Coaching and mental health
Who would have thought that ‘mental health’ would be talked about as much as climate change, wars or economy? Who would have expected the US Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, to call it the ‘biggest health concern’ at the beginning of this month?
While it’s great to now have this topic on the table, I admit that I am astonished at how little the positive contribution of coaching to psychological well-being is being picked up in the discussion. And yet more and more research confirms what coaching experts and clients have said for a long time:
Coaching creates a protected space to just be myself, to become aware of a given situation and how it relates to me; coaching offers a space to rediscover who I really am – and psychology has always underlined that self-awareness is the foundation for good mental health.
This new awareness of the situation and myself allows new perspectives to arise; new ways to look at and deal with a situation multiplies the options I have to take the situation forward, I’m not ‘trapped’ any more. Not only does this make me feel much better, but we know that reclaiming a sense of agency increases our performance.
Feeling empowered to deal with the situation evidently lowers stress and anxiety levels and allows forward strategies and purpose to emerge. It’s easy to imagine what it does to our lives, if the feeling of ‘being stuck’ or ‘drowning’ is replaced with new vision, passion and clarity about the way forward.
Coaching also provides the needed support to operate and maintain change. The coach partners with the person to identify and explore underlying unhelpful thought and behavioural patterns that contribute to the mental burden. And, like a trainer, the coach supports and encourages, until the new mindsets and behaviours are well established. Not feeling left alone to deal with the change, but being cheered on and held accountable, lifts a person to a new level of confidence. And feeling able to meet the demands of life is a big part of what mental health is about.
While there are many facets and solutions to mental health issues, we can contribute to stemming the rising tide by accommodating regular moments of serenity, reflection and new-perspective-creation through offering our people the opportunity of coaching.