feel most of my clientele will be working towards or through would be more emotional therapy in a sense. What I mean is utilizing the gym to work through emotion with a specific goal in mind.
While searching the web I found that there are exercise therapists doing slightly similar work to what I would like to do. The exercise therapists work with clients to become more comfortable with their bodies through exercise. Where I may help a client through body dysmorphia, I want to work with clients through whatever their issue may be; career, family,
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Hi Ben,
I am so impressed with your vision of taking threshold to the gym. At first I just did not understand how that would occur but as you described it I began to understand more and think about how wonderful this will be for people. When people are not connected to their bodies there is no way they can be whole or feel complete. And how frightening it is for people to begin to move, and then to even be in a gym. I know so many people who feel so ill at ease with their bodies they would not go to a gym or move any more than is necessary. It is wonderful to think that there are people like you who understand some of those things and are willing to take people to new horizons in a supported and thoughtful manner. I think I mentioned that I belong to two gyms, and so I have met many trainers. I do not believe that they come from the same space that you do about these issues, and so I wonder where you get your inspiration and if you feel like you are creating the wheel. But your vision sounds clear and so well articulated, it is really impressive. Looking forward to seeing you at Starhouse soon! -
Hi Ben,
Your approach to use the gym setting is fascinating to me and feels really needed.
From your writing it sounds like you have a very clear picture of what an ideal session with the willing ideal client would look like, and it just feels to me like you are a natural at putting a client at ease and inspiring them at the same time. I will be curious to learn more as the course progresses.Thanks for your post. -
*Summary Post*
After watching the video, listening to all the great new knowledge, and reading all of your posts I am so very inspired. I love how we each have such different visions but all are based around the same soul, Nature. I am proud of everyone here for discovering our purpose even deeper. As the year goes on, we are learning more and more about what we are capable of, who we are, and where we belong. I couldn’t have asked for a better group of humans to be standing beside during this transformational time in our lives.
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This is a very indecisive topic for me and I have asked myself this question at many times in my career, and most specifically in the last few years. I tend to enjoy everyone who currently comes to my office. And when I was working with children and their families, I enjoyed all of them. I am most comfortable right now saying that I want to offer things that are “psychology-based and nature-supported”. Possibly my ideal client is one who already has a commitment to community service, particularly in the social justice field, or are in the direct care of others such as teachers or hospice workers (I was a volunteer at hospice for a couple of years offering reiki and energy work to those who were dying and became what was called an, “eleventh hour angel” to come in and be with the dying in their very last hours and see them through their transition. Through that experience I learned first hand to appreciate the intense soul work of hospice staff and would like to in some way contribute to their healing, inner peace, and the special place they have in our community.)
I think I have been learning that an aspect of this work for me is somewhat pointed and in a way, feels serious. As my confidence in myself has grown in the EBI program, I have begun to take my particular set of skills and talents, which includes training in hypnosis, inner work, my own healing from severe trauma, and my naturally intuitive nature, more seriously recently, and so want to apply them with ncc. I think my skill set almost automatically sets someone with whom I work into taking themselves more seriously.
How do I imagine working with clients? Well, the answer to this is still a work in progress, as well. I think I will be working with adults, although I spent half of my career working only with children and their families, so I am reluctant to leave that population behind. I think I want to work primarily on a short-term basis with people, possibly as an adjunct to their on-going therapy, or as a stand-alone experience for them with some aspect of incorporation. Right now I am starting to work with another therapist on behalf of her clients, by offering a half-day workshop utilizing the principles of nature connection with the focus on fire-building, but I don’t know if that will really pan out. For this, we are discussing it in the context of helping to grow her client’s intention and ability to access their emotions, core beliefs, and hidden narratives. I also want to do small group work in addition to individual work. For this I have been working on an adult development program that is called, Stewards of Peace, since before starting with EBI. And I want to get that going. Stewards of Peace is meant to be a half-year or so program of healing and inner awareness, and community service.
