John
Forum Replies Created
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Hi Sara,
How could I not take advantage of this offering! I’m going to subscribe. Thank you!
John
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<div>Gestalt Discussion – Initial post
</div><div>At times I have found the EBI NCC training somewhat overwhelming. There is a sense sometimes that I am in over my head, not having—as several of the others in the group have had—any measure of background in coaching, guiding or counseling—much less psychotherapy. At times this is very disconcerting to me. Having said that, I am finding that the more I review my notes and reading assignments, listen to the recordings, practice coaching, and participate in the webinar calls—and sleep on it, the more all that overwhelming information begins to coalesce into a congruent, harmonious and mutually supportive set of modalities.
These modalities have their unique components and aspects, but they also fit seamlessly with each other in a way that creates a brilliant, holistic and comprehensive approach to empowering those whom we are trying to help. For example, in Gary Yontef’s article Gestalt Therapy: An Introduction, Yontef states, “Gestalt therapy focuses more on process (what is happening) than content (what is being discussed). The emphasis is on what is being done, thought and felt at the moment rather than on what was, might be, could be, or should be.” This dovetails so nicely with the Sacred Questions, which at the Mind level asks “What are you noticing or experiencing?”… and at the Heart level asks “What does that show you?”… and at the Soul level asks “What does this teach you?” These can include a series of simple questions that: create awareness, create connection to self and other, provide important information for the guide, and which guide the client inward.” (EBI Student Handbook and Foundations Modules, p. 36). The emphasis in both cases is on staying in the present, the here-and-now and not the past, and on promoting awareness and insight in our clients.
Another congruent thread I see in our training is the similarity between working with Gestalt’s Contact Boundary Disturbances model and the Severance phase of a Rite of Passage to determine what’s going on with the client (the Deeper Need). Aspects of the Contact Boundaries Disturbances (introjection, projection deflection, retroflection and confluence) can all appear in Severance when the client is in the process of trying to articulate what it is they really want. And while Partswork is a modality which for the most part stands on its own, it is difficult not to recognize different parts of self that are exhibited in the different contact boundary disturbances of Gestalt.
Going further, in my mind, Gestalt’s Cycle of Experience is aligned with the Threshold phase of a rite of passage. The client becomes aware of being aware and new thoughts and ideas about making life changes going forward come to the fore. There is Mobilization (an urge to do something), and Action (responding to immediate self or environment) follows, and finally Contact (a moment of experience, a feeling of satisfaction, and withdrawal from the former aspect of self) where integration of the experience and a return to a new homeostasis is achieved. This is followed by Gestalt’s Therapeutic Circle, where focus is on the Here and Now, where an experiment that is congruent with the client’s new perception of self is set up to create a new corrective experience. As I see it, this entire process mirrors the experience of moving from the Threshold phase into the Incorporation phase. In Gestalt, this involves Integration (assimilating the experience into a new understanding of self and world), and Homeostasis (a return to ordinary functioning with new awareness), very similar to the returning to ‘one’s people’ during the Incorporation phase of a vision quest.
So now I know why the Toolbox modules are named Toolboxes. They are really like a big toolbox with a wide range of tools for accomplishing our tasks with our clients. While each modality can stand on its own, the broad spectrum of techniques are complementary and supplementary to each other.
About Gestalt Therapy Specifically
Awareness is the primary component of Gestalt, and the focus is on the here-and-now, not the past. The Gestalt process takes ‘two to tango’. Relationship is the foundation of healing, so it’s important for me to bring my entire self into the coaching process; but at the same time both the client and coach must maintain their separateness. In that light, how do I bring creativity to my relationship with the client? The answer to that is for me to be present with the client and to express what my own relevant experience has been, and to show my true self. It’s alright to be playful; be real! Focus on the here-and-now and pave the way for awareness.
It is important to be authentic with the client; there is no need to assume the roles of coach/client. It is a matter of two human beings coming together. This serves to include myself in the client’s experience and creates a union of sorts; the coach becomes an ally. Inclusion of this sort is one of the biggest pieces of the Gestalt process.
The past and future show up in daily life. I must watch/listen for the ‘then-and-there’ and how it shows up in the present. When this happens, it is important to shift the perspective of the environment on the client. We do this by creating a corrective experience to facilitate the shift or adjustment, and we want this experience to include the whole body. The goal is for the client to come to a resolution to that ‘then-and-there’ memory, to have an experience that reintegrates the parts of the Whole. Completion of experiences is the goal; incompleteness keeps the client stuck in the ‘then-and-there’, and this contributes to neurosis. Presence is the goal.
Contact Boundary Disturbances: Introjection, Projection, Deflection, Retroflection, Confluence
No matter which disturbance is employed, when the client breaks contact, I need to repeat the comment back to the client. I will ask the client to speak to whatever/whoever broke the contact, telling it/them what they couldn’t say when the event took place.
Miscellaneous Notes:
Remember to be aware of body posture; there are many and varied sources there, potentially encompassing the entire list of contact disturbances. When this happens, try to bring congruence to the moment by making the client aware of the movement and to ask what they need. Do what you can, hold your ground, but try to give something that meets the need.
Being impacted by clients is okay. Acknowledge it, don’t fake it; the client will know.
Statements are often more effective than questions. Be curious. “I’m depressed” is not good enough, go deeper into the story. (See Cycle of Experience, EBI Toolbox Modules, p. 12 and Therapeutic Circle, p. 13).
