Becoming A Coach by Nature

When Michel approached Walking Coach® he was on his way to earning his professional coach qualifications, and had become interested in taking his clients outdoors for their sessions.  He had always seen the outdoors as his sanctuary and had often gravitated to walking and being outside to help with his own reflection and mental wellbeing, but so far, he had yet to explore how to work with nature intentionally to create insights and connections.

After an initial, exploratory discussion, Michel decided his priorities were two-fold: to develop his self-confidence as a coach and at the same time, to acquire the know-how to be able to deliver transformational coaching in the outdoors.

Being a reflective learner, and hungry for knowledge, Michel took full benefit in being given access to my ever-expanding reading list, with books and research articles that helped him to build his own theory foundation for his emerging work.

He then moved into a parallel process of self development and experienced-based learning by immersing in a guided ‘Inner Landscape’ walk experience, while holding the enquiry, “What does it mean to bring my authentic self into my coaching?”.

Then, being able to relate to his own experience, he received a thorough grounding in how to prepare, guide and coach a client through this deep, connecting, and insightful process. A period of practice, reflection and application followed, which further augmented his learning, while enriching his awareness of his own coaching presence.

As a result of his work with Walking Coach® Michel gained a deeper sense of “who I am and what I can allow myself to be”. He built confidence to forge his own, authentic path in this work, sparked by a further interest to explore legacy, sensory experience, and continuing to develop his presence as a mindful and self-aware coach.

At the same time, he learned a method of bringing walking and time in the outdoors together with coaching.

“I’m excited to develop this and explore what works for me and how to create a method or practice (of my own) that uses the best of things I’ve learnt and read.”

Michel concludes by saying:

“I now have a much greater appreciation for the outdoors and its scope for changing us and revealing things to us. I have a greater scope for what’s possible for me and my coaching. I am looking ‘wider’ and ‘bigger’ with less self-editing and limitation. Even just the idea of investing in myself or making a commitment to myself has changed my mindset somewhat. “