How would I like to collaborate with nature to support their awareness and success? First, to bring people outside, which is so different for most people it is something like a pilgramage. I believe that when they commit to coming outside they are acknowledging they are engaging in something different and special. Of course encouraging them to use their backyard is also something I want to do, but I see myself as wanting to take them to places that are relatively unfamiliar and perhaps somewhere they would not feel comfortable going without a guide. I also want to use nature as metaphor for their inner psychological life, and help them engage directly in a bodily manner with nature in both deconstructing and reconstructing their psychology. I am very interested in how to help people engage WITH nature, when possible. To help them speak directly with nature. Mostly, I want to collaborate with nature in a directed manner, that is, we enter into the wilderness (or backyard) for a specific purpose that has something to do with their soul journey.
On the web I have been looking at individuals who offer shamanic experiences, places that offer vision quests, therapy camps that utilize nature immersion – seems there are several for troubled teens. I’ve done job searches for wilderness guides, wilderness coaches, wilderness therapists, outdoor educators, survival schools, etc. It is easy to compare them all to EBI, but since I have been looking for the past year (which brought me to EBI to begin with), there are too many to actually reference. Last summer I also spent five days solo wilderness camping, and then went on a group guided wilderness trip in the RMNP. Key components for me is the psychological component-that is, moving beyond the transitive goal to the transformative goal, an emphasis therefore, on inner work, and the commitment to right-relationship and a return to the community.
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Hi Lisa,
I really was drawn to several things you said. The Stewards of Peace program sounds very interesting! I’d like to hear more. Using nature to deconstruct and rebuild our psychology was something that struck me as a new way for me to see our work as nature connected coaches. i wonder if you are familiar with Joana Macy’s work, specifically the four stages of The Work That Reconnects–they are: to come in Gratitude, Feel our deep feelings, See with New Eyes, and Go Forth into the world spreading our gifts. For some reason your writings around deconstruction and rebuilding of the psyche remind me of this approach. -
Lisa, I am always inspired to hear how you plan to use NCC in your practice. You have such a unique passion for this work that creates bridges of connection to population groups that desperately need it. I love that your work in hospice creates a deep scared space of connection. And that you have goals to bring this into the social worker field.
To me this makes me more curious into how you will promote it. Yet, you did bring me into more awareness last intensive. I love how we all are having to be super creative in getting clients within our current lines of work.
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*Foundation Four: Initial Post
My ideal clients, in terms of demographics, are twenty-somethings, middle aged women, and veterans. I’ve worked with a lot of people who are a few years out of high school, and it’s such an intense time for them. Spreading their wings, honing in on their passions and what they want to do career-wise, processing their youth and their relationships. It’s easier to relate when you’ve been there, which makes me an unlikely candidate to focus on veterans. That said, I’ve seen how nature + community can move veterans a long way on their healing journeys. I have great compassion for them.More importantly, the type of person I’d like to identify and work with is someone who has heard nature’s whisperings but doesn’t exactly know how to connect on a deeper level. Someone who feels the sentience of nature but who doesn’t have the tools or support to access it. Someone, like me, who grew up fascinated by stories of nature connected pioneers, researchers, trackers, indigenous peoples, and wanted to know if their stories were true. So many people are inclined towards nature, people for whom it resonates as a place of healing and inspiration, but who aren’t connecting for a lack of something: experience, time, proximity to nature outside of the city, or maybe structure. With people like these, my goals would be to help them find practices that deepen their connection to nature in the hopes that they could begin to fill the holes that need filling.
I’m noodling ways of engaging with people and I have lots of ideas floating around. One would be marketing to the city-dwelling nature-bugs, like myself. A majority of people in Seattle interact with nature in some way, from recreating in the backcountry, to stand-up paddle boarding, to gardening. Lots of them also practice yoga and mindfulness. It’s kind of easy to find people that recognize that the stress, anxiety, detachment and disconnection of modern living is ameliorated by going outside. I want to help those people take it deeper.