As coach, make note of client pauses. Don’t feel like you must say something or ask a question. Responses to silence can be “How do you like the silence?” or “Say more.”
Look out for stories that can go on and on without anything coming out (deflection). We want the client to stay in touch with their body. You can break in and say, “Let’s slow down a bit. What are you feeling now? Where is it showing up in your body?”
As coach, do not tip-toe through the session. Challenge the client. Call out any BS.
In Gestalt:
GROUND is the background, FIELD (people) is within the GROUND, and FIGURES are the issues that enter the GROUND.
Body Awareness:
Body has wisdom, memory. Checking into body by doing a personal scan, movements, touching different parts to see what’s stored there.
</div>
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Foundation 4 – Forum Summary Post
At time goes on in the training, my idea of the ideal client shifts around a bit. Sometimes I think of working with youth because I feel that population is in dire need of Nature connection. Then I consider young adults, say 20-30 agers, that I also feel could really benefit from Nature-connection. I also like the idea of working with older-aged populations, too. Then I realize that’s a very broad group. Should I focus on a certain socioeconomic group? Related to that, do I want my practice to be founded on the ability of the potential client to pay a higher fee than others are able to pay? Or are there other ways to look at this?
As I expand my practice coaching it seems that I am picking up new clients simply by word of mouth. They come from different backgrounds and experience. At this point in the process, I am comfortable with that. While I know these practice clients very casually, but not closely, it seems to me working with them would be easier than working with a complete stranger, especially at this point in my training. Kind of similar to what Lindsay says at the end of her summary:
Clients who are similar to us in life status, life experience, ages we relate to, groups we have worked with previously, folks who have struggled with the same things we have; these factors seem to influence who we feel we want to work with.
So many possibilities! For me, it’s steady-as-she goes. My vision is out there, still a bit cloudy, but there are crystal clear glimpses that punctuate the scene ahead. It’s a kind of alchemy, I guess, and I trust my process (go Toni). I have a knowing feeling that it will all come together in time.
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Great post, Lindsay. Wow, those last few sentences are stellar!
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F3 Summary Post
As I read back over the kick-off questions and everyone’s initial and feedback posts for this foundation, I am taken by what I see now as ‘the whole package’ of what it is we as coaches do. There’s really quite a lot to it when you consider the process from beginning to end. And this is just talking about a typical 60- to 90-minute session!
Starting off first with taking on (maybe ‘accepting’ would be better here) the client and focusing on creating the ‘container’ (what I like to call the ‘holding space’–that space where the client is able to feel a warm ambiance of safety and trustworthiness, impartiality and non-judgment). I think this is a most crucial requirement of us. If we don’t establish that kind of atmosphere at the outset, we are hobbled from the very start in our relationship with our client.
Then, moving on to learning what the client has come to me for, I’ve realized that I must really hone my deep listening skills in order to be an effective coach. (That word, ‘coach’–we’ve talked about it. I know that is what we do, offer strategies for optimizing the quality of one’s life; but the word ‘guide’ resonates with me more. I like thinking about myself more as a guide than a coach. That’s because in order to be successful and effective at what we do we have to have traveled our own inner path and to have braved our own inner Life storms; in other words, we have to have done our own work. When that is the case, we have some comprehension of what the journey ahead will look like for the client)…
Back to deep listening: To take notes or not to. I’ve found that even just jotting down single key words is helpful in identifying what the issues are and in reflecting back to the client what I heard. When I do that, though, I know it is distracting to the client; I’ve terminated eye contact and the client may feel I’m not really listening. Ideally in my mind, it would be better to develop my listening skills to the point where I don’t need to take notes. That way, I can maintain eye-contact with the client. I feel that is so important. I guess it’s a learning process; my listening skills will improve over time.
Then there are the Severance, Threshold and Incorporation phases. (What a beautiful modality! I think it is so telling that this basic methodology originates with indigenous cultures who had no concept of being separate from the natural world around them. Those people knew (and still know) that they were one with everything in Nature and as such they recognized when they were out of balance with the surrounding equilibrium. They knew when circumstances called for collaborating with the power and wisdom of Nature in order to bring their lives back into balance with the Whole. They knew they were lost if that connection was ever broken. Back to the process: As a result of the deep listening process, and reflecting back what we hear from the client, the client eventually arrives at a point where they discover the deeper need lying beneath the more superficial emotions that they are feeling.
As I understand it, identifying this deeper need is severance: the point at which the client accepts the realization that some aspect of Self needs to change. The client has a vision, however foggy, of a new way of being, a transformed sense of Self. But this deeper need is something not yet attained; there is a gap between where the client is now and where the client wants to be. How do we help the client to close that gap? How is the transformation to a new self-awareness, a new way of being achieved? At this point in the process, the client is invited to imagine what it would feel like to have attained their deeper need. What would it feel like to close the gap between the present view of self and the vision of self they want to be?
The client now stands in the present moment at the threshold and must decide whether or not to step across. But one cannot step across the threshold on a journey toward a sense of self never known previously. Steps along the way must be identified. A period of goal-setting is needed.
How does one set goals to reach a place they’ve never been before? In the context of Nature-Connected Coaching, this is where the concept of collaborating with Nature comes in. It is time for the client to go solo in Nature. As stated in the EBI Student Handbook:
We are connected to all things through a collective, or spiritual consciousness. Nature is a direct link to that collective, its ever changing patterns mirror the collective need.
