1. The Four Pillars of
Holistic Health Coaching
Karen Lawson, MD, Director of Health Coaching,
University of MN Center for Spirituality and Healing
Past-President, American Holistic Medical Association

2. Learning Objectives
• Describe the four core principles of Holistic Health
Coaching—Mindful Presence, Authentic
Communication, Self-Awareness, and Safe/Sacred
Space.
• Distinguish between the operational framework
you currently use in your practice and the
framework of Holistic Health Coaching.
• Identify one practice or perspective from this
model that you could apply right away in your own
professional practice.

3. Introductions: Who’s Listening?
What is your primary profession currently?
A. Coach
B. Physician
C. Nurse
D. Mental Health practitioner of some kind
E. Fitness or wellness practitioner
F. Nutritionist
G. Allied Health (PT, OT, ST, other)
H. Other

4. Introductions: Who’s Listening?
If your current profession is in coaching, what
primary area?
A. Life
B. Executive
C. Health
D. Wellness
E. Sports
F. Other

5. Introductions: Who’s Listening?
If your current profession is Health or Wellness
coaching, do you use/recommend
integrative therapeutic options?
A. Yes
B. No
C. Unfamiliar with

6. Coaching is a discovery process
and a perspective
http://flavor8.com/index.php/2007/06
/26/spinning-woman-optical-illusion/

7. Reflective Questions
• How would you like your work to be
different?
• What’s missing for you that would make
your work more effective and satisfying?
• Is there something you don’t feel is
happening or is optimal in your current
practice?

8. Breathing and Grounding:
establishing new habits

9. A Holistic Perspective
• The process of Health Coaching, which--
by seeing a person as intrinsically
healthy, whole, and wise-- empowers
the client to become the ultimate
expert in their own healing journey,
allowing the health of the person to
emerge.
• Lens of pathology versus lens of health

10. Health Coaching helps with change
• Humans tend to resist change, despite extensive information that it
would be a good thing to do.
• Disease management is just that—it manages the disease, but it is
not specifically designed to help the individual uniquely manage their
own health.
• Humans most successfully make changes when they
Know why the change is needed
Want to make the change
Have values that are reinforced by the change
Have necessary support and resources
Have a plan
Understand and work with their own motivations, fears, and
resistance

11. Behavioral scientists have shown
that one-on-one coaching is
among the most effective
approaches to helping people
make and sustain improvements
in their lives.

12. So, what is Professional Health Coaching?
• Uses the process of coaching
• Understands human health and disease,
the health care system, and integrative
approaches
• Sees the individual as the source of their
own solutions and healing potential
• Works with individuals in health crisis or
dealing with chronic disease, or with those
desiring improved health/prevention

13. Transformation
• Transformational work is for coach and
client both
• The difference between change and
transformation—the challenges,
possibilities, and limitations of each…
Q: What does transformation mean to you?

14. The Four-Pillars of Health Coaching™
Mindful Presence
Self- Sacred
Awareness Space
Authentic
Communication

15. MINDFUL PRESENCE
Mindful Presence
Self- Sacred
Awareness Space
Authentic
Communication

16. Mindful Presence
• The process of focused, non-judgmental
awareness in the present moment
• Mindfulness in Relationship to the Other
• Requires intentional consciousness at multiple
levels

17. Mindful Presence
• Hears beyond what’s spoken
• Engages Empathy and compassion
– A level few experience
• Respects client’s internal wisdom
• Primes the pump
• Includes it all – non-judgmentally, without
discounting

18. Mindful Presence Reflective Questions
• What does you being present look and feel
like to you?
• How do you know when you’re present?

19. Blocks to Presence
Blocks can be intentional or unintentional
based on some of the following:
• Busyness/task- focused • Need to be in control
• Stress • Overemphasis on being
goal directed
• Fear “responsibilities”
• Concern over what • Lack of patience
others will think • Lack of openness
• Feeling inadequate • Personal limitations
• Lack of desire/intent to • Fatigue, low blood sugar
be present • Inadequate
• Distractions communication skills

20. Presence
the
Bridge to
Authentic Communication

21. AUTHENTIC COMMUNICATION
Mindful Presence
Self- Sacred
Awareness Space
Authentic
Communication

22. Authentic Communication means:
• Deep Listening –
Between words, body language, emotions.
Multiple ways of knowing for both coach and
client
• Curious Inquiry
• Perceptive Reflections
• Silence

23. Deep Listening

24. Authentic Communication means:
• Deep Listening
• Curious Inquiry –
Non-judgmental practice of open-hearted
exploration without goals or expectations. AI and
MI Skills possibly.
• Perceptive Reflections
• Silence

25. Authentic Communication means:
• Deep Listening
• Curious Inquiry
• Perceptive Reflections –
Mirror what you hear or perceive. Check truth
with yourself. Offer observations, insights – with
empathy
• Silence

26. Thoughtful Speech
• Aligned with their
– comments
– energy
– theme
– language
• Engages all the senses/intelligences –
Presence
• Congruency
– The How, The What, The When, The Why

27. Authentic Communication means:
• Deep Listening
• Curious Inquiry
• Perceptive Reflections
• Silence:
What is your comfort level with silence?
Is it a friend or a scary visitor?

