As coaches and thinking partners, we have a profound role in helping our clients deepen their self-awareness. This goes beyond surface-level understanding and extends into how they experience life: their emotions, desires, resistances, needs, boundaries, and potential options. Our work as coaches is not merely to guide our clients through cognitive exercises but to support them in exploring the full spectrum of their inner experiences.
On this blog post our founder Joseph Grech, a PCC Chartered Coaching Psychologist speaks with Maude Burger-Smith, a PCC Burnout Prevention Coach and Coach Trainer with Become.
Cognitive Thinking in Coaching: A Powerful, Yet Limited Tool
Joseph: Do you find tools that explore cognitions helpful in coaching?
Maude: Cognitive thinking tools and frameworks are fundamental in coaching. We use them to help clients expand their perspectives, challenge their thoughts, and assess the usefulness or truth of those thoughts. Through open and challenging questions, we engage the reasoning and logical parts of the brain. This cognitive work is invaluable; it provides clarity and helps clients articulate their thoughts, identify limiting beliefs, and explore different possibilities.
However, focusing solely on cognition limits the scope of self-awareness. Our clients are more than their thoughts; they are whole beings with emotions, sensations, and subconscious drives. To facilitate a deeper level of self-awareness, we must incorporate multiple modes of evocation into our coaching practice.
Expanding Awareness Beyond Cognition
Joseph: What are some modes of awareness we can tap into to support our coaching clients?
Maude: To more fully support our clients in expanding their awareness of self, we can tap into non-cognitive forms of awareness—those that involve emotions, sensations, and subconscious imagery. This can be achieved through tools such as breath awareness, felt sense practices, and visualisations. These practices allow clients to access parts of their subconscious that may be underdeveloped in their day-to-day lives.
Joseph: What is your guess as to why a more somatic approach might be underutilised in our day to day life?
Maude: In our fast-paced world, it’s easy for clients to rush from task to task, rarely pausing to check in with themselves. When we, as coaches, create space for clients to slow down and notice their habitual patterns, we open the door to deeper self-awareness and, ultimately, transformation. This process involves more than just thinking—it involves feeling, sensing, and visualising.
The Role of Breath, Felt Sense, and Visualisations in Coaching
Joseph: Can you give us some more detail on breath awareness, felt sense practices and visualisations as part of a coaching practice?
Maude: Sure! Here are some ideas:
Breath Awareness: Encouraging clients to focus on their breath can help them tune into their bodies and the present moment. It’s a simple yet powerful way to ground and bring awareness to physical sensations and emotions.
Felt Sense Practices: These practices involve guiding clients to notice sensations in their bodies that may be connected to their emotions or thoughts. By bringing attention to these sensations, clients can gain insights that are not accessible through cognitive processes alone.
Visualisations: Creating intentional images or scenes in the mind can help clients access and understand deeper layers of their subconscious. Visualisations can be particularly effective in helping clients explore desires, overcome resistance, and identify new possibilities.
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Practical Considerations for Coaches
Joseph: What are some practical considerations that coaches need to be aware of when using somatic practices?
Maude: When incorporating these practices into coaching sessions, it’s important to approach them with care and intentionality. Here are some considerations:
Explain and Agree on the Activity: Before beginning any visualisation or body awareness practice, explain the activity to the client and agree on the parameters. This ensures that the client feels safe and in control.
Take Your Time: As a coach, your regulation and comfort are essential. Slow your voice, create a relaxed environment, and ensure there’s enough time in the session to fully engage in the practice. Rushing through these activities can diminish their effectiveness.
Practice and Prepare: If you’re new to these practices, it’s natural to feel nervous. Practice with peers or colleagues to build your confidence and familiarity. The more comfortable you are, the more effectively you can guide your clients.
Respect the Client’s Autonomy: Always remember that the client is in charge. They decide when, how, and if they want to participate in these practices. It’s crucial to honor their boundaries and preferences.
Embody the Practices Yourself: The more you develop your own awareness of breath, movement, sensations, and emotions, the more present and effective you can be in sessions. Your own embodiment of these practices will enhance your ability to hold space for your clients.
Expanding Your Coaching Toolkit
By integrating non-cognitive practices into your coaching, you can offer a richer and more transformative experience for your clients. These tools allow for deeper exploration and can lead to profound shifts in self-awareness and behavior. To further develop your skills and comfort level with these practices, consider seeking out additional training or resources. Expanding your toolkit will not only benefit your clients but also enhance your own growth as a coach.
In a world that often prioritizes thinking over feeling, coaches have the opportunity to help clients reconnect with their full selves—mind, body, and spirit. By doing so, we open up new possibilities for awareness, growth, and transformation.
