Maximize Your Coaching Effectiveness with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Richard Blonna

Sujets

• Sociologie, société et politique
• Clinical psychology

Informations

• Publié par: New Harbinger Publications
• Date de parution: 01 janvier 0001
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781608826544
• Langue: English

Extrait

“For any coach who wants to be more effective and find more fulfillment in their work, this textbook is a must-have. Richard Blonna has done an excellent job of making the ACT model clear and accessible. Not just a highly practical book, but also an interesting and entertaining read.”
—Russ Harris, author of The Happiness Trap and ACT Made Simple
“Blonna has done a superlative job of integrating the ACT principles and practices with coaching. I found the most valuable part was dealing with what Blonna calls the psychologically inflexible client. His tips for how to assist clients in getting ‘unstuck’ using values fusing are enlightening and powerful. I also greatly appreciate his mindfulness strategies and how they blend with his concrete and practical tools. His intake forms are essential for all practitioners. This book is a must-read for both coaches and counselors!”
—Lyn Kelley, PhD, LMFT, CPC, president of GROW Training Institute, Inc., continuing education and coach training organization
“This beautifully written and intensely practical book marries two unlikely bedfellows—a therapeutic approach (ACT) with the practice of life coaching. Guided by the author’s gentle, expert hand, it became clear to me that this marriage is like that of two soulmates, who together dance effortlessly, elevating one another to achieve a common purpose: a life that matters. This book delivers on the promise in its title. Full of practical exercises and evidence-based know-how, it is a must-read for life coaches who want to enrich their work and make a difference in the lives of those who are stuck and trying to find a way forward.”
—John P. Forsyth, PhD, professor of psychology and director of the anxiety disorders research program at the University of Albany - SUNY and author of Your Life on Purpose and The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Anxiety
“For many years, acceptance and commitment training has been applied to organizations, and it’s only natural to extend the benefits to coaching. In his book, Blonna combines a clear and concise description of ACT with his vast knowledge of coaching. Beyond those interested in coaching, anyone interested in using ACT for themselves or with others would benefit from reading this book.”
—Kevin L. Polk, PhD, author of Psychological Flexibility Training
“ACT seems destined to transform the coaching profession. The scientifically-based principles of ACT are based on the psychology of normal people and fit the structure and purpose of coaching hand in glove. Readable, sensible, and comprehensive, this volume shows you exactly how to apply ACT to your coaching practice. If you work as a coach or are considering doing so, there is no better place to begin.”
—Steven C. Hayes, PhD, Foundation Professor at the University of Nevada and author of Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life
Richard Blonna
New Harbinger Publications, Inc. -->
Publisher’s Note
This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering psychological, financial, legal, or other professional services. If expert assistance or counseling is needed, the services of a competent professional should be sought.
Distributed in Canada by Raincoast Books
Copyright © 2010 by Richard Blonna
New Harbinger Publications, Inc.
5674 Shattuck Avenue
Oakland, CA 94609
www.newharbinger.com
“Strategy 39; Strength of Values” from VALUES CLARIFICATION by Dr. Sidney B. Simon, Dr. Leland W. Howe, and Dr. Howard Kirschenbaum. Copyright © 1995 by Dr. Sidney B. Simon, Dr. Leland W. Howe and Dr. Howard Kirschenbaum. By permission of Grand Central Publishing.
All Rights Reserved
Acquired by Tesilya Hanauer; Cover design by Amy Shoup; Edited by Nelda Street
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Blonna, Richard.
Maximize your coaching effectiveness with acceptance and commitment therapy / Richard Blonna.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 978-1-57224-931-8 (pbk.) -- ISBN 978-1-57224-932-5 (pdf ebook) -- ISBN 978-1-60882-654-4 (epub ebook)
1. Personal coaching. 2. Motivation (Psychology) 3. Acceptance and commitment therapy. I. Title.
BF637.P36.B58 2011
158’.3--dc22
2011005850
This book is dedicated to Lyn Kelley, Ph.D., my coaching mentor.
Contents
Acknowledgments
Introduction
1. ACT Coaching and Psychotherapy
2. What Is ACT?
3. Getting Stuck and How to Get Unstuck
4. Helping Clients Define Their Valued Directions
5. Helping Clients Commit to Act by Setting Goals
6. Helping Clients Be Present
7. Increasing Acceptance and Willingness by Giving Up Control
8. Integrating ACT into Your Coaching Practice
Appendix A: Client Initial Interview Form
Appendix B: Sample Informed Consent Form
References
Acknowledgments
