Mental Health and Coaching

Mental health and coaching are intrinsically linked - everyone we coach has mental health. As such, coaches have the privileged position of gaining an insight into the mental health continuum of a coachee as we are invited into their past, present and future. With this privilege comes a responsibility around the boundaries of coaching and how we ensure these are conveyed. This sounds simple in theory, but in practice, getting it right can feel like a world of testing decisions and blurry lines. The truth is that there is no ‘one-size-fits-all when it comes to staying mentally healthy, and therefore, coaching can play a considerable part in wellbeing as it supports people to find what works. Sound knowledge of the positive links between mental health and coaching may enable a coach to help individuals or communities implement tools and cultures that profoundly impact long-term wellbeing. However, at other times, a coachee may be walking the thin line between mental health and mental illness, leading a coach to make big ethical decisions about the appropriateness of the relationship.  

This CPD session will provide a safe space to explore both the empirical research and our own beliefs about mental health and coaching by covering the following:

• A brief history of mental health: Its impact on society; Mental health statistics; common misconceptions; Mental health versus mental illness; the impact of the pandemic
• Our boundaries as a coach concerning mental ill-health and what to do in a crisis
• Some common mental health illnesses – supporting a coachee with finding the correct help
• Coaching as a non-clinical mode of intervention - unconditional positive regard, global listening and other coaching tools that support wellness
• Relationships between goal-setting, values, and mental health outcomes
• Mental health in the workplace – cultural and organisational patterns; coaching for equality and links with mental health; stigma and its impact
• Coaching approaches – e.g., Mental Fitness Coaching or the Five Ways to Wellbeing
• Looking after yourself as the coach: contracting, mentoring and supervision
• Coachee case studies

This session is part of our Continual Professional Development (CPD) for Coaches Programme. This training is aimed towards those wishing to advance their coaching knowledge, and therefore, you will need to have previously engaged in foundational coach training.  

About Your Trainer:

Rachael is a highly regarded coach, teacher, and trainer with an unyielding dedication to supporting the learning and development of individuals in various spheres. Her work around coaching and wellbeing led to Rachael being selected as a finalist in the Coaching in Education category at the last TCA International Awards.   

As Co-founder and Managing Director of Dragonfly: Impact Education – an organisation that supports mental health and well-being through coaching, mentoring, and training - Rachael designs and delivers Ofqual-regulated courses in First Aid for Mental Health and Safeguarding to hundreds of delegates each year and creates bespoke training and coaching options for parents, schools, and businesses in a variety of areas relating to emotional well-being. 

Through her master’s degree study, Rachael is currently exploring the relationship between coaching and character, coaching as an Applied Positive Psychology, and the role of the individual within collective equality and well-being.