[Brad Bankhead]

Brad Bankhead Gestalt- Online Discussion 10-9-2017

My client for this discussion is a first year college student. He was adopted at birth and has an older brother and sister, also adopted at birth. His parents are divorced and he lives with his father while attending community college. Both he and his brother attend the same college. He is of mixed racial origin. He has recently completed a drug rehab program in another state and seems to be doing well. He is articulate, socially outgoing and has a very witty sense of humor. I imagine him to be very likable among his peers.

We will establish the coaching agreement as an offer for five sessions, face to face over the course of five weeks. If at the end of that time, he would like to continue and this seems advantageous to him, we can negotiate to continue. We will begin with any issues he might like to share. Some of these could have to do with re-entry after rehab, the transition to college, career planning, etc. He will know that all information shared in these coaching sessions is absolutely confidential. I will explain that I am in training and that my particular approach to coaching has an outdoor component. I will recommend that we meet at an outdoor location whenever weather permits. I will send a text reminder day of sessions.

I will begin the coaching relationship by asking him to share a bit about himself and what brings him to the current place in his life. I’d also like to hear what are his long term and short term goals. Then, I’d like to get a idea about a typical day in his life. I want to convey sincere interest and respect for his life story and life goals. Once that sense of appreciation and respect is launched, I will want to ask if anything in particular comes up as a topic for him today.

This may be the perfect point at which to share awareness, mine or his, internally or externally. This may be a good point to introduce the concept of awareness, utilizing sensory inputs from the natural world as a warm up. Then, move that awareness to the body, the mind or emotion. This may be an opportunity to “check out” perception and “how” that perception shows up. If moving from aboutism to the present seems challenging, this may be a good opportunity to come back to breath and then move to “what’s coming up now” and can it be described, felt and named. Simply, “tell me more about that” seems appropriate. I’m reminded at this point how very important it is to stay present, both to myself and to my client, and space of exchange between us and our shared environment. “It seems that……..,and is this accurate” feels very important in clarifying contact boundary disturbances that might emerge at this point. Once that disturbance has some substance for us, it’s time to “try something”. Its very important at this point that my client feels safe and supported before moving ahead. This could be the place to see that resources are adequately in place and supporting the experiment. Once I have permission to move ahead, it’s time to try the “new” statement, gesture, exchange with natural environment or whatever has been agreed upon. Now its time to bring awareness to this current experience: “what is that like, so there’s a ___________ (shift) and now how is that, where do you experience that, I notice that you________, how does that feel?”

Once that moment has been adequately illuminated and the newness described, its time to imagine integration into future practice. “How might you practice this is in the future, what circumstances come to mind.” If time allows, role playing one of these future scenarios may help facilitate the new homeostasis.

I think of the intersection of gestalt technique and nature connected coaching as that phenomenon that occurs where wind or warmth from the sun intersects with skin – that space just between. Foundational to nature connectedness and Gestalt guidance is staying present to that space between – the sacred atmosphere that allows for separateness and shared experience. There is much more I want to learn about Gestalt principles of perception and the tendencies of the brain to create perception. This will enhance our ability as coaches to detect how “beliefs” are formed that may longer serve out clients well-being.

[Brad Bankhead]

Hi Kairon,

Beautiful work and wonderfully articulated experience. You brought me back to a couple of simple but profound truths. I love your focus of “living the issue”. This phrase calls me out of the tendency to be descriptive with language and vocabulary(mental). I think observing the issue lived out gives us a much better perspective to “co-create a solution” alongside our client. Also, you remind me to slow down and really know, accept and be able to create “ok-ness” with what is – always the place to start. I must say that at first the concepts of gestalt practice seemed a little daunting, but seeing how it played out for you in a practical way is very helpful to my learning. Thanks for sharing!

[Brad Bankhead]

Thank you very much for taking the time to provide this input Elizabeth. I really appreciate it.