The ability to hear and feel that deep collective voice is our birthright. It is always speaking to us through inspirations, needs, curiosities, etc.
Taking the feeling one gets when envisioning their dream of a new self out into a natural setting, and by tuning into that collective or spiritual consciousness, it is possible for the client to “hear and feel” the “deep collective voice” of Nature. (I love all the many activities and techniques for connecting to this collective consciousness–powerful medicine!). By “speaking to them through inspirations, needs, curiosities, etc.,” Nature presents the client with the answers they seek. The client’s vision may still not be crystal clear, but the one or more steps along the way to get there may be revealed.
When the client returns from their chosen collaborative activity, it is time to recount what was ‘heard’ or ‘felt’ from the collective. How will the client translate what was heard into action? This is the incorporation phase where there needs to be some accountability for implementing the goals the client will set, or the steps they will take, to bring their vision to fruition. How will the client incorporate what was shown into their life going forward? The coach’s role at this point is to be present for the client and to offer support for the action plan they have created, and possibly to maintain contact between sessions to continue that support.
Laced throughout this entire process are core competencies to which the coach must adhere. The most important of those for me are centered around creating a warm, safe ‘container’ for the client suffused with energies of empathy and compassion, impartiality and non-judgment, patience, validation and awareness, and love, to name a few.
Whew!
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F2 Summary Post
My biggest takeaway from our Foundation
2 assignment is the questionable philosophy going around that cries
out that we need to save the planet, or else. It is true that we are
doing irreparable damage to our Earth Mother if you think of it in
humanity’s typical sense of time. But consider that Science tells us
that Earth is 4.6 billion years old; the Bible says she’s about 6,000
years old. Do we really think it’s Earth who needs saving?Regardless of which age hypothesis one
aligns with, it can be argued that most all of the destructiveness
and desecration we’ve bestowed upon the planet has taken place in the
last several hundred years, mainly being a by-product of the the
Renaissance and the Industrial Revolution. If we assume the problem
started 500 years ago and you’re aligned with the Bible’s hypothesis
on the age of Earth, then the time it’s taken to get to this critical
point for her has only taken us a little over 8% of the time Earth
has been around. In other words, Earth has survived for over 5,500
without us! Looking at the scientific Earth age hypothesis, the time
it has taken us to ravage the planet has only taken up 0.0000001% of
the time Earth has been around. In other words, Earth has done just
fine without us for over 4.5999995 billion years! Who are we to think
we need to save the Earth??? She will do just fine without us.The point is that the movement we read
about in this foundation which strives to merge environmentalism with
psychology not only to create a nature-based model for psychotherapy,
but also to foster an ethic of reverence for the only home we know,
is a refreshing twist to solving our environmental dilemma because it
focuses on healing ourselves. We being irrevocably part and parcel of
Earth, healing ourselves through collaboration with Nature can only
transform the way we treat her for the better, transforming ourselves
in the process. -
<title></title><style type=”text/css”>
</style><font face=”Calibri, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>Foundation
4 – Forum Discussion</font></font><font face=”Calibri, sans-serif”><font color=”#000000″><font size=”3″>When
you think about coaching and/or guiding others, who comes to mind?
What is the population that most excites you, and why? </font></font></font><font face=”Calibri, sans-serif”><font color=”#000000″><font size=”3″>Like
Sara, I believe that a nature-connected youth is sorely needed if we
are to manifest positive change in our own lives and to cultivate a
long-lost reverence for our Earth Mother. But when I think about
coaching and guiding others, the group that comes to mind are older,
young adults who are, for the most part, “out of the nest” and
are trying to navigate this crazy, neurotic culture we’ve created. I
see a lot of this age group—my wife has over a hundred young
employees in her five restaurants, ranging in age from 18 to 40. I
have interacted with many of these folks, and I can tell you that
many of them are struggling to find meaning in everyday life. Many
seem to have a disconnectedness from the world, no overall plan in
life, no soulful Vision. I believe these are perfect candidates for
nature-based connection. (As I write this, though, I do think I
would consider working with any age person who approaches me about
wanting to learn how to interact with Nature to better understand
their-self and to formulate actions and goals to achieve a more
fulfilling life).</font></font></font><font face=”Calibri, sans-serif”><font color=”#000000″><font size=”3″>How
do you imagine working with them?</font></font></font><font face=”Calibri, sans-serif”><font color=”#000000″><font size=”3″>I
have the good fortune to own a 65-acre farm property with fields,
forests and ponds. It is located in a very rural location, surrounded
by hundreds of acres of undeveloped woodland. My wife and I (with
help) raise grass-fed beef and pastured pork, and we grow organic
vegetables and cut flowers, all for use in my wife’s restaurants. I
can envision developing programs centered around the farm operation,
but also programs that rely on the wilderness aspect of the land,
too. In fact, my vision for my practice will definitely include a
wilderness-connection component, and when I complete the NCC training
I plan to seek certification through EBI as a Transformational
Wilderness Guide. I believe it can be said that many urban/suburban
young adults have very little experience with time in the wilderness.
