[Joshua Maze]

Lisa, I too have enjoyed partswork, and for many of the same reasons. I appreciate that it de-pathologizes and can help the client to see their greater self. As you have stated, an advantage of partswork is that it can be used outside of the sessions. For me, I have a mandala up in my kitchen that I reorganize routinely. It’s helpful to have been given a tool that allows self-reflection. And for my part, I appreciate that you see the value in partswork as a therapist. I have found partswork to be the most helpful tool in mapping out my mental health and I wish therapists throughout the years had given me the opportunity for such introspection.

[Joshua Maze]

Adriana, like you, I also initially wanted to serve everyone. In that pursuit, though, I wound up serving no one, and without a clear path to begin seeing clients. Even the potential clients that I shared a language with, as you say, were not the best fit for me. It has taken me a lot of deep self-reflection to find out who I really want to serve and how I want those interactions to look.

I remember fondly you talking about your hikes and connection to the Sierras. I hope that in the months since your initial post, you have been able to define your vision and are now fully immersed in service to others, in an area that is close to your heart.

NCC is a great jumping off point for any coach, and really, any interaction as a member of society. I hope that the skills learned through EBI have propelled you for a career in guiding others.

[Joshua Maze]

MJ, I see a lot of similarities in your uncertainty and my own. I had my initial “ideal” client, but I realized that I picked this person because of my own needs, then I wanted to serve everyone and in doing so, was unable to serve anyone or feel confident as a coach. Finally, I found my calling, but even in doing so, I have yet to find my client Like you, I want to serve. And I also know who and how I do not want to serve.

I hope that in the roughly year and a half since your original post, you have been able to really hone in on who is the best fit for you, because I know that you have a lot to offer. Whoever you serve will be fortunate to have you as their coach.

[Joshua Maze]

MJ, as I sit down to write this response, I am reflecting on our time together and how we met so long ago. I am reminded of our collective awe for the land and the sacredness of the Star House
I recently had the opportunity to reflect on what being a Nature Connected Coach, and more broadly, what nature connection means to me. Your understanding that nature is everything and everyone and everywhere is spot on. It’s a great insight that you were able to see this connection from the very beginning of our journey. I have found, nearly 2 years later that your answer rings true—nature is truly all of us and everywhere.

I hope that your life back in the busy city, after all of the intensives and work with EBI, that you have held this belief and have been able to incorporate this philosophy into your life and your business. Continue to deepen your connection to nature and the greater unknown, my friend.

[Joshua Maze]

Ben,
I remember our conversations around this time and your apprehension about the transition from offering your clients a practice rate vs a full client rate. Now that so much time as passed since we were together for this, I wonder how things have been in your coaching practice and if any of these old concerns have reemerged for you.
I love seeing that you were planning on incorporating partswork with your client. After all this time, I cannot recall how the sessions went for you. But partswork was always one of my favorites and I think it is a powerful tool to help clients (and yourself) see the bigger picture around the blocks that trauma can put up.
I think it is important that you seek the support from other professionals and practitioners to best serve your clients. Though we may wish that we can address all the client’s needs in a coaching session, they often need additional support that we cannot (or should not) offer them.

[Joshua Maze]

Summary:

I reviewed the questions to see what has changed for me since I wrote the initial post, and since last seeing all of you. Fort better or worse, there has been some changes to the answers.

• What steps did you take to establish the Coaching Relationship and focus the session?

As I write this, I am currently at my second job as a cremation operator for a funeral home. This is in addition to my full-time job as a pharmacy technician and my full-time commitment to be a husband and father. All the while, having a vision to serve others as a coach. So, the quick answer to this question is that I am doing nothing to establish a coaching relationship. I currently serve no clients and my LLC needs a total revamp to come in line with my vision. Upon reflection though, I could say that by taking a second job, I am setting myself and my family up for success when I am able to transition to coaching. I know that our income will take a hit as I am able to take on clients.

• How did or could Long-Term Coaching fit into your nature-connected coaching session?

The type of coaching that I am most interested in would require a long-term commitment. I really want to serve dads and co-parents who are living with postpartum depression. In my vision, I would come on during the pregnancy and continue to serve for several months after the birth.

• How did or could you collaborate with Nature and combine Long-Term Coaching and Nature-Connected Coaching principles?
It’s strange. For over a year, I believed that I would graduate from the program as an NCC and establish a career as a coach in Indiana. I would serve others as we explored local trails and parks. However, the vision is in flux. While nature may not be at the forefront of my practice, I could easily see working in nature if the client was interested in exploring the outdoors.

• What challenges did you face? How did you adapt?
The challenges I am currently facing include a lack of experience in the field of serving clients with postpartum depression, my lack of knowledge of child development or the birthing process, and my gender (because doulas and birth workers at almost exclusively women serving other women)

• What did you learn about yourself and nature-connected coaching?

I have learned that nature might be more of a hobby than a viable career choice. This realization kind of bums me out, to be honest.

