In life, many individuals may face challenges, obstacles and problems of one sort or another. Under the main umbrella term of Life Coaching are more specialised niche areas of interest.

Of particular interest is Spiritual/Holistic Coaching with a view to creating a life that is in balance using a holistic and flexible approach. Many individuals have areas of their lives whereby everything is in order and things are running smoothly. However, in other areas they may be facing difficulties, and things just feel out of sync. Life is about achieving balance so that everything works in synergy.

For instance, if someone works hard, does lots of overtime in order to provide for their family and pay the bills, but makes little time for rest and relaxation, at some stage there will be some sort of fall out. If an individual ‘burns the candle at both ends’ it will eventually result in meltdown.

By paying attention to the whole person, that is to say their mind, body and spirit, an individual may become better placed to deal with problems, and the challenging situations that they may come up against in different areas of their lives.

In addition, if an individual takes care of their whole self with a view to becoming more grounded and centred then that person will be in a better position to help others as well as themselves, and more importantly the people who are important to them.

Many people who are in a carer type role often give much of their daily time, energy and effort into making someone else’s life easier. Think of the child who is now the adult, looking after an ageing parent.

The roles have been reversed and the child is now in the parental role. Often these same people are also caring for their own children or grandchildren even, working at jobs, doing school runs, running their own households, trying hard to look after everyone else but neglecting to look after themselves. This is just one example of the type of person that could benefit from Life Coaching and more specifically Holistic/Spiritual Coaching.

By addressing and focusing on the whole person, Holistic/Spiritual coaching may facilitate transformation and healing in many areas of an individual’s life. The example above about someone in a carer role demonstrates that if we are to look after others, and do it well, then we must first look after ourselves. It is not selfish but necessary.

If the Carer has an emotional, physical or mental breakdown then the ageing relative will lose that carer for a short while or more indefinitely. This is where Holistic/Spiritual Coaching may be of use. The use of Spiritual here refers to a sense of spirituality rather than overt religion.

If people are in a state of balance, they are more able and capable of dealing with the pressures of life and any problems that may arise. Holistic/Spiritual Coaching can help an individual by helping them find their sense of self. Often people who are overdoing things in one or more areas of their lives often lose their sense of self, they get lost and lose momentum. It can be hard to carry on.

A holistic coaching approach may help an individual realign themselves and help them work on those parts of themselves that need care and attention.

A Holistic/Spiritual Life Coach can help the Client/Coachee access their full potential using an integrative approach.

All humans are unique, and what works for some people may not work for other. It is for the Coach to listen and focus on what the Coachee is telling them so that together they can work out what action/approach the Coachee needs in order to reach their full potential.

It could be that the Coach offers encouragement in getting the Coachee to  consider trying things like mindfulness, yoga, and/or meditation. It could be about discussing nutrition and getting them to think about how best to nourish themselves so they have more energy. Sometimes people are so rushed in life that they do not eat properly.

Think of the night shift worker who grabs a quick processed microwave meal between one shift and another. Poor nutrition will have a detrimental effect over a period of time and therefore will affect performance in other areas of life. The session/s could be about motivating the individual to examine specific areas that are out of balance.

Maybe the Coachee is not getting enough sleep, or enough exercise. Maybe the demands on their time are so extreme that they have little or no time for themselves, and are becoming short tempered or numbing out with drugs or alcohol or maybe they look to stimulants to energise them in times of exhaustion.

Lots of people just need help to redirect, recharge and rebalance and Holistic/Spiritual Coaching may help with that.

The aim is to help the Coachee regain that sense of balance in life so that they can perform better in their daily tasks, regain their sense of identity and self and create a life that runs more smoothly.

It’s not about perfection. It’s about balance and creating a strong foundation from which the individual can deal with the ups and downs of life.

There is a wonderful poem by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, called An Obstacle.  It conveys just what it can be like for an individual who has lost their balance in life. Everything seems like an uphill struggle, time is short, and there is too much to do.

Life is full of obstacles and challenges, and sometimes we just need to know that we are not alone, and that we do have the strength to go on, we can manage our time better, and in reality we do know what we need to do but we just need someone to motivate us and help us regain our power and encourage us to take action to getting where we want to be.

By seeing the person as a complete human being and helping them work on those parts that are out of balance Holistic/Spiritual Coaching may be just the thing to offer a helping hand.

Copyright – Liola Lee. Open College UK Ltd student.

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