“All the worlds a stage, and all the men and women merely players. There are exits and entrances, and one man in his life plays many parts.”
William Shakespeare
Shakespeare’s famous quote portraying the world as a continuous stage and actors as having multiple parts, can be compared to human development over the lifespan. These key life stages are commonly referred to as developmental transitions, turning points or life chapters, and are both predictable and unpredictable.
Developmental Transitions
How coaching can help
Although each stage on the journey presents with different challenges and may vary in terms of age or causes of change, research has shown that the mindset and narrative we bring has the potential to alter our perspective and experience.
Coaching can optimise the experience of change and facilitate the process of transition by:
- Providing a supportive and nurturing environment to explore options.
- Helping to cultivate psychological skills and adaptively navigate change.
- Managing uncertainty and gaining control.
- Increasing self awareness and meaning-making.
- Changing thinking patterns and limiting beliefs.
- Designing sustainable plans for optimal performance and well-being.
Coaching will typically focus on:
- Creating awareness of key developmental life stages, transition points and patterns.
- Identifying the fundamental and unique needs, challenges and issues of each individual.
- Helping to make sense of the changes and learn new ways of being.
- Broadening perspective taking capacity.
- Restructuring thought patterns and narratives.
- Strengths identification, utilisation and building.
- Finding meaning and purpose while adjusting to a new phase of life.
- Relationship strategies, communication and connection.
- Strengthening psychological capacity with coping tools and strategies.
- Self-Compassion.
- Mindfulness.
- Goal setting and exploration of multiple options.
- Defining and identifying core values.
- Aligning values with purposeful action.
- Solution focused thinking.
- Systems thinking.
- Optimal functioning, well-being and life satisfaction.
Who can benefit from coaching?
Although individuals at all stages can benefit, our expertise focuses on parents, teens and young adults, women in transition and positive ageing.
Parent Coaching
Why do I need coaching to be a parent?
Parenting is one of the most challenging and unique roles we encounter as adults. It can be overwhelming, frustrating and scary especially in the tween and teen years when biology steps in and physical, mental and emotional changes start to create havoc and change relationships.
As parents we all want the best for our kids. But we often forget that in the middle of all our efforts stands a young person trying to figure out who they are, how they’re going to fit in and what choices they should make.
The complexity of modern society, technology and the endless distractions and demands has seen an unprecedented rise in stress and anxiety from a young age.
This requires a shift from traditional parenting approaches, an understanding of the development and function of the teenage brain, and the capacity to communicate and connect with kids in a way that maintains connection.
What is Parent Coaching?
Parent coaching is based on the philosophy that all people (even your teenagers) are essentially good and wish to be respected and acknowledged for who they really are at the core. It aims to teach parents coaching skills and solution focused tools to:
- Adopt a coaching approach within the family unit.
- Build functional independence and life skills for day to day success.
- Strengthen relationships with their tweens, teens and the whole family.
- Create open, honest relationships based on mutual respect, trust and love.
What are the benefits of learning the skills of a parent coach?
- Embrace a new language that encourages open communication and connection.
- Create mutually respectful and cooperative communication.
- Build a trusting, open and honest relationship with your pre-teens and teens.
- Identify what gets in the way of connecting with all your family members.
- Find a new way to parent with compassion.
- Adopt a posture of acceptance and non-judgement.
- Nurture your teens unique personality type.
- Empower all family members to understand the principles of choice and individual responsibility.
- Move from chaos and conflict to support, encouragement and harmony.
- Promote responsibility, self-accountability and independence.
- Learn the tools of prevention now rather than needing intervention later.
- Transform yourself as a person and a parent and maximize your potential as a parent.
Who can benefit?
- Parents of tweens and teens.
- Tweens and teens.
- The whole family.
How can I become a Parent Coach?
Group coaching
Private coaching
We recommend that both parents learn the Parent As Coach Approach to maximise consistency and integration into the family unit. Also available one on one and can be incorporated in other coaching programs depending on individual requirements.
Set up a free 15 minute chat with Melissa
“You must begin to think of yourself as the person you want to be.”