I speak from my own experience when I say that the wilderness in a
vast and fertile ground for facilitating personal transformation and
growth.</font></font></font>
<font face=”Calibri, sans-serif”><font color=”#000000″><font size=”3″>What
would be the common categories of goals that you foresee them working
towards?</font></font></font><font face=”Calibri, sans-serif”><font color=”#000000″><font size=”3″>I
see my clients working generally toward a positive change in
consciousness where they become better connected and in contact with
Self. By developing full sensory awareness and attunement to the
present moment, self-discovery, goal-setting, creating outcomes, and
personal change are facilitated. And by guiding my clients to bring
Vision together with their dreams, then the dreams become more
powerful. And finally, eliciting personal responsibility and
accountability to achieve agreed goals will help keep the client on
the path the have created for their Self.</font></font></font><font face=”Calibri, sans-serif”><font color=”#000000″><font size=”3″>How
would you like to collaborate with nature to support their awareness
and success?</font></font></font><font face=”Calibri, sans-serif”><font color=”#000000″><font size=”3″>Ceremony
is key to guiding our clients into a collaborative relationship with
Nature and toward a deeper connection with Self. There are so many
ways to do ceremony while one is immersed in Nature! I especially
enjoy the Wander ceremony because it can be mission-based (as in
seeking the answer to a specific question or need) or it can be
mission-less (as in being open to learning something new). The Sit
Spot will be an essential ceremony to introduce to my clients as a
daily routine. There are also many “severance” ceremonies that
can draw on objects in Nature which can serve as metaphors for
aspects of our own lives; there is magic in the way natural objects
or settings can jump out at us with just the answers we are seeking,
appearing to us simply by us showing up and tuning in. I am also
interested in collaborating with nature on full-day and multi-day
outings with my clients who are ready for a longer, more intimate
experience in wilderness.</font></font></font><font face=”Calibri, sans-serif”><font size=”2″><font color=”#000000″><font size=”3″>Also,
search the web and share with us a few examples of individuals or
organizations who work with similar populations. Add to your post, a
comparative critique of these organizations based on what you know
about Nature-Connected Coaching. </font></font><font color=”#000000″><font size=”3″>
</font></font></font></font><font color=”#000000″><font face=”Calibri, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>Mynaturelink.org</font></font></font><font color=”#000000″><font face=”Calibri, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>:
</font></font></font><font color=”#000000″><font face=”Calibri, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>Lots
of talk about going deeper and connecting with one’s entire
self—which is defined as including one’s “…thoughts,
feelings/emotions, actions, spirit, and body…” –to create
lasting change. Also talk about “The Full Self (mind, body, soul,
spirit)” process used to create “…solidified direction,
inspiration, and solutions that guide the client in a collaborative
way.” These goals align well with what we are doing at EBI, but
little mention is given to connecting with Nature other than
“…working with the natural world.”</font></font></font><font color=”#000000″><font face=”Calibri, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>DancingMountainStorm.com</font></font></font><font color=”#000000″><font face=”Calibri, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>:
</font></font></font><font color=”#000000″><font face=”Calibri, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>Offers</font></font></font><font color=”#000000″><font face=”Calibri, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>
</font></font></font><font color=”#000000″><font face=”Calibri, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>Nature-Connection
coaching in addition to several other modalities. There is a good
page which describes Nature-Connected coaching as “…</font></font></font><font color=”#000000″><font face=”Calibri, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>blending
the skills and techniques of professional life coaching with the
unique skills of transformational wilderness work. Working in nature,
we collaborate with the natural world to inspire self-discovery and
support authentic, meaningful change. Through
nature-connected coaching, you enhance your well-being and connection
not only to yourself but also the natural world.” The coach, Joelle
Dunaetz, lists an impressive number of credentials including
certification as an NCC through EBI. </font></font></font><font face=”Calibri, sans-serif”><font size=”2″><font color=”#000000″><font size=”3″>Awarenesswithnature.com</font></font><font color=”#000000″><font size=”3″>:
“</font></font><font color=”#000000″><font size=”3″>Resilience
Coaching Through Nature”… uses the word “nature” frequently
on the main website but there isn’t much more information about the
actual modalities used. There are 2 separate subsidiary websites that
offer business coaching and group retreats. This seems like a great
way to collaborate with non-NCC coaches to cast a wide net for
potential clients. </font></font></font></font><font face=”Calibri, sans-serif”><font size=”2″><font color=”#000000″><font size=”3″>A</font></font>aronrentfrew.com<font color=”#000000″><font size=”3″>:
</font></font><font color=”#000000″><font size=”3″>A
compelling website. Not much talk about connecting with nature, but
an implication that adventure in unique natural settings can
facilitate great leaps in positive growth. I was impressed enough
with this site that I recommended it to my youngest son who is
unhappy with his current career path and is having trouble charting