• What ideas do you have for how you might use Long-Term Coaching and nature-connected coaching in the future with your client?
I want to validate the feelings of these men. Often, men are expected to be the provider and leader of the family. This leaves no room for depression, anxiety, or worry. I want to let these new dads know that their feelings are totally valid and appreciated. I want to create a path of communication between the parents to ensure that their needs are taken are of, so baby can be well care for. In order to achieve this, I would highly recommend a long-term agreement. This is not something we could complete in one or two sessions.

[Joshua Maze]

*INITIAL POST*

• Provide us with a short back story of the client. Note: it helps to consider people in your life to create this scenario.

I am working with a client who was assigned to me through her leadership course on here. As a part of the coaching contract, all coaching sessions had to be complete by Thanksgiving. Due to various circumstances, we were unable to complete all the sessions. For several months, I did not hear from her—no email, text, phone call, nothing. Until just before the new year, I received an email asking if we could continue to work together. I gave it a lot of consideration, wondering if I should allow the coaching to continue, given that she did not seem committed to the process during her contracted time with me. So, I made her a compromise. Through the coaching contract, she was allowed up to 6 free coaching sessions. So, I offered her the three remaining sessions at no charge, with the understanding that if she wanted to continue working with me after that, we would need a new contract and I would require payment.

• Describe how you would Establish the Coaching Agreement

When she was initially assigned to me, I spoke with her at length on the phone. I detailed my role as a coach and gave examples of what our sessions might look like. I reminded her that I am a student and that while I would hold our conversations in confidence, I might share the general details and experiences with the group for feedback. She understood her role and my role in the process and agreed to being coached.

• What steps did you take to establish the Coaching Relationship and focus the session?

I laid out the terms of our coaching agreement—3 free sessions as a compromise. With the understanding that any additional coaching sessions would require payment and a contract.

• How did or could Long-Term Coaching fit into your nature-connected coaching session?

After not talking with her over 2 months, and only 3 times prior to this, I felt a little disjointed. I imagine that my client can feel that from me as well. I prepped for the phone call, but still felt unsure going into it. So, what I decided to do was provide her with tools to use for after our session end.

• What challenges did you face? How did you adapt?

Challenges arose because of the long absence since we last spoke. I adapted by sharing tools learned during the Long-Term Coaching intensive, such as the 4 shields and Immunity to Change. I want her to be able to use these tools to check in with herself after our coaching has ended.

• What did you learn about yourself and nature-connected coaching?

Throughout this process, with this client and others, I have found it difficult to practice nature-connected coaching when sessions as held over the phone or a video call like Zoom. I’d prefer to work with them out on the land than just tell them to go find a sit spot in their community

• What ideas do you have for how you might use Long-Term Coaching and nature-connected coaching in the future with your client?

I can see the Immunity to Change, 4 shields, and Partswork to be effective tools when working with new families. At the moment, I’m not sure how much I will use nature as a part of the coaching process.

[Joshua Maze]

**Summary Post**

I really like PartsWork, because I find it to be accessible to most clients and coaches and is easily transferable to types of coaching other than NCC. It really allows the client to take a deep look at their soul and the many aspects of their life. I hope to have the opportunity to use this more as I establish my practice.

[Joshua Maze]

*Initial Post*

I am WAY late to this assignment. So, for the purposes of this post, I will use myself and my experiences with PartsWork. I do not currently have nay clients that I use PartsWork with.

Nature played an intricate role in the PartsWork experience. During the exercise, we were invited to go out onto the land and designate certain trees, rocks, etc. as parts. I found it helpful to have the 2-dimensional mandala expressed in a 3-dimensional way.

One aspect of parts work that I always find a little odd is remembering to talk in first person, from the place of the part. I understand the purpose of this, but sometimes it is difficult to remember to use the right language. We are also asked to address the parts, “empty chair” style. Once I was able to get out of my own head, I was able to do the work, without concern if I was doing it right or not.

It is helpful to have a coach who understands and appreciates PartsWork. If they are fully onboard, the process will fall apart. Luckily, this cohort has many people who are very skilled at using this technique. It allowed me to get to know the parts, instead of getting hung up on process.

PartsWork has helped me to fully see and appreciate all my parts, even the ones I want to label as “bad”. What this has taught me about Nature Connected Coaching specifically is that I’m not sure if I want to be an NCC after graduation. I can see myself using these tools in other coaching practices, though.

My vision is to serve new dads working through postpartum depression. I could see this being used to help him uncover some of the reasons behind the depression and fear and anxiety he is experiencing at the birth of his child. At this point, I do not know how much of a nature component my Postpartum practice will have. It is possible that I take dad out into nature for our sessions, but my instinct will be to have the sessions in the home. Only time will tell.

[Joshua Maze]

Summary Post:

In reading through everyone’s posts, I am finding that what unites us all is our unwavering commitment to serving others. For most of us, that will take place out in nature, for others of us, that process will take place in the client’s home, in an office, or at the gym. Others in cohorts before ours have taken the skills learned in EBI back to the corporate world and others are using this to supplement careers in related fields. Some of us want to work with young adults, while others want to work with elders. Some with veterans, others with marginalized populations. My point in all this is that we all have a passion for service. That is why we are here. That is what has pulled at our hearts and directed us to fly across the country. We do this because this is us. We are coaches. We are guides. We are servants to others. And I am proud to know each and every one of you servants.

