Melissa Johnson
Forum Replies Created
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Final Post: After reading everyone’s posts, it seems like that partswork really has connected for so many of us. We came to EBI wanting to learn to coach and help others, yet so many of us learned more about ourselves in the long run. My intention was to take the course, gain knowledge, resources and tools in order to create a coaching career to help others re-connect back to themselves. Instead, while I absolutely got those things, was a profound outlook on life, a new love for myself, and a world of self discovery.
At EBI, I discovered a specific part of me, which we named Peter Pan. I had always thought I was immature, or just wanted to stay a child forever and couldn’t really understand why until my soul spoke to that part. It then felt OKAY and a sense of relief of having this part and acknowledging it, and knowing it lives within me always and will come out from time to time.
The Mandala creation was really powerful and I will be using this tool with clients as well. I think seeing your parts in front of your face in a physical way, and being to re-arrange those parts day to day, is a helpful tool to connect with yourself in the morning, through out the day, or before bed. I think that this tool will be really helpful for my clients to create, and take home with them, and continue to use through out our working relationship.
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Initial Post – I’m not currently working on a client but will be in the near future.
I would have to say Partswork was one of the most eye opening parts of EBI for me. While I’m not working with a client right now, I have talked about partswork to friends and coworkers. They usually get pretty excited to hear about what it is and how we can utilize it as a tool in our every day lives.
Most days we feel just like this one solid person and when I explain to someone about how each part plays a role in our life, they become intrigued and wanting to explore it more. I’ve worked with some friends on helping pull those parts out and guiding them towards naming and recognizing the parts. We discussed how the soul is the center and when you are coming from a place of judgement or negativity, that’s not the soul speaking, it’s a part, and it’s important to discover that part and see what’s coming up for it. I think the thing that most people sort of become shocked to hear is how no parts are bad parts, it’s just a part that is not currently serving you, and that has helped people to appreciate parts of themselves that they may have disliked previously.
In the future, I’d definitely like to use partswork as a guide to self discovery and self love. I think to love yourself is to love all of the parts about you and give them the recognition that they deserve. I believe helping guide someone to reach their soul directed place and speak to their parts will help that client create a relationship and a dialogue with themselves on a transcending level.
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*Summary Post* After going back and re-reading everyone’s initial and summary posts, one of the things I am noticing most for me, and for others, is consistency is a key factor. When time flies by between sessions for both the client and coach, it is hard to get back to a place of being in the right mindset with that subject. Life changes so much from day to day that the clients goals may shift weekly, and we must be able to dance around that and be fluid in that way. I’m learning that while coaching in nature has structure and tools, if you can keep a consistent flow with your client, they and you, will get the most out of the relationship.
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Initial Post: It’s been a long while since I’ve been in this forum and I’m glad to be here back posting. I know that most will likely not see this but just enjoyed reading over everyone’s posts and seeing what work they did with their clients. It’s really inspiring and makes me proud to have gone through this course with this special group of humans.
I’m not currently working with a client but have intentions to in the near future.
- What steps did you take to establish the Coaching Relationship and focus the session? – Usually with initially establishing that coaching relationship I intend on letting my client know that this is a safe space where our conversations and actions will stay between the two of us. I like to begin the session with a quick breathing exercise to release and tension of the day before walking into our safe space, and getting a proper mindset for the session. This also helps me to get into the moment and be fully present for the client.
- How did or could Long-Term Coaching fit into your nature-connected coaching session? – I feel like my entire life I have been coaching people and not even knowing it. So many folks through out my friends, coworkers, family, etc come to me with their pains, issues, struggles, venting, looking for a friend or advice. That’s what brought me here. I want to be a better resource for people to guide them to the path they know they want to be on. I think that nature is one of the great healers of the world and adding that into the mix elevates the experience.
- How did or could you collaborate with Nature and combine Long-Term Coaching and Nature-Connected Coaching principles? – Partswork is probably one of the favorite things we went through in the NCC course. I found it so powerful and moving to be able to put a name to all the parts and give them the recognition that may be lacking. I think Partswork will be a large piece in my long term coaching and I would like to explore and learn more about how that can be a major collaboration in my work.
- What did you learn about yourself and nature-connected coaching? – I’ve learned that it comes so naturally to me and it isn’t something that I had within me. Connecting to nature and the land around you really puts a lot into perspective on another level. For me personally, if I’m in a chair facing someone else, and have to talk about my feelings, I feel scared, stuck, closed off. When I’m in nature, walking, talking, feeling the sun, hearing the birds, watching the trees move, I’m an open book and feel myself wanting to express everything going on in my life.