his next step.</font></font></font></font><font face=”Calibri, sans-serif”><font size=”2″><font color=”#000000″><font size=”3″>
Use
citations from assigned readings (or other resources), your
experience over the weekend, and your past experience to discuss your
perspective.</font></font><font size=”3″> </font></font></font><font face=”Calibri, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>Way
back in the mid-eighties of the last century, having become
disillusioned with my chosen career in forest management, I took a
position with my local nature center. I was convinced that the
environmental issues we face as a society can never be solved without
educating younger generations about how life works on the planet. I
took some seminars and workshops in environmental education, only to
realize that most of what was offered focused on labeling things in
nature, and not so much on ecology. There was something missing in
the experiences we were providing for young and old alike. As stated
on the International Coaching Federation’s (ICF) website, web
searches for “Nature Coaching” often bring up references to
“…coaching sessions
carried out in the natural environment”
and/or “…experiences
of outdoor training or experiential learning.” In
a post by Diana Tedoldi on the ICF website, I found the following to
be spot on:</font></font><font color=”#000000″><font face=”Calibri, sans-serif”><font size=”3″> In
the first case [above},
Nature is considered simply in its bucolic/idyllic aspect capable of
generating relaxation and aesthetic enjoyment in the coachee through
sounds, scents and panoramas. Numerous scientific researches
demonstrate that these aspects positively impact our well-being. But
the role assigned to Nature, in this case, is reductive. Nature has
value in and of itself, beyond its usefulness for people. From this
anthropocentric perspective, Nature is still conceived as exclusively
at the service of man. And anthropocentrism is what we need to
overcome now, to guarantee a future for humankind and life on Earth.</font></font></font><font color=”#000000″><font face=”Calibri, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>Tedoldi
goes on:</font></font></font><font color=”#000000″><font face=”Calibri, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>In
both cases, Nature is considered a mere container and background of
experience and not an active subject, alive and participating in the
coaching relationship. In both cases, the focus is exclusively on
the benefits caused by Nature to people. In the second case, the
term (perhaps trendier) of “coaching” is used to refer to
training activities that have nothing to do with coaching. </font></font></font><font face=”Calibri, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>This
is what troubles me with some of the websites I researched. While
they give lip service to the importance of interacting with
Nature—this surrounded with stunning photos of wilderness
scenes—only a few of the sites offering Nature-Connected coaching
seem to grasp this concept. It may be that attendees to these
operations have life-changing experiences as a result of their
participation in these programs, but if Nature-Connected Coaching as
a modality for inner growth is going to be truly effective in
changing our collective relationship with our Earth Mother, then a
deeper, more Self, Soul, Spirit approach to interactive collaboration
with Nature is needed.</font></font> -
<title></title><style type=”text/css”>
</style><font face=”Calibri, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>Foundation
4 – Forum Discussion</font></font><font face=”Calibri, sans-serif”><font color=”#000000″><font size=”3″>When
you think about coaching and/or guiding others, who comes to mind?
What is the population that most excites you, and why? </font></font></font><font face=”Calibri, sans-serif”><font color=”#000000″><font size=”3″>Like
Sara, I believe that a nature-connected youth is sorely needed if we
are to manifest positive change in our own lives and to cultivate a
long-lost reverence for our Earth Mother. But when I think about
coaching and guiding others, the group that comes to mind are older,
young adults who are, for the most part, “out of the nest” and
are trying to navigate this crazy, neurotic culture we’ve created. I
see a lot of this age group—my wife has over a hundred young
employees in her five restaurants, ranging in age from 18 to 40. I
have interacted with many of these folks, and I can tell you that
many of them are struggling to find meaning in everyday life. Many
seem to have a disconnectedness from the world, no overall plan in
life, no soulful Vision. I believe these are perfect candidates for
nature-based connection. (As I write this, though, I do think I
would consider working with any age person who approaches me about
wanting to learn how to interact with Nature to better understand
their-self and to formulate actions and goals to achieve a more
fulfilling life).</font></font></font><font face=”Calibri, sans-serif”><font color=”#000000″><font size=”3″>How
do you imagine working with them?</font></font></font><font face=”Calibri, sans-serif”><font color=”#000000″><font size=”3″>I
have the good fortune to own a 65-acre farm property with fields,
forests and ponds. It is located in a very rural location, surrounded
by hundreds of acres of undeveloped woodland. My wife and I (with
help) raise grass-fed beef and pastured pork, and we grow organic
vegetables and cut flowers, all for use in my wife’s restaurants. I
can envision developing programs centered around the farm operation,
but also programs that rely on the wilderness aspect of the land,
too. In fact, my vision for my practice will definitely include a
wilderness-connection component, and when I complete the NCC training
I plan to seek certification through EBI as a Transformational
Wilderness Guide. I believe it can be said that many urban/suburban
young adults have very little experience with time in the wilderness.