28. Some Tools which build
Authentic Communication
• Non-Violent communication
• Appreciative Inquiry
• Motivational Interviewing

29. Authentic Communication
Reflective Questions
• In your experience how does it feel and/or look
when you are hearing the full depth and
breadth of what is being intended in yourself
and others?
• List the different ways that you can listen
• How do you know you are listening to your
‘highest self’ internally?

30. SELF-AWARENESS
Mindful Presence
Self- Sacred
Awareness Space
Authentic
Communication

31. Awareness of emotion
≠
Expression of emotion

32. Self-Awareness
Mindfulness about self—physically, mentally, and
emotionally. In order to be clear with
another, a coach is required to be aware of
what feelings and reactions they are having.
This means a good health coach commits to a
regular practice of self-awareness, using
whatever tools, skills and resources are
necessary over time.

33. Self-Awareness Checks
Allenbaugh, E. Wake Up Calls. Bard Productions.
• Criticizing other’s comments.
• Becoming defensive, reacting emotionally?
• Waiting to talk rather than listening?
• Being “too busy”?
• Preparing my rebuttal: “yes, but…”
• Keeping score - looking to get even?
• Interrupting, talking?
• Finding flaws in other’s ideas and perceptions?

34. More Self-Awareness Checks
• Switching to my own agenda?
• Explaining, intellectualizing?
• Focusing on personalities, missing issues?
• Initiating premature closure?
• Locking onto my position?
• Rolling eyes, sighing, tapping fingers?
• Checking out - glazed eyes?
• Placing conditions on my availability to talk?
• Leaving when things get sensitive?

35. Self-Awareness Reflective Questions
• What is your current average level of self-
awareness?
– How do you cultivate it?
– How does it impact, positively or negatively, your
client work?
• In what aspects would you like to heighten
your self-awareness?
• What support/instruction/resources do you
need to achieve this?

36. Safe/Sacred Space
Mindful Presence
Self- Sacred
Awareness Space
Authentic
Communication

37. Defining Safe Space
• Physically
• Emotionally
• Intentionally
• Boundaries

38. The Power of Intention
• Shared purpose
• Focus
• Client’s intention

39. Boundaries Reflective Questions
• Are they intentional or ignored?
• Where are they too weak? Too strong?
• What challenges arise from boundary issues in
your practice?
– For you
– For the client
– For your work

40. Reflective Questions:
How could such health coaching skills support
you in your current work?

41. University of Minnesota--Certificate In
Complementary Therapies and Healing
Practices: Health Coaching
• 18 credit post-baccalaureate area of emphasis
• Targeted for Health Care Professionals and health
care professional students
• Coursework began in Fall 2005. Currently 6th
cohort of students in year 1, and 5th cohort of
students in year 2.
• Applications accepted with March 15 deadline for
fall admission.

42. Certificate In Complementary Therapies
& Healing Practices: Health Coaching
Health Coaches are trained to be able to:
• Design personalized healthcare plans which address
physical, mental, emotional & spiritual issues
• Recognize & help shift behaviors that block success or
readiness to change
• Facilitate communication between conventional &
complementary providers & the client
• Teach about tools & practices for self-care, reflection,
balance & growth

43. University of Minnesota—
Continuing Ed. Option for Health Coaching
• 60 hours over 4 months or 120 hours web-supported
CEU’s over 8 months; package priced
• Meets for 2 or 4, 4-day weekends in MN; on-line and
phone work in between
• Targeted for Health Care Professionals who wish to
expand their clinical skills set
• Next session begins Sept 2011
• Applications and registration accepted in spring and
summer, and coursework begins each fall.

44. Free Guided Imagery at
www.csh.umn.edu
http://www.csh.umn.edu/healthcoaching/guidedimagery/

45. Be You!
To paraphrase ancient Chinese wisdom: live
simply, do what you enjoy, and be completely
present.

46. Recommended Books
• Arloski, M. (2007) Wellness Coaching for
Lasting Lifestyle Change, Whole Person
Associates.
• Belf, T. (2002) Coaching with Spirit, Pfeiffer.
• Dacher, E. (2006) Integral Health: The Path to
Human Flourishing, Laguna Beach, CA. Basic
Health Publications.
• Goleman, D. (2005) Emotional Intelligence,
Bantam.

47. Recommended Books
• Kabat Zinn J. (2000) Full Catastrophe Living,
Surrey, England. Delta Publishing.
• Prochaska, J., etal. (1995) Changing for Good,
Collins.
• Rollnick S. (2008) Motivational Interviewing
in Health Care, NY, NY. The Guilford Press.

48. Recommended Books
• Rosenberg, M. and Gandhi, A. (2003) Non-
violent Communication: A Language of Life,
Puddledancer Press.
• Shapiro, D. (2006) Your Body Speaks Your
Mind, Sounds True.
• Silsbee, D., (2008) Presence-Based Coaching:
Cultivating Self-Generative Leaders Through
Mind, Body, and Heart, Jossey-Bass.

49. Questions from
the Audience
Karen Lawson, MD
lawsonk@umn.edu