The role of the coach is to facilitate motivational dialogue by listening to the client with empathy and acceptance
needed is conversation that will ignite and maintain the client’s own fi re – their intrinsic motivation.
Person as expert The person is always their own best expert. At some level, conscious or unconscious, they know why they choose certain behaviours. They live with their inner voice(s) that tell them why they can, can’t, should, shouldn’t act in a certain way. This inner dialogue concept is acknowledged in many psychological theoretical orientations, motivational interviewing, Gestalt, Transactional Analysis and so on. If the aim is for positive
curiosity to understand the person. They hold the space when internal discord, resistance and dissonance arise, without needing to ‘fi x it’ or rescue the situation. Working in this way builds autonomy in the person being coached – it allows them the freedom to make their own decisions in their own time. This type of helping
“Every human being has two sets of forces inside. One force clings to safety and defensiveness out of fear, tending to
regress backward, hanging onto the past, afraid to grow, to take chances, to
jeopardise what he already has, afraid of independence, freedom, separateness. The second force impels him forward
change and self-care, these voices need to be heard, accepted and understood. Empathic listening from the helper supports this. When the person can openly discuss what stops them, and their reasons for wanting change, without feeling judged, they become more empowered. They start to learn to become more self-accepting and begin to understand themselves: their barriers, defences, emotions and motivators. With this acceptance and understanding, they can be their own ‘best friend’ and make their best decisions. The helper’s role is to facilitate this motivational dialogue
by coaxing and encouraging the person to speak. The helper listens with empathy, positive regard, acceptance and a
May 2013 © Cybertrek 2013
toward wholeness and uniqueness of self, toward full functioning of all his
capacities, toward confidence in the face of the external world at the same time that he can accept his deepest, real, unconscious Self.”
Maslow, in Curzon (2004:115)
relationship requires an attitude of trust and belief in the person being coached
– something many ‘experts’ struggle with, especially when some behaviours they are witnessing are destructive to health. However, Carl Rogers, the father of person-centred working, believed a person only needed to experience these conditions once in a lifetime to build the resources they need. The individual may fall, relapse
and make mistakes, but when they are supported without criticism, judgement, berating or a need to fi x things, they learn for themselves – all of which builds self-acceptance and strengthens the inner resources needed to maintain long-term motivation.
Skillful helping Learning to help skillfully is a lifelong journey. It requires a desire to want to know and help, a desire to read between the lines of what clients say, an awareness and attention to their language, body language and an awareness of one’s own responses, gut feelings, sensations and so on.
Read Health Club Management online at
healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital 47
ALL PHOTOS:
SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84