I speak from my own experience when I say that the wilderness in a
vast and fertile ground for facilitating personal transformation and
growth.</font></font></font>
<font face=”Calibri, sans-serif”><font color=”#000000″><font size=”3″>What
would be the common categories of goals that you foresee them working
towards?</font></font></font><font face=”Calibri, sans-serif”><font color=”#000000″><font size=”3″>I
see my clients working generally toward a positive change in
consciousness where they become better connected and in contact with
Self. By developing full sensory awareness and attunement to the
present moment, self-discovery, goal-setting, creating outcomes, and
personal change are facilitated. And by guiding my clients to bring
Vision together with their dreams, then the dreams become more
powerful. And finally, eliciting personal responsibility and
accountability to achieve agreed goals will help keep the client on
the path the have created for their Self.</font></font></font><font face=”Calibri, sans-serif”><font color=”#000000″><font size=”3″>How
would you like to collaborate with nature to support their awareness
and success?</font></font></font><font face=”Calibri, sans-serif”><font color=”#000000″><font size=”3″>Ceremony
is key to guiding our clients into a collaborative relationship with
Nature and toward a deeper connection with Self. There are so many
ways to do ceremony while one is immersed in Nature! I especially
enjoy the Wander ceremony because it can be mission-based (as in
seeking the answer to a specific question or need) or it can be
mission-less (as in being open to learning something new). The Sit
Spot will be an essential ceremony to introduce to my clients as a
daily routine. There are also many “severance” ceremonies that
can draw on objects in Nature which can serve as metaphors for
aspects of our own lives; there is magic in the way natural objects
or settings can jump out at us with just the answers we are seeking,
appearing to us simply by us showing up and tuning in. I am also
interested in collaborating with nature on full-day and multi-day
outings with my clients who are ready for a longer, more intimate
experience in wilderness.</font></font></font><font face=”Calibri, sans-serif”><font size=”2″><font color=”#000000″><font size=”3″>Also,
search the web and share with us a few examples of individuals or
organizations who work with similar populations. Add to your post, a
comparative critique of these organizations based on what you know
about Nature-Connected Coaching. </font></font><font color=”#000000″><font size=”3″>
</font></font></font></font><font color=”#000000″><font face=”Calibri, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>Mynaturelink.org</font></font></font><font color=”#000000″><font face=”Calibri, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>:
</font></font></font><font color=”#000000″><font face=”Calibri, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>Lots
of talk about going deeper and connecting with one’s entire
self—which is defined as including one’s “…thoughts,
feelings/emotions, actions, spirit, and body…” –to create
lasting change. Also talk about “The Full Self (mind, body, soul,
spirit)” process used to create “…solidified direction,
inspiration, and solutions that guide the client in a collaborative
way.” These goals align well with what we are doing at EBI, but
little mention is given to connecting with Nature other than
“…working with the natural world.”</font></font></font><font color=”#000000″><font face=”Calibri, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>DancingMountainStorm.com</font></font></font><font color=”#000000″><font face=”Calibri, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>:
</font></font></font><font color=”#000000″><font face=”Calibri, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>Offers</font></font></font><font color=”#000000″><font face=”Calibri, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>
</font></font></font><font color=”#000000″><font face=”Calibri, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>Nature-Connection
coaching in addition to several other modalities. There is a good
page which describes Nature-Connected coaching as </font></font></font><font color=”#000000″><font face=”Calibri, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>“…</font></font></font><font color=”#000000″><font face=”Calibri, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>blending
the skills and techniques of professional life coaching with the
unique skills of transformational wilderness work. Working in nature,
we collaborate with the natural world to inspire self-discovery and
support authentic, meaningful change. Through
nature-connected coaching, you enhance your well-being and connection
not only to yourself but also the natural world.” The coach, Joelle
Dunaetz, lists an impressive number of credentials including
certification as an NCC through EBI. </font></font></font><font face=”Calibri, sans-serif”><font size=”2″><font color=”#000000″><font size=”3″>Awarenesswithnature.com</font></font><font color=”#000000″><font size=”3″>:
“</font></font><font color=”#000000″><font size=”3″>Resilience
Coaching Through Nature”… uses the word “nature” frequently
on the main website but there isn’t much more information about the
actual modalities used. There are 2 separate subsidiary websites that
offer business coaching and group retreats. This seems like a great
way to collaborate with non-NCC coaches to cast a wide net for
potential clients.</font></font></font></font><font face=”Calibri, sans-serif”><font size=”2″><font color=”#000000″><font size=”3″>Aaronrentfrew.com:
</font></font><font color=”#000000″><font size=”3″>A
compelling website. Not much talk about connecting with nature, but
an implication that adventure in unique natural settings can
facilitate great leaps in positive growth. I was impressed enough
with this site that I recommended it to my youngest son who is
unhappy with his current career path and is having trouble charting
his next step.
Use
citations from assigned readings (or other resources), your
experience over the weekend, and your past experience to discuss your
perspective.</font></font><font size=”3″> </font></font></font><font face=”Calibri, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>Way
back in the mid-eighties of the last century, having become
disillusioned with my chosen career in forest management, I took a
position with my local nature center. I was convinced that the
environmental issues we face as a society can never be solved without
educating younger generations about how life works on the planet. I
took some seminars and workshops in environmental education, only to
realize that most of what was offered focused on labeling things in
nature, and not so much on ecology. There was something missing in
the experiences we were providing for young and old alike. As stated
on the International Coaching Federation’s (ICF) website, web
searches for “Nature Coaching” often bring up references to
“…coaching sessions
carried out in the natural environment”
and/or “…experiences
of outdoor training or experiential learning.” In
a post by Diana Tedoldi on the ICF website, I found the following to
be spot on:</font></font><font color=”#000000″><font face=”Calibri, sans-serif”><font size=”3″> In
the first case [above},
Nature is considered simply in its bucolic/idyllic aspect capable of
generating relaxation and aesthetic enjoyment in the coachee through
sounds, scents and panoramas. Numerous scientific researches
demonstrate that these aspects positively impact our well-being. But
the role assigned to Nature, in this case, is reductive. Nature has
value in and of itself, beyond its usefulness for people. From this
anthropocentric perspective, Nature is still conceived as exclusively
at the service of man. And anthropocentrism is what we need to
overcome now, to guarantee a future for humankind and life on Earth.</font></font></font><font color=”#000000″><font face=”Calibri, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>Tedoldi
goes on:</font></font></font><font color=”#000000″><font face=”Calibri, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>In
both cases, Nature is considered a mere container and background of
experience and not an active subject, alive and participating in the
coaching relationship. In both cases, the focus is exclusively on
the benefits caused by Nature to people. In the second case, the
term (perhaps trendier) of “coaching” is used to refer to
training activities that have nothing to do with coaching.</font></font></font><font face=”Calibri, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>This
is what troubles me with some of the websites I researched. While
they give lip service to the importance of interacting with
Nature—this surrounded with stunning photos of wilderness
scenes—only a few of the sites offering Nature-Connected coaching
seem to grasp this concept. It may be that attendees to these
operations have life-changing experiences as a result of their
participation in these programs, but if Nature-Connected Coaching as
a modality for inner growth is going to be truly effective in
changing our collective relationship with our Earth Mother, then a
deeper, more Self, Soul, Spirit approach to interactive collaboration
with Nature is needed.</font></font><title></title><style type=”text/css”>
</style> -
Wow!
