Existential Perspectives on Coaching

Existential philosophies are concerned with reflecting on life and the human condition, helping us to think critically and creatively about the challenges of our lives and how best to meet them. This agenda-setting text illustrates how these ideas can be brought to bear on the practice of coaching.Existential Perspectives on Coaching shows how philosophical concepts can be used to illuminate clients' concerns, conflicts and life choices, and illustrates different ways of helping clients to take stock, reconsider their options and find a new path. Bringing together contributions from leading figures in the existential coaching field, the chapters are divided into three parts: • **Part I** outlines the essential values which underpin the existential approach and provides a clear framework for coaching existentially.• **Part II** explores the wide variety of settings in which existentially informed coaching can be used, from leadership and career development to life coaching.• **Part III** demonstrates how existential ideas can be used alongside other coaching approaches, such as NLP, CBT and Attachment Theory.With a clear, practice-focused approach, this text provides a robust foundation for existential coaching and is essential reading for all coaches, trainees, and those interested in the existential approach. Existential philosophies are concerned with reflecting on life and the human condition, helping us to think critically and creatively about the challenges of our lives and how best to meet them. This agenda-setting text illustrates how these ideas can be brought to bear on the practice of coaching. Existential Perspectives on Coaching shows how philosophical concepts can be used to illuminate clients' concerns, conflicts and life choices, and illustrates different ways of helping clients to take stock, reconsider their options and find a new path. Bringing together contributions from leading figures in the existential coaching field, the chapters are divided into three parts: • Part I outlines the essential values which underpin the existential approach and provides a clear framework for coaching existentially. • Part II explores the wide variety of settings in which existentially informed coaching can be used, from leadership and career development to life coaching. • Part III demonstrates how existential ideas can be used alongside other coaching approaches, such as NLP, CBT and Attachment Theory. With a clear, practice-focused approach, this text provides a robust foundation for existential coaching and is essential reading for all coaches, trainees, and those interested in the existential approach. Table of Contents 8 List of Figures 10 List of Tables 11 Notes on Contributors 12 Foreword 16 Part I The Philosophical and Ethical Framework of Existential Coaching 22 1 The Existential Ideology and Framework for Coaching 24 2 Authenticity in Existential Coaching 42 3 Paradox in Existential Coaching 53 Part II Existential Coaching in Different Contexts 66 4 Existential Coaching and Major Life Decisions 68 5 Career Development as a Life Changing Event 81 6 Coaching Leaders from an Existential Perspective 93 7 Conflict Coaching Using an Existential Approach 105 8 Using Existential Integrated Coaching in the Workplace 122 Part III Bringing an Existential Approach to Other Theoretical Coaching Models 136 9 Let Your Body Be Your Coach: An Experiential-Existential Perspective on Embodied Coaching 138 10 Existential Coaching First, Neuro-Linguistic Programming Second 149 11 Existentialism and Attachment – Making Meaning with Our Clients 163 12 Existential Coaching Using the MBTI® and FIRO-B® Psychometric 175 13 Cognitive Behavioural Coaching – Friend or Foe for the Existential Coach? 187 14 Why Mindfulness Based Existential Coaching' 196 Notes 209 References 211 Index 222 "The existential approach provides a unique focus on human life that is eminently relevant to coaching. Edited by a key name in existential psychotherapy, the book outlines the parameters of existential coaching in a wide variety of contexts and alongside other models, exploring how this approach can be used in coaching work."--Publisher's website