Elevate Life Coaching
The History of
Life Coaching
As a profession, life coaching became popular as an
extension of sports and business coaching in the 1980s and is still increasing in popularity. Coaching in sport originated at the end of the nineteenth century and it was Tim Gallwey, a former tennis player, who first put forward the revolutionary concept that the best way to help someone become better was not to make suggestions but to ask questions that would enable them to learn from their own experience, this is the essence of coaching today. Life coaching is about providing the framework to allow for self-examination and to encourage clients to help themselves improve and progress towards their goals through reflection.
The Psychology of
Life Coaching
Some of the techniques used in life coaching, such as cognitive behavioural therapy, transfer to a
psychological environment and numerous studies have been conducted by psychologists supporting the effectiveness of them. Green, Oades and Grant (2006) for instance found significant increases in goal striving, positive affect, psychological well-being and hope as a result of a cognitive behavioural life coaching programme. Grant (2003) also showed that a life coaching programme can facilitate goal attainment, improve mental health and enhance quality of life. Newnham-Kanas, Morrow and Irwin (2010) gained success in a number of different areas such as smoking, diet, physical activity and medical
adherence using life coaching. They also found the
programme enhanced self-acceptance, optimism, physical activity and a more ready state of change. Griffiths (2005) concurred that coaching not only enhances life experience but also opens up possibilities for personal transformation.