What makes Connection Coaching different from Therapy?
The Etiological Shift To Connection Coaching
How does Connection Coaching differ from traditional Mental Health Therapy? While both are deeply valuable, have many strategies in common, and are often complementary, there are some important differences. This is not therapy bad, connection coaching good. This is a natural evolution of self care.
Mental Health services are based on a medical model where a diagnosis is given, and treatment goals are based on diagnostic symptoms. Treatment is ended when identified and diagnostic goals have been met. Once symptoms abate treatment slows to closure permanently or until symptoms reoccur. This diagnosis is what allows Mental Health services to qualify for insurance coverage.
While insights, skill sets, and diagnosis from previous physical and/or mental health treatment experiences may exist and are very valuable information for continued self care, a Diagnosis will not be given nor required in Connection Coaching.
Connection Coaching is a educational model that focuses and operates from a different starting point. Here the emphasis is not on the symptoms or difficulties that are being experienced. Here, in Connection Coaching, our starting point—the etiology of our exploration—is the presence or absence of Connection. I believe that Problems or difficulties we may be experiencing are actually the natural results of Disconnection: from ourselves, from others, and from the world around us. While external problems or symptoms may be discussed in Connection Coaching, the emphasis of exploration for solutions and resolutions begins with the educating and learning of the internal System of Connection or steps of Connection.
Learning to Look Inward, First
Our emphasis in Connection Coaching is not only to learn to train ourselves to look inward to see the steps of Connection. It is also to look inward first, then outward for solutions.
Get in the Car First…
Think about the metaphor of getting in the car first, then driving. When we get in the car first, put our tea in the cup holder, put our music on, punch in the GPS coordinates, put our seat belts on & then drive, notice how this feels different then lets say when we get in the car and rush off. How does our drive go when we take the time to fully get in the car vs. when we rush off, forgetting our tea cup on top of our car roof as we are driving away? Have you ever noticed how external events like traffic, inclement weather, or being late FEELS different when you take the time to get in your car first, then drive? When we take the time to learn how to Connect to our selves first, then look to solve and resolve the external issues, the outcomes, and the way we experience the outcomes, change.
While it is true that having experience in these other environments can be helpful as a launching place for Connection Coaching, having experience with these areas is not a requirement. Connection Coaching can be a new starting point for self exploration, a middle space where there is already understanding and practice and desire for deepening, or an old friend where Connective reminders and tune ups are pursued.
So if you are New to Connective insight, been doing work and are ready to deepen in Connection, or are a faithful practitioner of Connection and are seeking Connective tune ups, all are welcome in Connection Coaching.