Download Mindfulness Approaches for Enhancing Coaching Presence

 Mindfulness Approaches for Enhancing Coaching Presence Presented by: Marla Warner BSc CWC CAPP
Wellbeing and Productivity Consultant and Coach
Marla Warner [email protected] 416-­‐999-­‐9178 Agenda •  Define Mindfulness
•  Learn about the neurobiology and research related to
mindfulness approaches
•  Coaching presence – What it is, how do we use it and
why we want it?
•  Learn strategies for how to integrate mindfulness into a
coaching practice and everyday life
•  Enhance coaching presence through mindfulness –
building our ‘Presence’ skills
For Health 2016 © What is Mindfulness? •  The most basic definiKon is the regulaKon of aLenKon through mind-­‐body awareness skills •  “Mindfulness is a parKcular way of paying aLenKon, on purpose, in the present moment, and non-­‐
judgmentally” •  Jon Kabat-­‐Zinn, PhD For Health 2016 © What is Mindfulness? •  Mindfulness
includes:
•  the aim
•  the methods
•  the outcomes
Mindfulness as the methods = meditaKve pracKces Mindfulness as the aim = non-­‐
judgmental, stabilized, meta-­‐
awareness J Kabat-Zinn
For Health 2016 © Mindfulness as the outcome = state and trait changes What can one be mindful of? •  Mindfulness of body
o  Breath, contact, movement, technical skills,
bodily sensations as a cue to state of mind
•  Mindfulness of feelings and emotions
o  Unpleasant, pleasant and neutral
•  Mindfulness of thoughts, attitudes and beliefs
o  State of alertness/distractedness/attentiveness,
Cognitive processing (decision-making, reflection)
o  Source: Patrica Dobkin PhD. McGill Grand Rounds 2012
For Health 2016 © What is Coaching Presence? •  …ability to be fully conscious and create spontaneous relaKonship with the client, employing a style that is open, flexible and confident. ICF, 1999. •  …it is a way of being with people that facilitates movement and growth through connecKon. •  Source: Bob Tschannen-­‐Moran and Margaret Moore, Wellcoaches Corp. 2007 For Health 2016© Mindfulness = Coaching Presence For Health 2016© What is Mindfulness MeditaKon? •  MM is a refined, systematic attention-based
strategy
•  that develops stability of mind and body
and insight into mental and physical conditions that
inhibit the capacity to respond effectively to life events
•  Jon Kabat-Zinn
•  Formal and informal practice
For Health 2016© Mindfulness Skills – formal pracKces •  Breath Awareness
•  Guided Body Scan
•  3-Minute Breathing
Space
For Health 2016© Breath Awareness •  Find a quiet place and consistent time for
practicing
•  Attentional bias: Cultivate an attitude of
“trying easy”
•  Training attention on
breathing sensations
For Health 2016© Why the Breath? •  It takes place in the present, so it can help a
person let go of the past and the future.
•  It is always there.
•  The very act of intentionally bringing awareness
to the breath involves “taking up space” in the
conscious mind.
•  Attending to the breath is the opposite of goal
orientation. Not trying to change the breath, just
attend to it.
Research Summary
•  75% of all illness is related to stress and
lifestyle habits.
Former U.S. Surgeon General
•  Studies have found that regular practice of
meditation or relaxation provides benefits
to:
cardiac patients, surgery recovery, immune
function, pain relief, diabetics, anxiety…
The Mindful Brain •  Latest research shows we have
the power to literally change our
brains by changing our minds.
•  The brain can adapt, heal, renew itself.
•  30 minutes of daily meditation practice for 8
weeks can increase the density of grey matter in
the brain regions associated with memory, stress
and empathy.
•  Lazar et al.; Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging ,2011.
For Health 2016© Mindfulness -­‐ Impact on EmoKons The Center for Investigating Healthy Minds
(CIHM), University of Wisconsin, Richard
Davidson, neuroscientist and team conducting
studies of “The Brain on Meditation” since 1992,
identified outcomes:
“Meditators' brains were active, particularly in
the left prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain
responsible for positive emotions” (Davidson, 2004)
For Health 2016© What We Know About the Effects of Mindfulness on Neurobiology fMRI Conclusions:
Mindfulness meditation induces specific changes
in fMRI signal in several structures, including the
amygdala, hippocampus, pons, anterior
cingulate, and intraparietal sulcus
Lazar, G. Bush, G. Fricchione, R.L. Gollub, G. Khalsa, H. Benson, H. (2000).
Functional Brain Mapping of the Relaxation Response using 3T fMRI S.W.