Sara, Joy, Lindsay and Hannah P,I have been struggling with the questions for this foundation for quite
a while, but now having read all of your posts on this I am inspired
with new ideas and vision! Yay! Thank you! -
<div>Hi Lindsay, great post! I love your description of surrendering to the present moment and waiting patiently for something to be revealed. It really is amazing how the answers do come, yes!, like magic, as you say. I think the challenge to us as coaches is to get our clients to that state of consciousness that comes after silencing all the mental chatter, letting go and simply being in the moment. Once the client is there, nature can take over. And I think that comes down to learning how to create and implement that collaborative coach/client/nature relationship you mention. How is it that we help the client let go of old habits, behaviors and beliefs? Well, you said it: By “Having [the client have] a very deliberate experience
interacting with nature and its immediate results/insights… .” Also, your post is inspiring! Your story about your threshold experience and how it has boosted not only your confidence in the NCC process, but also your own self-confidence, is so encouraging! So good to hear!</div>
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Reflect on your experience as a client in the “threshold”.
The feeling I experience in the threshold is like a point of no return. To get there I have taken a deep look into my self and my past. In doing so I have committed to an intention to change who I am and how I think about myself. I don’t know what the future holds. I don’t know exactly what I want, but I know I want something—it’s a knowing kind of feeling—and I know there is no going back. There is apprehension about what comes next, and there is fear;
but there is also a feeling of exuberance; I know I must surrender to this yearning to change my self. I must trust in my self. No one else can give me the answers I seek, but in surrendering to Nature I am washed clean and I know the answers will come.How does that experience inform your coaching and why?
This experience informs my coaching by imbuing within me the ability to understand and share the feelings of my clients. Having experienced the threshold myself, I can relate to the feelings my client is experiencing in his/her own threshold. There can be feelings of fear and apprehension of the unknown surrounding the surrender of the old self, as well as lively feelings of anticipation and excitement looking forward to the possibilities going forward. I, as coach, by being present in the moment and through deep listening to what my client is alluding to–often below the surface–and reflecting what I hear back to them, can generate an atmosphere of mutual trust. Doing so will help put the client at ease and will help foster meaningful dialogue in the coach/client relationship.
How did Nature participate in your process and what does that tell you about coaching others?
Nature is truly awesome! I can recall getting up from my meeting with the practice coach to do a “wander” in an effort to generate some answers to the “what’s” and “how’s” of my particular issue at the time. There was a bit of fear (of having no results), if not plain skepticism, about what Nature could possibly offer to me concerning my innermost dilemmas. As I wandered, I rounded a turn in the head-high vegetation to come upon a small opening in the forest, in the center of which was a most magnificent spruce tree. Its trunk was very large and it seemed to tower to an infinite height toward the sky. On the ground, radiating out a short distance from this enormous spruce, were dozens of spruce seedlings and saplings being sheltered by the their big parent. I felt deeply drawn to move in toward the large trunk; its lower branches hindered my movement, but in the end I was able to get close enough to embrace the tree and to put my cheek up against its bark. I stayed in the position for a time, sensing the energy coursing through the vascular system of this mighty giant. How staid and respectable it was. I could feel its strength, its perseverance over time, its ability to withstand most everything its environment has subjected it to. With this came a feeling of calmness, serenity and peace. These feelings led to the realization that I am, like the spruce, strong and steadfast in my commitment to inner growth. There was also a feeling of courage to keep on my course and to stay focused on my vision(s), along with a yearning to help younger generations in their growth toward the sky.What this tells me about coaching others is that Nature does has an uncanny way of offering metaphors for our own existence. These are not just self-imagined whimsies. It is hard to put into words, but it seems there is a palpable connection, a tangible transfer of information, or knowledge—even wisdom—that takes place within us when we are so deeply immersed in Nature. Nature reawakens a primal component of our psyche, long since dormant in many of us. My goal as a Nature-Connected Coach is to give my clients the tools to dive deep into this type of experience in their quest to know their true self.
What ICF core competencies are essential for you to practice and build on to feel confident in that “place” as a coach?
While the range of ICF core competencies spans issues pertaining to everything from the initial engagement of the client to the end of the coaching/client relationship, including everything in between, the core competencies that I feel are most important to practice and build on to feel confident when working with the client in the threshold phase are these:Foundation Competencies
Demonstrates Ethical Practice
In the early phase of the coach/client relationship it is important that I demonstrate personal integrity and honesty, and to create an atmosphere that allows the client see that I am sensitive to their life experiences, values and beliefs. It is also important that the client understands that any and all information they share with me will remain strictly confidential unless I am granted permission by them to share that information with other professionals. Establishing these guidelines early on in the relationship can help promote an ambiance of mutual respect, create a safe haven for the client, and can help put the client at ease, particularly during the threshold phase.
