Coaching for health and lifestyle change: Theory and guidelines for interacting and reflecting with women about their challenges and aspirations

Reinhard Stelter, Vinnie Andersen

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

Abstract

Coaching is increasingly applied throughout life and work domains as a relatively new way to support the learning and development of individuals and groups. In a research project group coaching was applied and explored with menopausal women (45 to 55 years of age). The goal of the research project was to support
women in their attempts to remain physically active and to develop and maintain a healthy lifestyle. The main objective of this article is to take a close look at the best way to achieve this – not by telling the women what to do or by pushing them towards specific goals, but by inviting them into a space of common reflection and joint action. In that sense, the interaction (not intervention) will take its point of departure in a broad, collaboratively inspired approach that is broader in focus than widespread interventions, which are often
exclusively based on motivational interviewing. The goal of this article is to present a theoretical basis and practice guidelines for a series of group coaching dialogues and to serve as an inspiration for the further development of the reader’s own practice.
Original languageEnglish
JournalInternational Coaching Psychology Review
Volume13
Issue number1
Pages (from-to)61-71
Number of pages11
ISSN1750-2764
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2018

Keywords

  • Faculty of Science
  • Motivational interviewing
  • Health coaching
  • Positive psychology
  • Wellbeing
  • Collaborative practice
  • Group coaching
  • Lifestyle change
  • Lifeworld
  • Self-dertermination theory
  • Stages of change

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