3 Sep 2021

The missing link in coaching and development:

Why the integral approach works

My first introduction to coaching was through an employer’s wellness program.  They provided coaches for fitness, nutrition, or life as a part of our benefits package. I remember getting a nutrition coach because after years of running and eating whatever I wanted, a back injury ended my training for the Marine Corps Marathon.  The decrease in cardio, and an increase in weight gain, led me to a pseudo-keto diet, which, skyrocketed my cholesterol levels.

The nutrition coach provided good guidance on eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fewer eggs, good fats, fish and lower-fat meats.  I suppose it did some good, but my eating and drinking habits were related to much deeper issues related to growing up a girl in a large matriarchal but male-dominated Italian family, being bullied as a child, and caring for and then losing my mother (and my best friend) to dementia.  My inner critics were alive, well, and at-large.

In addition to nutrition coaches, I’d seen therapists, energy healers, massage therapists, and spine specialists and attended leadership training programs, seminars, and yoga sessions.  I did Headspace, read self-help books, and exercised in ways that didn’t further injure my body.  But it didn’t all come together until I learned about integral coaching.

I quickly realized that most coaching and development programs ignored me and who I was as a person.  These programs and approaches went from current problem to immediate solution rather than taking the time to understand my current way of being in the world, and the suits of armor I had created around myself, the qualities I’d developed to survive and be seen in the world.

For anyone who wants any type of coaching, executive, career, or individual, the integral approach sets the foundation for real, lasting change.  This is why:

#1: It often starts in the midst of a crisis

Divorce, a layoff, an illness, the death of a loved one, the consequences of a serious natural disaster are painful crisis points that create openings for change.  Sometimes when we’re at our lowest points in life, the cracks we feel in our hearts are the entry points for light, healing, and change.

Crisis points aren’t all bad ones. You might be having a mid-life crisis, just been promoted, or be leading a new team.  Maybe you just received funding for a new start-up and need help hiring the right people, or have to give a keynote presentation to thousands of people.

When you’re at your lowest, or most confused, or when you’re facing great challenges, the mind and heart are more open to the possibilities of life, the presence of greater powers in the universe, and those who come forward to help you.

Winston Churchill famously said, “Never let a good…crisis go to waste.” This goes hand-in-hand with Sun Tzu’s, “In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity.” Integral coaching helps you take advantage of these opening points to effect the greatest change.

#2: It gets to the heart of your life

Integral coaching helps you get to the core of who you are and provides practical ways to bring more of you into the world, be more at ease with yourself, and the way life is. Most of us spend almost 100% of our time in our heads, occupied by incessant thinking, worrying, planning, and ruminating.  We are so busy thinking that we ignore the intelligence of our hearts and bodies to guide us through challenges and times of change.

We may not be consciously aware of what we’re telling ourselves, what we show the world, our relationships and culture, or our environment and surroundings. Through the integral process, you will pause to connect with your whole self, gaining a deeper understanding of your true nature and essential positive qualities.

Integral coaching helps you to see what is in your heart, the light that is trying to shine through you, but that is being obstructed by your current way of being in the world.

#3: You uncover your true identity

Divorce, a layoff, an illness, the death of a loved one, the consequences of a serious natural disaster are painful crisis points that create openings for change.  Sometimes when we’re at our lowest points in life, the cracks we feel in our hearts are the entry points for light, healing, and change.

Crisis points aren’t all bad ones. You might be having a mid-life crisis, just been promoted, or be leading a new team.  Maybe you just received funding for a new start-up and need help hiring the right people, or have to give a keynote presentation to thousands of people.

When you’re at your lowest, or most confused, or when you’re facing great challenges, the mind and heart are more open to the possibilities of life, the presence of greater powers in the universe, and those who come forward to help you.

Winston Churchill famously said, “Never let a good…crisis go to waste.” This goes hand-in-hand with Sun Tzu’s, “In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity.” Integral coaching helps you take advantage of these opening points to effect the greatest change.

#4: You will hold yourself accountable

A better understanding of yourself alone does not affect change.  To experience real, lasting change, you must combine awareness of your current way of being with a series of practices and exercises that support the development and embodiment of a new way of being.  Your integral coach co-creates this with you.

Integral coaching helps you to build the foundation to address any issue you might have in life, finding a new job or career, getting promoted, re-entering the workforce, managing through complex or difficult relationships, or building a new business.

Now, I’m settled, having learned more about myself, my purpose in life, and the path that I have ultimately decided to take.  My integral coaching practices are ongoing and support me in continued development as a human being, where I can weather whatever wave comes my way.

The tools and practices you’ll acquire through integral coaching will help you address your immediate problems, but it will last you a lifetime, helping you to live the dreams you’ve imagined.

Blue Glass Company specifically works with individuals to develop integral coaching plans in partnership with you.  Make it easier on yourself by contacting us today for a free consultation.

Renee Patton is a certified life and executive coach. She's helped hundreds of people with major career, life, and personal changes. If you're interested in coaching, schedule your free consultation with Renee here.

 

Renée Patton – renee@blueglasscompany.com – (877) BGLASS1