I’m also interested in using my wilderness leadership/coaching skills to cultivate community by meeting regularly as a small group over a long stretch of time. I’m envisioning a mix of intentional group work and wilderness skills education/rewilding/immersive experiences.
Then again, I think it’s really fun to be a bit of a dilettante and jump into other people’s coursework and retreats to offer everything from supplemental coaching to mindful outdoor activities to trail runs for naturalists. I’d like to work in partnership with other practitioners and this might be a way to do that.
Lindsey Huettman is a woman in my area who I admire. She’s a psychotherapist who draws on her deep nature connection and Wise Woman teachings in her many ventures. I love that she has a wealth of varied experience to draw on in creating a diverse set of skills and areas of focus. She’s a good role model for shaping a life around my passions.
Waymarkers is another small, local organization that interests me. It’s in an urban setting and among other things they lead retreats connecting people to wilderness, place and heritage but from a Celtic, mystical, and spiritual background. I haven’t personally been drawn to Soulcraft, mythology, etc. but I think our connection-oriented goals are similar. I’d like to connect with them as they’re in my neighborhood.
I’ve seen a lot of nature based programs for veterans, but I haven’t found any that use our style of nature connection, except for wilderness schools that take the GI bill and have a high percentage of veterans in their student body. There’s a Life Mapping coach certification that is tailored for veterans and people that work with them. It seems to focus on transitioning vets to the civilian sector, using traditional coaching techniques and some training on veterans’ needs. Valuable, practical, important, but probably with a heavy emphasis on career development instead of whole-life development.
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Brooke, I look forward to hearing how your work with veterans goes. I think that is so beautiful how you want to incorporate nature as a way of helping them in the development of their whole life, and not just as you said in one specific aspect. Reading your post I could really tell that this is something that you are driven about. The other demographic of young adults is so important. In our society we have lost the way of how to really guide people into that next step. It is about here is what you are going to do because it is expected of you, instead of what do you want to do. Work with that and help cultivate that, I might have to work with you to gain some insight from you.
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Hello Brooke, It was great to hear you on our last call! Your visions and way of putting together the many facets of nature and more urban life are so inspirational to me. Wanting to take it deeper with people is something I really resonate with. As I am working to understand who my ideal client is, it is so very helpful to see how others are putting things together. I am fascinated with you being called to work with vets and wonder what you might see, if you do, is the common value or thread between vets, and middle-aged women, and the others you talk about serving. I am asking that of myself as I collect, so to speak, this seemingly varied group of people that are starting to fit into my service circle. But it is still a bit elusive for me even as I spend time contemplating that. Wishing that answers you have found can inspire me again so I can continue to hone in on my ideal client. You know, copy from the smart girl. Of course, I am really copying from everyone. So I appreciate all the posts. And really appreciated yours. See you all in just a few days!
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Brooke I think you are going to be a great guide. It feels like you have a clear grasp of your ideal client an the fact that you really want to focus on those that might have that extra itch about nature but aren’t really sure got me thinking that there is a whole niche in that population.
I also really liked your idea of a small group meeting regularly over a long stretch. I think there are many great possibilities with that!
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BROOKE,
You are going to be amazing with all that you know, all that you are learning and all that you do. After being your practice client, and seeing the way you work, with all the knowledge you have about nature, you are absolutely on the right path. You have a soft directive approach and I can absolutely seeing you work with your ideal clientele. I only wish I lived closer so I could be your client 🙂
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Brooke,
I love your mission and can relate deeply to it. Your Soul-Path is very similar to mine. I too am very interested in more of the immersive yet long term coaching/guiding practice as well as identifying clients to their “Calling”.
I like your comment when you said – “More importantly, the type of person I’d like to identify and work with is someone who has heard nature’s whisperings but doesn’t exactly know how to connect on a deeper level. Someone who feels the sentience of nature but who doesn’t have the tools or support to access it. Someone, like me, who grew up fascinated by stories of nature connected pioneers, researchers, trackers, indigenous peoples, and wanted to know if their stories were true.”
