What each of the above sections represents and how you could work with a psychological wellbeing coach to enhance some or all of them:
Physical Health, Exercise and Nutrition- This could include , managing the physical and psychological Impact of living with a chronic condition or establishing and maintaining an exercise & nutrition regime to support overall Health and Well being.
Mental and Emotional Health – All individuals will experience mental and emotional distress within their lives at some point. Managing psychological distress such as stress, anxiety, panic attacks and depression are often some of the reasons individuals will seek out support from a psychological wellbeing practitioner. The psychological wellbeing coach facilitates the client in managing such conditions with the use of strategies such as Cognitive Behavioural Coaching (CBC) techniques, Mindfulness based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Positive Psychology and the application of Neuroscience.
Relationship with Self/Self Acceptance –Many people struggle to accept themselves as they are and often are searching for something to complete them or to “fix them”- Learning to accept and care for ourselves as we are paradoxically frees us up to consider change (Carl Rogers). The Psychological Wellbeing Coaching Therapist guides the client in this journey towards self compassion and self acceptance.
Positive relationships with others- Wellbeing is significantly influenced by the quality of the relationships we have in our lives. Working within a coaching environment on improving relationships by enhanced communication strategies or the establishing of boundaries significantly impact wellbeing and relationship satisfaction.
Positive Emotions – As human beings we are ‘hard wired’ to focus more on our negative emotions than on our positive emotions. Working from a Positive Psychology Perspective, the Wellbeing Coaching Therapist facilitates the client in the cultivation of positive emotions, which with practice, become more habitual and contribute positively to our sense of wellbeing.
Personal Growth and Sense of Accomplishment – Personal growth and a sense of accomplishment have been found to be significantly associated with Wellbeing. Where in your life do you currently have a sense of accomplishment and what are the other goals in other areas you may want to accomplish? Educational goals, career choice, and career development, are often areas that contribute to our sense of growth and accomplishment.
Autonomy, Empowerment and Environmental Mastery- From an early age, children strive for autonomy as their right of passage to adult lives. As adults sometimes we feel like we are at the effect of life and things happen to us and around us without much input or control from us. However, we all have an innate need to feel like we are the masters of our own destiny and we can control our environments (home, work) to suit our needs. Clients may choose to work with a Wellbeing Coaching Therapist on this aspect and work towards re-establishing a sense of autonomy in their own lives.
Meaning and Purpose – Research shows that people with a relatively clear sense of meaning and purpose in their lives are more likely to experience a positive sense of self and wellbeing. Often this is something that is hidden from view and after exploration and discovery can provide the client with an anchor and guide. Meaning and purpose are also closely aligned to ones spiritual sense of self.
How to use the wheel:
The circle above represents a breakdown of the many different dimensions of life that go to make up overall life satisfaction and fulfilment.
If you were to give yourself a score out of 10 in each area, what would your own personal wheel of life look like?
Does it look like a balanced life or does it look like there are imbalances in some areas -you may be very satisfied in some areas and less so in others.
Much evidence exists for the positive impact in areas such as overall well-being, life satisfaction, achievements and fulfilment from working with a Wellbeing Coach on areas in your life that are working less well than others.