Synopsis "Mind-Shifting Imagery: Image Guidance for Life Coaches"
Mind-Shifting Imagery: Image Guidance for Life Coaches provides brief, safe, non-therapeutic applications of Image Guidance for coaches and other life guides such as spiritual directors, pastoral counselors, chaplains, social workers, and therapists. As presented in this book, Image Guidance has powerful implications for life coaching and is fully aligned with the International Coach Federation's core competencies and Code of Ethics. Used briefly, as a forward-focusing tool rather than as a strategy for re-visiting the past, Image Guidance offers a doorway into self-knowledge (I know who I am) and self-awareness (I understand my dreams, desires, fantasies, motivations and purpose, as well as the limiting beliefs that are stopping me from living the life I want to lead). It is not a "coaching method" as such, but a technique for taking clients to the next level, spiritually, emotionally and even physically. It was nearly 30 years ago that Dr. Elizabeth-Anne Stewart's fascination with the symbolic led her to develop a process for accessing the unconscious that she named "Image Guidance." While this process bears similarities to counseling approaches involving guided imagery and the active imagination, it is unique in that clients converse directly with their own imagery in the presence of a supportive guide who offers direction as needed, as well as feedback. Through her explorations-mostly with faculty, staff and students at DePaul University- Dr. Stewart discovered that images function much like dreams in their ability to heal, guide and illumine. Over time, she amassed a series of case studies which Paulist Press published as Image Guidance: A Tool for Spiritual Direction (1992) and Image Guidance and Healing (1994). Mind-Shifting Imagery: Image Guidance for Life Coaches illustrates simple ways in which life coaches can use archetypes, symbols and metaphors in personal guidance, relationship coaching and even in corporate settings; there is also a chapter on the use of religious imagery and one on imagery and physical healing. Throughout the book, the author provides sample transcripts and step-by-step commentary which serve as a "how-to" manual. She also discusses ways of developing the symbolic imagination, so that coaches and other guides can more readily understand and respond to their clients' symbols and metaphors. Though there are many ways of using imagery to open up coaching possibilities and to bring about dramatic "mind-shifts," Image Guidance provides a process for doing so. Applications include, but are not limited to: -Helping clients identify and describe emotions such as fear, frustration, excitement, enthusiasm; -Assisting clients to identify "blocks" to their success, thereby reducing their negative energy, and allowing them to become unstuck; -Assisting clients to imagine new possibilities and outcomes and to work towards these goals; -Helping clients to prioritize, take action and evaluate; -Affirming clients' hopes and dreams while re-enforcing their belief in self; -Encouraging clients to accept new positions of leadership or areas of professional or personal responsibility etc. Mind-Shifting Imagery: Image Guidance for Life Coaches demonstrates that imagery has a place in coaching with clients who are ready to imagine new possibilities, explore options, diffuse negative situations and clarify complexities. In this journey, the guide serves as a companion and facilitator, helping make sense of all that the imagery reveals. By asking powerful questions and using Image Guidance as a brief intervention, the coach assists the client to go deeper, feel more intensely, understand more clearly and be more authentic. Again, Image Guidance is not a method of coaching but a tool to be used selectively and carefully so that clients can experience a "mind shift" and cross the great divide that separates them from where they are today and where they hope to be tomorrow.