–––– Yes! To me, this is EXACTLY what our work is all about. Well said!Reminds me of some words from one my beloved mentors Kedar Brown when he was sort of rephrasing Carl Jung and more recently Joanna Macey’s work during one of our past Rites of Passage trainings – “In every life there is one great question that runs like a thread. And if you find it you are very fortunate, because then the life you lead becomes a response to that question.”
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Initial Post
This question required a lot of introspection, and it wasn’t until watching the video and listening to each of what you all said that it really hit home. My work/passion/ what I excel at is seeing the deeper abstract picture of things. It is a very spiritual and some would say “woo woo” way of seeing things. This has been the biggest road block for the last couple of years. Caring what it looks like to others. Being afraid of the judgment and ridicule of how my family, friends, coworkers would see me. Unable to live how I want to live, and living how it is expected of me. However, being a part of this intensive as well as just learning every day, I am able to live more authentically.
This means working with people who are also as Sandy stated in the call in “tired of the status quo.” There are other ways of seeing this world; deeper, esoteric, and spiritual ways of seeing it. I want to work with people in this demographic where the “normal” way of being can be challenged and alternative perspectives can thrive for people to build a more harmonious and beautiful way of life. The ideal group would understand that we are all connected. There is no separation, and that has been physically proven by science. It is moving beyond the identity of self to heal, but remain aware that we all live our own individual lives that is so complex and created by countless present moments. In each moment our thoughts, beliefs, and perceptions are being formed or playing out the story for us. I want to help people work in that deep area of changing limiting beliefs and seeing beyond the veil. Helping people increase a deeper awareness of self beyond the ego.
I imagine working with them by building a rapport with them where they are comfortable enough and vulnerable enough to communicate with me, and trust me to hold that space. It would be a connection based more in soul than the mind and ego. Being completely engaged in the present moment. The other person understands that there will be absolutely no judgment from me, regardless of what they have to say. Having people sit in that authenticity and allow them to work from there and build a life that is more aligned with their soul and not their ego. Where they are more connected to spirit/ the universe and living a life that is not just for the self, but for the soul and the collective as well.
Nature would come into play because the ideal client would understand that we are nature. What we do to others we do to ourselves. What we do to our environment we do to ourselves. There would be an understanding that nature is every where and can help all of us learn, grow, and heal.-
Hi Cory,
Reading your post I mused on how I only know you as the person who shows up in his authentic self. I have no concept of you seeming to live in any other way. Hard to even imagine since your spiritual, genuine, self seems so natural! I think that you captured in your post what has been rattling inside of me when you talk about people being taken deeper. That is kind of what I was trying to get at when I was thinking about the serious edge to what I want to do. Thank you for helping me find words to explore what I am sensing into for myself.
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* Summary Post *
Hey everyone. Can’t wait to see you all on Monday…which is right around the corner! 🙂I have been really thinking, talking, and dreaming about who my ideal clients are lately. I enjoyed Ivy’s comment in the webinar when she mentioned that we should be approaching this question with curiosity and joy. And also resonating with Lisa’s comment, “Who is it that I want to share my gift with?”. What an awesome question Lisa!
This is right in line with what I am trying to do with NatureLink. When a participant in a program or through coaching, finds their “Vision” their “Intrinsic Gifts”, they may not be able to have full clarity or insight on it. It may just be a feeling and nothing very powerful, which most people think it would be. This is why I am trying to do this work at the community level…meaning that when a person has a “Vision” or a “Gift” to share then they can’t fully leverage their gift, incorporate it, unless there is a community that supports them to do so.
In other words, your dreams/your vision determines your destiny. And that others need to know your gift so that it can be used in the community. This was common understanding from even our ancestors and indigenous society. Even from Prophets – “Without a vision the people perish.” Proverbs 29:18. Meaning that groups of people with vision and direction will struggle!
Those thoughts above have made me think that I need to create capacity through multiple facets and methodologies within the community in order to bring people into leveraging their own gifts to find true life purpose. Those facets/methodologies are using Deep Nature Connection Mentoring in our youth and family programs(starting 2020!); Transformational Guiding in our Rites of Passage and Quests (starting in August!); and Nature Connected Coaching.