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*Summary Post*
I’ve had a good amount of experience of grief in the past few years personally and attending the intensive helped me personally grow so much, and also helped me learn how to be there for others. I know that grief is a very delicate subject, but with the personal experience I’ve been through and the education I received at the intensive, I feel like this is a path I need to go down. I think that using my negative experiences and turning them into ways I can help others would be an incredible service.
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*Initial Post*
I haven’t had the experience of coaching a client through grief at this time but I feel completely prepared for it, more than I thought I ever would. While I haven’t had an official coaching session, I did have an experience after we came home from the intensive. I was with a friend, getting ready to go out and he got a phone call that his grandmother suddenly passed away.
I had literally gotten back from CO the day before so everything from the Grief intensive was very fresh in my mind. I held the space for my friend differently that I normally would have. Normally I would’ve tried to cause a distraction or use humor, which is some times okay, but in that moment, just being there in silence as my friend cried was what was needed. And I could really feel the energy from my friend letting me know that the silence and support was all that was needed in that moment.
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Cory – Sounds like working with partswork and that little meditation really helped your client. You really seem to show up for your client and hold that space for them very well. Great job!
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*Summary Post*
It’s really awesome to see how far everyone has come since their first posts. We were just barely comfortable with exposing ourselves with client work and now I see how far we are all digging into clients. Everyone seems to have their own approach, and it all works out the way it’s supposed to. There is no “by the book” method for any of us, we work with what we are comfortable with and what we know. Whether it be in the gym, on a farm, or on a journey, we all have started our own ways to use the skills we have obtained. The brain change courses have just gave us so much knowledge. It’s helpful to listen to clients talk about how they feel, or what they do, but it’s so powerful when you can tell them the science behind it.
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*Initial Post*
I always like to start off a session with establishing some kind of grounding first. I feel that helps the client to take a minute to themselves and focus on what they want to achieve during the session. It can be silent, breathwork focused, quick guided meditation or a moment of gratitude. Usually after that brief moment I will simply just ask what’s going on for them today and what does the client want to walk away with from the session.
One client I work with gets VERY stuck in her headspace and it’s been difficult for her to get to her heartspace. She is a co-worker and we do hour sessions during lunch breaks occasionally. Our environment outside of work is very busy, being in a city, and I think that could be playing a huge part in not being able to have that silence and nature around us. We have had a few sessions and usually all she wants to do is vent about work issues and one topic brought up trying to be perfect because her father has a very successful career. I think that’s a road we can dig deeper on, however, she’s quick to change the subject.
We spoke yesterday and we will be having sessions AFTER work from now on so we can really find the right environment for us. A more private space with less distraction and I am hoping that helps her to focus more deeper and what’s going on in the heartspace. While the convenience of the lunch breaks was great, it just doesn’t work right now, especially during winter, it’s frigid out there. Environment of where you have a session, whether indoor or outdoor, really can make a big difference in letting your client express themselves.
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Wow @ Strong Ben! This sounds like a great experience, not only for your client, but for you as well. To be able to see how nature can show up for client in your first NCC session sounds incredible. We have talked before about wanting to have sessions jump out of the gym and into nature and this session really knocked it out of the park for you.
Sounds like you gave the client just the right amount of space and instruction that was needed in the session for such a positive outcome. Great job!
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That sounds like such a rewarding session to be a part of and I’m not surprised you were the coach. It seems to me like you truly guided your client down a path of reaching the soul and the client taking action so quickly after the session is just so great to see.
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Wow, I love reading about how the distance didn’t matter when you both got into the zone and dived into Partswork. I realize I’m replying to this years later and virtual connection is a major source of life ever since Covid started so it’s really interested to see how far virtual human connection has come.
I’m really glad that the client was as into the session as you were as a coach. I believe if the client is in that space of being open, the session has a lot more room for connection. Way to go Sandy!
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I do agree with you that it’s really hard to get that true nature connection while being virtual. It leaves a space of disconnection some times and I think that it’s something that I personally want to be in person for as well.
However with today’s world now, thanks Covid, I do think there is opportunity to connect with nature virtually, it just may need to be in more creative ways. I’m still figuring it out myself.
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I loved reading this post. Having a client that is going through a lot and can’t seem to slow down but when taking that time and seeing a physical manifestation of the current situation seemed powerful. I love that the symbol guided you through this session.
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Adriana,
I think this will be an amazing experience for both you and your client. I cannot wait to hear more about how this trip goes, for both you as a coach and the client. I think organizing the session and having clear intent and some planning will go along way for this trip. Very curious to hear if the intent stays the course or how it varies.