[Joshua Maze]

Taylor, no worries. I might be the furthest behind.
I love that your vision is all encompassing. Connection to nature is important and something I’m sure most of us are striving for. But you go beyond just going for a walk in the woods. Yours is a deep and personal connection at a soul level.
Having gotten to know you over the past year, I can say that you are one of the most compassionate, real people that I know. This isn’t some pet project for you. This is something you live and something you teach to others.
Having worked with you as a coach throughout the intensives, I can attest to your coaching ability and skills. You will rock at this!

[Joshua Maze]

Initial Post:

This is a question that has eluded me for some time. Before I started this program, my ideal client was the sad lonely girl. The one I could “fix”. This is the peer I would associate with the most through high school and college and on after. This is the girl, to be frank, I am most attracted to. This is the girl that arouses my addictive, monstrous side. For that very reason, this sad girl CANNOT be my client. It has taken counseling and deep self-reflection to get to the point of understanding who I am as a person and as a coach to be able to say that she is not my ideal client. If not for the techniques learned through EBI and the coaching I have received during the intensives, I may have never moved beyond the safe, sad client.

After making that realization, I allowed myself to consider other clients. Who do I want to serve? And, why would they be drawn to my services? So, I cast a pretty wide net. My ideal client was someone who recognized that they simply needed to get back out into nature. Even though at its core, this is what I believe in, this isn’t actually the client I want. I discovered that trying to attract virtually anyone meant that I was attracting no one. Literally, my pitch to prospective clients and partners, when I went to trade shows was, lets get outside and talk about it. Even the best coach will need a bit more of a sales pitch.

So, round three of finding my ideal client. One day, I had a vision that hit me hard. I was told to basically quit beating around the bush and serve the people that your heart speaks to. Not the safe, sad girl. Not even the nature deprived. No. My ideal client is the postpartum dad. All the respect to moms out there, but dad is often forgotten about during this important time. Dads get postpartum depression and anxiety too. Someone needs to show these men validation and compassion and let them know that its ok if there are times that they think this new chapter sucks. I want to be that person. In meetings with mentors and prospective partners, I have gotten more excited about the prospect of serving new dads than I ever did when I was talking about serving the nature deprived.

Now, what does this new chapter mean for the mission of Fresh Air Coaching? Only time will tell.

[Joshua Maze]

Initial Post:

I have recently begun seeing a client who I will call Tom the purposes of this post. Tom initially found me through my postings online to advertise my life coaching practice. Prior to actually meeting, he had a lot of questions about what Nature Connected Coaching is and my practice. We chatted online some and I was able to kind of build a history and biography, an intake if you will. We spoke once on the phone to formalize our coaching relationship and I explained my process to him. I reminded him both in the online discussions and on the phone that our conversations are confidential.

Since I already has some of his background, it was easier to jump into a full session when we finally met at a nearby park. The biggest thing that he wanted to talk about was anxiety surrounding change in his life. After digging a little deeper, I found that the changes that he is most concerned about, would be positive changes to his life. For instance, he and his girlfriend went through a rocky part of their relationship. But what he’s most anxious about is that now that things are feeling better, they will get worse again. He is in a job that he doesn’t really like and has the opportunity for a new one, but he is anxious about the chance for a change.

Believing that good things are in the works for him, I invited him to tell me what it will be like when there is no doubt that his relationship is strong and what it would be like to have a better job. I had him sit with those thought for a bit. Before giving him homework, I explained the idea of the river forming a new canyon. He has to remain positive and truly believe that good things are coming to be in a position to receive them when the universe is ready to share. His homework was to 1) find a sit spot and 2) journal there daily until our next session, writing as if the good things have already happened. Is life better? How do you feel? How is the new job? How is the relationship? Etc. I wanted him to literally re-route that doubt.

[Joshua Maze]

Amanda, first of all, it was such a pleasure getting to know you and welcome you into our group! This is such a great way to utilize PartsWork. Even though there wasn’t a formal coaching agreement established, your relationship with your brother helped in the decision to work with him using these tools. It sounds like it was a profound experience for you both. And for your mom. It was good that she was able to see the process as well. I hope that in the time since you originally posted this, that you have continued to use PartsWork in your practice and have been able to offer support to your brother.

[Joshua Maze]

Excellent awareness to be able to help her find the root to her anxiety. I would imagine that for paramedics, the anxiety of losing someone and having that survivor’s guilt is very real. I wonder if there is a specific case that she can point to that affected her more than others. A cause for the anxiety, if you will. While our jobs are not to diagnose or necessarily treat the trauma, if we know the moment it began, maybe through other exercises we can help keep it in check.

I was also curious about her listing her anxiety at a 4. On a 1-10 scale, 4 isn’t too bad. (Though I acknowledge that someone’s 4 might be different than my 4) I wonder if her anxiety has ever been higher. What brought it down to a 4?

Good job being able to teach her a skill to use to keep the anxiety in check when she feels it coming on!