All of the above came to me about two months ago where I reached back out to an old friend of mine Kedar Brown (actually a neighbor when I lived in Asheville NC!) and started training with the Rites of Passage Council and 4 Shields. I am slowly figuring out how to use Four Shields work with Quests and that Coaching can be used with all of my young adult and adult programs! It can be used very effectively as a post guidance tool after programs which is a cool. And coaching is not just a 1-on-1 separate service and that it can also be working with the entire community & the groups that we work with.
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Hi Ben,
I am amazed at everything you’ve done and everything you have going on. Your work to integrate what you do so it flows across age groups and between individual to community is really cool and beautiful. An ecosystem model for society of the future.
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Summary Post: It has been wonderful reading all of the posts and watching as this module has unfolded. I know I am in a deeper place as I am getting closer to the heart of understanding my vision and beginning to move into the creation stage. And I am finding that thread in the words of all of your posts, which contributes to a feeling of support and is so very helpful to staying in a creative space.
As I have spent more time on the web looking at posts and websites that seem to offer aspects of what I want to offer I am experiencing a variety of emotions and insights, which are also helping me tune into what I have/want to offer. Some of the websites seem to discuss a person and that person’s work as so, well, perfect or amazing or wonderful, that I wonder why the entire earth has not yet been healed by the person writing the website. And some strike me as being over-stepping, such as coining terms from different cultures without an apparent awareness of what the terms actually mean and the value of those words on a deeper level. I have needed to remind myself when those things come up to keep doing a “You-turn”, that is, to turn it back to myself and explore as deeply as I can why those things don’t sit well with me. And then to explore the value of both my views on that way of doing things and their way of doing things. And as I do that I am again so grateful for all of the voices that come through in the posts because each one is standing at a different place in this circle and so for me, you all sharing your journey helps support my finding balance. And as Ben M shared, support is so important.I think I am developing some clearer sense of my vision through all of this. I have now pared down feeling I will work with anyone, to a somewhat smaller set of individuals. And have a much better sense of who my “ideal” client is. Mom’s and their daughters have entered into my service circle. As have those who can imagine honoring all of their parts. Still, this question is a work in progress.
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*Summary Post*
I have found it very useful–though not entirely easy–to do the introspection required to successfully answer the question of Ideal Client. When I engage my creative angel and ask,”Who do I want to work with?”, I also have to wrestle with the Fearful Critic whispering something like “Just who do you think you are?” Haha! So, there has been some tension there. But also, this module has been a time to continue expanding my vision, to drill down on the important bits and not to forget that all of you in this cohort and EBI staff contains a lot of support that definitely keeps me going and creatively motivated. Thank you all!
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Summary Post
I found this entire module, both in person and in this online discussion very beneficial and eye opening. I have had this vision, but the ego in me has been trying to put what it wants into reality vs something more from the soul. I had been struggling thinking of who I want to work with, but after a lot of surrender and listening to the flow of nature I found who it is I want to work with, and even started to see how that could happen. Reading through everyone else’s experience was a great experience to witness as well. Seeing how everyone else went through/is going through to get to the core of bringing that vision out for the world. I look forward to seeing all of you tomorrow, and continue down this path together!
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Summary Post
I feel like I know my ideal client and my ideal session. not so much in the way things will unfold but in a way of what it will feel like or look like. But when I try and write out or act out a session it doesn’t feel like I want it to. I feel like my vision is not totally understood, but I am not letting this feeling stop me from moving forward because just like the client experience I know I have very little control. All I know is I have been helping people and guiding them through their process and I am getting some good feedback. This module has helped uncover a lot for me.
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Initial Post 5/10
Ack – trying to get caught back up here.
When it comes to guiding others, there isn’t a “one type” of person that comes to mind. However, what does come to mind is people who are open to spirituality. Who may not have a deep sense of connection to nature, but have had a connection at one point in their life. People who are innately compassionate humans and desire to make their lives and others better. People with an open mind and open heart.
