This is a message to my coaching friends,
As a spiritual care provider and wellness coach, I'm a true believer in the limitless potential of the coach-client relationship. I've seen transformation occur in relatively short periods when authentic connection is made. However, one of the most challenging aspects I've witnessed for coaches without a clinical background are the unknowns around what is appropriate to address in coaching and when it is best to refer to a licensed therapist.
Some coaches are unsure how to navigate challenging behaviours and content such as disclosure of childhood abuse or domestic violence, emotional dysregulation (outbursts of anger, sadness or hopelessness) avoidance and procrastination (can be very frustrating when trying to help a client move forward!), financial troubles, addictions, projection, blame and judgement toward others, to name a few.
From the healing work I have done in my own life and the work I've done for the past 20 years in community and institutional mental health, I believe the root of most, if not all of these behaviours lies in unprocessed trauma in the body and mind.
Trauma can be an area coaches feel unqualified to work in. If they do address it there’s the fear of leading someone into the unknown or being disapproved of because they are not licensed practitioners. In any setting, there are always key factors that must be considered. If a client discloses or threatens harm to herself or another, or is involved in something illegal, this is 100% the time to act and connect them to a medical or mental health professional. Prescription medications should only be managed under the supervision of a medical doctor. It is essential for anyone working with people to be mindful of these areas.
But the reality of life is that trauma affects all of us, a lot of the time. Many of us find ourselves working through our own traumatic memories along with our clients. During these times, it can be difficult to discern what is ours and what is theirs. I see this as part of the human experience and something to be aware of. And we need appropriate boundaries in place to manage it. Being trauma-informed is not about digging up the past and dissecting it but understanding how trauma impacts us and normalizing it.
It is important we educate ourselves around what trauma is, how it affects the physical body (sometimes through illness, fatigue and pain) and how it can wreak havoc on emotions and our closest relationships. As coaches, recognizing these factors can make a world of difference in our approach and our ability to support.
Over the past two decades, I’ve learned how to recognize and respond to triggers and symptoms of trauma personally and professionally. It has made all the difference in my ability to empathetically and authentically connect with my clients. I felt a strong pull to share what I’ve learned and combine this with the knowledge and experience of mental health professionals who specialize in treating trauma. And most importantly, I felt the need to open this up to all helping professionals to empower and equip them to support their clients as they heal. There are many practices and tools that any helping professional can apply in situations where they feel ill-equipped, from an experiential point of view.
If you see yourself or a coach you know benefitting from this approach, I'd like to invite you to our upcoming event on October 25th; The Intuitive Wellness Summit. This is a daylong event filled with educational and experiential learning around a holistic approach to trauma. You'll learn simple and powerful practices that help keep you in balance and alignment first. Then we will be providing hands-on tools to assist in client emotional awareness and body/mind relaxation so you can lead and support your clients during those difficult moments. We'll also be sharing trauma-release techniques for deep mind/body connections.
In a relaxed, retreat-like setting 10 minutes north of Toronto, you'll have an opportunity to meet others in the field and connect to larger circles of clinicians and therapists should you need to refer a client. It will be an inspirational and informative day you won’t want to miss.
If you'd like to learn more please visit our event page and meet our presenters. We’d also like to extend preferred professional coaching pricing to you for $50 off your registration rate. Just enter the code CONNECT when you register to receive this offer. If you have any questions feel free to contact us anytime at info@shaunamayer.com
We would love to support you as you support others. Hope you can join us for this very special training day.
Warmly,
Shauna
shaunamayer.com/specialevents