Embodies a Coaching Mindset
Working with a client in the threshold stage can be a delicate situation, and care in handling the coach/client discourse at that time is imperative. As a coach it is important to remember that the client has come to me seeking answers to life issues with which they are struggling. As such, I must recognize the courage and trust they place in baring their innermost feelings and beliefs to me. In order to be helpful to the client in the threshold stage I must reflect back to the client what I have heard while at the same time maintaining my own self-awareness, and drawing on my intuition to help guide the client to possible solutions to their issue(s). This means controlling my own emotions which might be triggered by the client’s story. As coach, being mentally and emotionally prepared for sessions is key in this regard.Co-Creating the Relationship
Establishes and Maintains Agreements
In order to facilitate and ensure a successful threshold experience for the client, preparation from the outset of the relationship is crucial. I see the importance of partnering with the client early on to determine what it is they want to accomplish in our sessions. In particular, what does the client feel they need to achieve in the session in order to resolve the issues they struggle with? It makes sense that partnering with the client to identify these issues ahead of time will help ease the transition into the threshold.
Cultivates Trust and Safety
As in demonstrating ethical practice, I feel that creating a safe, supportive environment that allows the client to share freely can be accomplished by displaying a respect for the client as they are. I need to try to understand the client in the context of their life experience up to the present. Showing empathy and concern and supporting the client’s feelings, beliefs and perceptions, I believe, would help to facilitate the creation of mutual respect and trust in the
relationship. As coach, being open and transparent is a way to share my own vulnerability and leads to building trust. I feel that the more comfortable the client feels working with me, the smoother the experience in the threshold will be.
Maintain Presence
While working with the client during the threshold phase, I want to be fully present, sensitive to, and curious about the client’s behavior; what observable characteristics are they exhibiting? What do those characteristics tell me? Staying focused and responsive to the client at this point is crucial, and I will need to be prepared to work with strong client emotions.Communicating Effectively
Listens Actively
I feel it is essential to always stay focused on not only what the client is telling me, but also what they are not telling me. I will need to learn to ‘read between the lines’–or to look behind the lines—to determine the context of what the client is saying. I will need to be alert to recognize when there is something underlying, deeper down, in the client’s psyche than what is being literally conveyed on the surface. I will need to learn to pick up on body language, shifts in the client’s tone of voice; these are signs pointing the way to what is really being communicated. This, coupled with summarizing and reflecting what the client has communicated, is crucial to ensuring clarity and understanding. This can only serve to enhance the client’s threshold experience.
Evokes Awareness
I see my role as coach to be working with my clients in a way that gives them insight and which fosters learning and growth. To be successful in this, I must learn to use powerful questioning, challenging, moments of silent pauses, metaphor and other tools and techniques. I will need to learn how to help the client expand their current way of
looking at things, and to encourage them to go deeper into their current, in-the-moment, experience. I must be adept at recognizing what seems to enhance my client’s progress and to adjust accordingly. Questions like “What can you see that would help move you move forward”, or “What are you willing to commit to going forward?” are key to motivating the client toward new perspectives.Cultivating Learning and Growth
Facilitates Client Growth
Learning something new about oneself doesn’t necessarily result in growth; one must commit to act on what one has learned. I consider it essential that I incorporate into my practice partnering with my clients to transmute new learning into positive, life-changing behaviors and world-view perspectives. I will need develop the ability to help clients conceive new goals and actions, along with strategies for accountability. Failing to help my client transform learning into growth defeats the whole point of the coaching process.I must add that the process of picking through the ICF Core Competencies as I have to complete this assignment has been extremely helpful and worthwhile to me. It’s all coming together!!!
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Hi Hannah,
Your description of the threshold feeling like being in Nature’s spotlight, of time slowing down and there being nothing more important than where one is on their path at that moment is wonderful. Being in that space of “presence and pure being-ness” is what it’s all about, isn’t it? Once there, anything is possible; I like where you say “anything is welcome.” I like that you mention the core competency of demonstrating openness and transparency as a means of displaying vulnerability and building trust with the client. I think that is one of the most crucial things that needs to happen in the coach/client relationship, and the earlier in the process, the better.
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Thanks for your kind words, Hannah. Reading back through what I wrote about core competencies I was reminded of the experience I had as coach in one of our practice sessions at StarHouse. (You were there as an observer). Boy, did I cross the line when it came to “maintaining my own self-awareness” and “controlling my own emotions.” I was totally enmeshed. The good news about that is now I know what “confluence” feels like and can hopefully head it off when I see it coming in the future.
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Hi Sara,
Thanks for your comment. Yes, I agree with you: If it weren’t for us, the Planet would be just fine. I think it’s safe to say the environmental movement is a manifestation of a deep-seated (although subconscious in most cases) guilt we have about what we’ve done and are doing to our Earth Mother. But it comes from a place of so much hubris and arrogance on our part. Like you say, who do we think we are, believing we can “save” the planet? The planet is demonstrating right now what it can do with the likes of us! It is we ourselves who need saving.
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Thanks, Toni. I frequently come away from my posts wondering if I was even on target, so this is a great affirmation for me! Earlier in my life I was involved in environmental education and worked at the local nature center and later for a summer camp that wanted to implement an environmental curriculum. The “psyche meets gaia” theme here reminded me of those days and how dissatisfied I was with the work. It seemed that all we were doing was teaching kids how to label plants and animals. There didn’t seem to be much soul to it, nothing beneath the surface, nothing so deep as psyche or spirit. So it comes as a great relief for me now to learn that the environmental folks are coming together with the psycho(!) crowd. It makes all the sense in the world and it transcends the educational model in favor of something so much more personal and soulful. Maybe there is hope!