I’d like to thank everyone who has contributed to this book and to my evolution as an ACT coach. It’s certainly been a long, strange trip.
First, thanks to Lyn Kelley for introducing me to the field of coaching and for training me as a certified professional coach (CPC). Lyn opened my eyes to a new profession that perfectly fits who I am and what I want to do in the next phase of my life and professional work. She is a master motivator, who helped me chart a new course for my life that included writing this book. Thanks also to Frank Healy for his coaching supervision and encouragement during this project.
I am forever grateful to Trudy Boyle for introducing me to acceptance and commitment therapy and to the work of Steven Hayes. Without Trudy’s introduction to acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), I probably would have missed the third wave of cognitive behavioral therapy, instead of catching the tail end and enjoying part of the ride.
Next, I’d like to thank the ACT series editors, Georg H. Eifert, John P. Forsyth, Steven C. Hayes, and Robyn Walser, for the opportunity to write this book. By giving me the opportunity to introduce ACT principles and practices to the field of coaching, they exhibited a generosity and openness that is rare in the cloistered worlds of academia and psychotherapy. I thank them for opening their hearts and minds to this application of ACT. I hope it leads to even further dissemination of their work. I am humbled to have my name in print next to theirs and hope this book meets the high standards they have set for the ACT series. I’d also like to thank the “wild man” of ACT, Kevin Polk, for his caring and support and for teaching me ACT. I definitely would not be here without him.
Thanks to Linda Anderson Krech and Gregg Krech for their continued generosity and support. Their work at the ToDo Institute in Vermont continues to lead the way in bringing Japanese therapeutic principles and practices to helpers across the globe. Because their approach to working with clients complements ACT’s view of helping, I’ve integrated it into this book and into my work with students and clients.
Next, I want to thank Matt McKay, cofounder and publisher of New Harbinger Publications, for his continued support. Under his guidance, the ACT series of books has expanded in breadth and depth to become the definitive clearinghouse for acceptance and commitment therapy. By publishing this project and others, Matt has demonstrated openness to new applications of ACT, which keeps New Harbinger at the cutting edge of publishing in psychotherapy and self-help.
New Harbinger has assembled a team of support staff that can only be described as top shelf. I have never worked with a better publishing team than Tesilya Hanauer, Kayla Sussell, Jess Beebe, Heather Garnos, Jean Blomquist, Melissa Valentine, Jesse Burson, Nelda Street, Jeannette Mann, Michele Waters, and Will DeRooy. From acquisition to the final edit, they guided this project and refined it every step of the way. I could never have produced such a fine book without their nurturing and caring. They were always there with encouragement and support as needed. Special thanks go to Amy Shoup and Tracy Carlson for their excellent design work. Amy continues to amaze me; her brilliance in cover design makes people just want to reach out and pick up the book. Tracy’s design of the interior of books is unmatched, making them easy on the eyes and a joy to read.
Thanks to my friend Ken Horvath for his insights and suggestions on the manuscript and on my writing struggles in general. I’d also like to thank him for being there when I needed a sounding board.
Besides for being my best friend and reviewer, thanks also to my wife, Heidi, for her unwavering support over the past two years as I finished this and three other books. She continues to give me the space and support I need to write, teach, and work with students and clients. Hopefully I can make it up to her by being a better bridge player and tennis partner.
Introduction
I am very excited about this book, because it is the only book targeting professional coaches that integrates acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) principles and practices with coaching. I’m sure that after reading it, you’ll see why ACT is such a natural fit for coaches and why I’m just as excited about it today as I was a few years ago, when I first learned about it.
A few years ago, I received an article from a friend of mine about a man named Steven Hayes, a professor at the University of Nevada–Reno. Hayes had undertaken a miraculous journey from the depths of despair and mental illness to founding a new form of psychotherapy—called acceptance and commitment therapy—that was sweeping the nation and the world. Fascinated with the story of Steven Hayes and the development of ACT, I began to read everything I could on the subject.
As a result of my interest, I joined the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS), the parent professional organization representing ACT researchers and practitioners around the world. ACBS is