Holistic Coaching
What is Holistic Coaching?
Holistic is the adjective that indicates that something is relative or belongs to holism. Etymologically, the term is formed from the Greek word “holos”, which in English means ‘total’, ‘whole’, ‘entire’. It therefore refers to the fact that a system and its properties are analyzed as a whole, in a global and integrated manner.
In many cases the reason for many sufferings is not physical, but emotional and generally the root of the problem is usually of a spiritual nature. Holistic Coaching considers the integrity of the human being whose fundamental elements are the body, mind, soul and spirit.
Dr. Deepak Chopra explains how important are the thoughts with which we feed ourselves every day and how they positively or negatively affect our bodies. The interrelationship in people's lives between what they think and feel is also manifested in their behaviors. Understanding the principles of this bio-psycho-spiritual interconnection is the cornerstone of Holistic Coaching.
When you start a coaching process, you begin to review habits, emotions, blockages or beliefs and to discover everything that is limiting you and does not let you move forward.
Holistic coaching helps the person to recognize and transform their potential in the areas of life that need it, whether physical, mental, emotional and spiritual, so that they can find inspiration, motivation and continue their personal growth; allowing to get in touch with their own emotions and also with the body.
It is about making changes from the inside to the outside with the aim of creating wellness. And it has to do with increasing one's awareness of mind, body and soul keeping in mind, primarily, that each person is unique and that small changes can have a valuable and considerable impact in terms of stress management, dealing with obstacles or overall development.
It is a process, a transformation that will provide the individual with the tools and techniques that work best for them, with the aim of leaving behind their beliefs, habits or patterns by which they feel hindered or impeded. Holistic coaching will lead you to a broader understanding of your situation in order to lead you to the best solution. Sessions are a confidential, client-centered experience.
The role of the coach will be to provide support and guidance helping the person to understand life from another perspective as it will focus on finding the root of the problem. It will also lead to the result that the client is looking for by obtaining a positive vision, feeling calm and balance in what worries them.
The coach provides a safe, creative and non-judgmental space in which the coachee can achieve the desired and stated results. This is achieved by asking stimulating questions to trigger interesting thoughts, listening to aid exploration and reflection and also developing an action plan to execute after the session.
Another important part of the job is to remember that the coach is not there to solve the person's problems, but to ask them the right questions that will help them discover, on their own, the solutions they need. Finally, they must be able to communicate clearly and concisely with the coachee.
We are witnessing permanent world changes in global contexts each time, from greater uncertainty, unpredictability, extremely complex and turbulent scenarios. All this entails the need to adapt to these new scenarios in order to survive. That is why a new model of leadership and emotional intelligence is necessary.
“In times of changes those who are open to learnings will own the future. Meanwhile, those who believe they already know everything will find themselves fully equipped to operate in a world that has ceased to exist”. Eric Hoffer
“Emotional Intelligence is the ability to recognize our own feelings, and those of others, to motivate ourselves and manage our emotions, in ourselves and in our relationships”. Daniel Goleman
During the solution-oriented Coaching sessions, the person can achieve greater self-knowledge, become aware of what was so far unknown and take responsibility for it. Making the unconscious conscious enables action and generates new movements connected to the field of possible solutions.
Within this approach, it is understood that the human being is consistent between language, body and emotions. Therefore, a fundamental skill of any successful person today is to be able to observe, identify and enable different emotional states to achieve their goals. Thus, the use of Emotional Intelligence has important benefits for those who want to exploit their full potential.
The commitment with oneself will be key to carry out the particular process of self-improvement since, it is well known, changes do not happen overnight but require a deep predisposition to manifest themselves.
Flexibility is also a crucial part of a coaching relationship. As stated earlier, we live in a constantly changing world, so it is important to adapt as circumstances change. Thus, the coaching process requires evaluation of the designed plan to realistically determine if the chosen path is still the most effective way to achieve the desired results. If the answer is “no”, the process must be adapted to meet the current needs or situation.
... “Coaches help individuals create visions and goals for all aspects of their lives and create multiple strategies to support the achievement of those goals. Coaches recognize each individual's brilliance and personal power to discover their own solutions when provided with unconditional and positive support, accountability and consideration.” Patricio Williams
The coaching process begins with an agreement for the session. Assessing the situation at the beginning of the process is crucial to approach each session with a clear understanding of the person's concerns and the things that seem to be blocking progress. Assessing what the individual's current circumstance is: Current State is critical to establishing such an agreement. This agreement will also detail the Desired State as a goal, as well as the resources and obstacles that appear along the way.
It is important to build a strong coaching relationship and create a comfort level between the person and the coach. There must be a safe and supportive environment in which the coaching takes place. The coach's responsibility is to create an environment of respect and trust in the coaching relationship. The only way for this process to be productive and successful is to create the foundation for an open and honest dialogue between both. With this in mind, this step must be firmly established before any exchange begins.
Working on the plan agreed upon by both parties at the beginning is key to follow a meaningful path towards the goal established. It is important to remember that the developed solutions and strategies are taken from the client. The coach provides support to enhance the skills, resources and creativity that the client already has.
The combination of pure coaching with NLP tools and techniques and the systemic approach offer the person options to change their perspective, as well as new styles of communication with others. The client is ultimately responsible for taking the steps to produce the results they desire.