I imagine working with them in many ways. Initially focusing on one-to-one guidance in my natural healing programs that includes nature-connected coaching and natural healing tools. Additionally, I see working with others in nature-connected retreats. Bringing all of my passions together – helping others and the earth, spirituality/soul work, travel and the raw beauty of our world’s landscape. I see myself being a guide to create reconnection within individuals to their highest self (soul) and also to Mother Earth. I see myself being an inspiration to others to demonstrate how it is possible to be connected to nature and yourself in our busy lives. And it is possible to thrive and live a life you want to create for yourself with your own body, mind and spirit, deeply supported by our loving Mother Earth.
The common categories of goals that I forsee working with my clients is first off, focusing on mind, body, soul work supported through nature. This would consist of an assessment of where they are at, removing any toxins of the mind, body and soul and the visioning to create the life they are ready to fulfill. From there, helping to guide them with simple natural ways and tools to help integrate and maintain this way of life they desire.
Nature is a key part of all of this. While focusing on the client, I will be offering nature-connection for them to experience the awe of our planet themselves through threshold as well as tools I will provide.Here is a place that seems similar to what I would be doing. https://www.irisbridge.com/life-coaching
However, this one is simply coaching. I am focusing on various elements and packages instead of simply coaching. To help support people with simplifying the tools and where to start to reconnect to their mind, body and soul naturally. -
Summary Post 5/10
I am blown away by the depth and breadth that the population this Cohort is going to serve. I honestly got choked up reading through everyone’s ideas and clients. It truly gives me such a ray of hope during these times. And such encouragement to keep going and never give up. Our work is SO needed and SO critical right now and it is freaking amazing that I get to be a part of this. I can’t wait to see what our 10 year reunion will look like.
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*Initial Post*
Hey guys, I know I am really behind in participating with the online courses, so I am taking time to catch up on everything. When I Think about coaching and guiding the first type of person that comes to mind for me and my vision is somebody who lives in a busy city, with a busy life, and is looking for a way to reset their minds with nature. The second type of person that comes to mind, is somebody who is struggling in a transitional place, looking for a way to see their bigger selves. I also see myself working with people who are grieving over a major loss in their life, whether friends, family, pet, career, anything. Finally, working with LGBTQ community is really important to me, and LGBTQ youth as well.
I would say the population that excites me the most is your average middle-aged person who is used to a routine and looking for change. The thought of helping somebody disconnect from social media, and just technology in general, and seeing how it affects them in the long run, it Is really exciting to me. We are so stuck in this unhealthy cycle of spending most of our days staring at a screen, and I would love to have the opportunity to help people connect back to their roots in the natural world.
I imagine working with these types of people on weekend retreats that I would specifically create different programs for each category of client. I would like to have specific weekend retreats focusing on grief, disconnecting from technology and resetting mind, LGBTQ, and possibly more options in the future. In addition to the weekend retreats, I would also be offering one-on-one guiding as well. I envision the one-on-one guiding in a place located right outside of the city where there is access to nature, but not too far because I want it to be a realistic option for them to seek out nature whenever they need.
After doing some research, I realize there is no one doing this in my local area in the way that I envision, however these are some internet results that could kind of come close.
https://www.lifecoachphilly.com. – This is a generic life coach to me. It’s more about careers, relationships, parenting, etc. There is nothing nature based about this, and that is what would set me apart from life coaches like this. It’s the most common type of coach I have come across. I’m not saying there is anything wrong with this type of coach, it just isn’t the type of guide I wish to become.
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*Summary Post*
After reading everyone’s posts, watching the video call, checking out all the worksheets. I realize I have to take some more time to think about my ideal clients to get more clarity. I have the thoughts in my head, and have from the beginning of joining EBI, of who I want to work with, but in the marketing sense, I need to think about the target audience for each niche I want to work with. This has been super helpful to have me re-think what I thought I already knew.