Neuroreport, 11, 7
Physiological Benefits of Mindfulness Skills •  Decrease blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension
•  Reduction in serum
cholesterol
•  Improved immune function
•  Reduction in cortisol levels
•  Reduce pain and anxiety
•  Improve sleep
•  Changes in neurotransmitters
- ↑ serotonin, ↓ depression
•  Decrease inflammation
For Health 2016 © Psychological Benefits of Mindfulness Skills • 
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More optimism and decreased depression
Greater self-awareness
Change negative thought patterns
Improved coping abilities
Reduced aggression
Greater efficiency and productivity
Improved learning capabilities,
concentration and memory
•  Promote feelings of inner calm
and tolerance
Coaching Presence
For Health 2016 © Mindfulness Skills •  Breath Awareness
•  Guided Body Scan
•  3-Minute Breathing
Space
For Health 2016 © ApplicaKons for mindfulness • 
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Stress reduction
Improve quality of sleep
Leadership development
Improved learning - education
Strengthen relationships
Pain management
Parenting
Weight management
Fitness
Life Transitions
Manage anxiety and depression
Coaching
For Health 2016 © Coaching Presence – How we use it? Ø Listening – to, for, and with… Ø Asking provocaKve quesKons.. Ø Expressing curiosity and empathy… Ø Developing the use of one’s top strengths “presence as a symphony of character strengths” Bob Tschannen-­‐Moran Ø Assists in exploring strategies Ø Developing non-­‐verbal behaviours; body language, voice… Ø Mindfulness is founda-onal to all technical coaching skills For Health 2016 © The Being Skills of Coaching Presence Source: Wellcoaches Manual 2007 Coaching Presence – Why we want it? “Don’t just do something, stand there!” Buddhist saying For Health 2016© 3 – Minute Breathing Space •  Awareness – Noting what you are feeling
•  Redirecting – Bringing Attention to the breath
•  Expanding – Expanding awareness to include a
sense of the whole body.
•  “The simple act of registering that the mind has
wandered, noting where it has gone and returning to the
breath emphasizes direct experience and decreases
negative thoughts and rumination.” (Segal, Williams,
Teasdale)
For Health 2016 © Mindfulness skills – informal pracKces Watching a stream of moving water Pejng your dog/watching an animal Watching kids at play Observing your feelings before a presentaKon Observing your breath before falling asleep Engaging in an arKsKc project/doing intricate work Watching a pro athlete in acKon Exercising/jogging/yoga/etc. For Health 2016© Step back Think Organize thoughts before Proceeding IntegraKng Mindfulness into Everyday Life 1.  Practice mindfulness during
routine activities
2.  Practice mindfulness while you
wait or walk
3.  Pick a prompt to remind you to
be mindful
Mindful EaKng •  Being more present when you eat by bringing awareness
to the very act of eating.
•  Take one raisin or one small bite of food and chew
slowly. Focus on the taste, texture and sensations of the
food.
Mindfulness at work •  Make a commitment to practice.
•  In the course of your work, try a brief mindfulness
exercise before a coaching conversation.
•  Pay close attention to your body language
•  Pay close attention to your verbal language
Start slowly – today I will become more aware of
_________________ and practice by placing your
attention on that.
Presence is a skill – developed like other skills – with
practice!
How to Make Mindfulness MeditaKon Miserable • 
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I shouldn’t have thoughts during meditation.
My body is supposed to be relaxed.
My body should be still.
Emotions keep coming up. I shouldn’t have
feelings such as anxiety or impatience.
•  My environment should be perfectly quiet.
•  I can’t do this. I’m not a patient person.
•  If I don’t have 20 minutes then its not worth
trying.
“Neurons that fire together,
wire together”
Donald Hebb
For Health 2016© Summary •  Discussion on mindfulness and presence •  The research and benefits of mindfulness pracKces •  How presence is used in coaching…and the role of mindfulness •  How to enhance presence through mindfulness pracKces – both formal and informal For Health 2016© Ques-ons and Comments Resources Online Resources/Programs
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Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction(MBSR) – check local city or www.umassmed.edu/
Applied Mindfulness Meditation Certificate Program, U of T
–  http://socialwork.utoronto.ca/conted/programs-and-workshops/certificates/mind/
Mindfulness Resources and information (Education, Workplace, Neuroscience) http://mindfulnet.org/
www.investigatinghealthyminds.org
www.mindful.org
Books
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Full Catastrophe Living; and Wherever You Go, There You Are and Mindfulness for Beginners, Jon KabatZinn
The Minds Own Physician: A Scientific Dialogue with the Dalai Lama on the Healing Power of Meditation.
The Mind Life Institute
The Emotional Life of Your Brain, Richard Davidson and
Sharon Begley
The Mindful Brain: Reflection and Attunement I the Cultivation of Wellbeing, Daniel Siegel
Apps
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Stop, Breath & Think
Headspace
Omvana
When in doubt… • 
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Breathe In Breathe Out Breathe In Breathe Out Thank you
Marla Warner
[email protected]
416-999-9178
www.forhealth.ca
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