– David Viscott
Teens and Young Adults
Why teens and young adults need a coach
The complexity of society has resulted in a struggle to navigate the social and practical challenges of everyday life. Learning to balance academic and social pressures at the same time as undergoing biological, neurological, hormonal, psychological and physical changes can be overwhelming and often creates anxiety which can lead to bigger problems at a later stage.
Often teens and young adults lack direction and struggle to connect with themselves and others emotionally, creatively and socially. This is the time when they may need another form of outside support other than their parents or teachers.
How coaching can help teens and young adults transition into adulthood
Coaching is designed to encourage personal development in young people while providing an outlet for the normal stress and anxiety that takes place during the transition to adulthood. A coach has a lot to offer teenagers as they are not their parent or peer, can give them plenty of support, accept them as they are, and challenge them in a non-judgmental way whilst simultaneously offering lots of encouragement and opening up a window of new possibilities.
A coach can help teens and young adults learn how to:
- Handle obstacles and setbacks and develop mental toughness.
- Establish positive thinking and broaden perspective.
- Broaden and build psychological resources and tools for future use.
- Monitor growth by establishing a new set of beliefs and values and clarifying identity.
- Assist in planning and setting realistic goals which pave the way for future success.
- Improve life and executive functioning skills such as decision making, organization and time management.
- Develop self-awareness, self-confidence, courage and compassion.
What are the benefits?
- Discover your unique strengths, talents and natural abilities.
- Stress management and coping strategies.
- Life balance.
- Academic organization and time management skills.
- Work towards your chosen goals and outcomes.
- Figure out your mission in life and what direction you want to take.
- Find out what you are passionate about.
- Motivate you to achieve your true potential.
- Discover your personal value system.
- Increase self-confidence and trust.
- Embrace a new language that encourages open communication and connection.
- Create mutually respectful and cooperative communication.
- Build a trusting, open and honest relationship with your pre-teens and teens.
- Identify what gets in the way of connecting with all your family members.
- Find a new way to parent with compassion.
- Adopt a posture of acceptance and non-judgement.
- Identify limiting beliefs and goal-blocking behaviours.
- Help improve family and friendship dynamics.
- Learn how to handle difficult emotions.
- Strategies for successful communication.
- See the world from different perspectives.
- Life Skills.
- Emotional and social intelligence.
- Decision making skills.
- Self-awareness, self-acceptance and self-regulation.
Set up a free 15 minute chat with Melissa
“The making of a woman who has continued to grow is a beautiful thing to behold.”
– Naomi Wolf
Women in Transition
What typically defines a woman in transition?
- Mid-life changes.
- Empty-nesters.
- Moms returning to work.
- A significant life event that leads to change.
Why can this stage of life be tricky?
How can coaching help?
- Energy management.
- Perspective shifts.
- Coping strategies and tools.
- Emotional regulation.
- Relationship strategies.
- Mindfulness and Self-Compassion.
- Career changes.
- Personal development and growth.
- Finding meaning and purpose.
- Work-life balance.
- Strengths and skills building.
- Enhancing performance and well-being.
Set up a free 15 minute chat with Melissa
“Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter.”
Mark Twain
Positive Ageing
What is Positive Ageing?
Challenges of ageing
- Maintaining social networks, activities, health and fitness.
- Managing stress effectively.
- Feeling good about oneself.
- Keeping fit and healthy.
- Engaging in life fully.
How can coaching help?
Interventions may help ageing adults retain their focus on personal growth, connection with others and service to the community rather than withdrawing their energy from those pursuits.
Coaching can assist the ageing process with:
- Implementing mental and physical health programs.
- Resilience and coping skills.
- Strategies to cultivate positive emotion and mindset.
- Relationship skills, compassion and connection.
- Creative ways of facilitating engagement.
- Finding purposeful and meaningful activities.
- Broadening perspectives and narratives.
- Fostering hope and optimism.
- Redefining capabilities, abilities and skills.
- Utilising strengths and rediscovering values.
- Selecting meaningful personal goals.
- Motivation and goal striving.
- Increasing well-being and enhancing life satisfaction.
Set up a free 15 minute chat with Melissa