Approach to Coaching

Heartsong Approach

Approach

“We act as if Comfort and Luxury were the chief requirements of life, when all that we need to make us Happy is something to be Enthusiastic about”
~ Albert Einstein

What makes your heart sing? When you create a vision of your life, is the story you are telling confident and hopeful? Or, could the picture use some re-focusing?

The Heartsong coaching practice is based on the principles of appreciative inquiry, positive psychology, cognitive behavior theory, and flow. I use these principles to help you gain clarity and move forward in a positive direction. For more information on these principles, see below.

Appreciative Inquiry & Positive Psychology

Research shows that you can be happier, more optimistic, and find more meaning in life regardless of your circumstances.

However, happiness is much more than a destination. Not only can your happiness be increased, this happier state itself leads to increased creativity and productivity, higher salaries, greater social support, better health and longer life spans, among other benefits.

Feeling positive has in fact been compared to having “money in the bank” that you can spend in the pursuit of other goals.

Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is a positive psychology-based method that focuses on strengths. In coaching, you will learn to re-write your own personal story and to become crystal clear on what you want more of from life. This leads you to focus on your positive core and allows you the freedom to break through the walls of your limiting beliefs.

Cognitive Behavior Coaching

Cognitive behavior coaching is based on the idea that our thoughts drive our feelings and behaviors. This means that we can control how we feel and act, despite our external circumstances. A shift in perception is often all that is needed to make huge leaps forward.

In coaching, I use “The Work” of Byron Katie and teach self-coaching techniques to help clients dissolve limiting beliefs and make positive shifts in their thinking patterns.

Flow

Have you ever been so engaged with what you were doing that all distractions and even time itself seemed to disappear? It may have been when you were working on a hobby or doing a sport that you love. People sometimes call this being “in the zone”.

Mihaly Csíkszentmihályi (cheek-sent-me-high) constructed a theory about this captivated state called flow. In his theory, Mihaly notes that people who cited “enjoyment” as their primary reason for pursuing some activity were typically more successful and garnered the greatest satisfaction from their work.

Being in the flow state has many benefits, including an aftermath of positive emotions and a greater overall sense of contentment. In coaching, I can help you discover your flow activities, as well as help to reshape your environment to foster this experience.