I believe in person-centric, client-led coaching around what it means to be a human being and how to see life in a way that works usefully. There are many books, mental models, and schools of thought about "how we are" as human beings. Sometimes, I have gleaned something from a book that can be [...]
What is Next Level Listening? Next Level Listening is a toolkit synthesized from communication theory, non-verbal communications training, and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP). When used in a traditional ICF certified coaching context these tools add depth and insight to coaching conversations, allowing the coach to reflect back observations that create new awareness and finer distinctions about non-verbal behavior. [...]
When sharing experiences with one another it is easy to believe we are communicating in literal terms. Closer examination reveals that most communication is abstracted into metaphor. Our life is shared with others through both subtle and colorful abstractions. I’ve been exploring, studying, and training in transformational modalities for nearly two decades. Figures such as Virginia [...]
Have you been told you are fault-finding, overly critical, or a bummer to be around? Odds are you are using a mismatch sorting strategy and it is affecting your life. This mindset can prevent joy and connection from happening, leading to loneliness, frustration, and maybe even depression. Sometimes finding what's wrong is a valuable skill, and in [...]
Even smart people sometimes need to "get unstuck." Part of my coaching practice is helping clients to move behavior from the “automatic” to the “aware” parts of their brains. There is plenty of scientific research supporting the neurological basis of our behavior. We can, indeed, make choices that change our thinking and thus alter the structure of our brains. Change [...]
Negative sentences have a very powerful effect on human consciousness. Structuring sentences in our minds is a habit that is built from years of practice and reinforcement from family and peers. In fact, the habit of negative sentences and thoughts pushes away people who are positive. Negative sentences literally create bad feelings in others by the [...]
In coaching we are co-creating toward a change or shift in your life. In Neuro-Linguistics we have a model for identifying how you are doing something in your life and through careful distinctions identify the underlying "program" that runs it. Through the coaching process we are looking to define the starting point of a behavior [...]
Recently I was visiting Portland, OR with my family and found myself at Powell's World of Books (If you've never been, please get there - the place is AMAZING). I ended up with a little stack of books related to my field, and really enjoyed NeuroLogic: The Brain's Hidden Rationale Behind Our Irrational Behavior by [...]
In my work as a coach I have learned much about how to ask good coaching questions. Questions are at the heart of coaching - the sort of questions that as an individual we don't always know how to ask ourselves. If we knew the right thing to do immediately, we'd likely just do it. We [...]
Coaching is a discipline that requires a harmony between body and mind. To stay in tune with my clients I am continually reading and re-reading books that help me understand and connect with them. This book, The Secret Language of Feelings A Rational Approach to Emotional Mastery by Cal Banyan is truly amazing. What are [...]