Athlete mental health coaching is a type of life coaching that is focused on mental wellness. While it is not a substitute for therapy or medical advice, this type of coaching is concentrated on guiding individuals to finding solutions in the present and in the future. This can be extremely effective for people who are ready to move forward, rather than going backward.
What is athlete mental health coaching?
The International Coach Federation (ICF) defines coaching as “partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.”
In mental health coaching, the client leads the conversation with the coach. The coach is present as a partner to ask questions that will help the client reach whatever goal they have set for the session. The entire conversation is athlete-centered, whether the topic of the session is in the scope of the individual’s athletic career or elsewhere. The coach and the client partner to find solutions, create new awarenesses, identify potential barriers, and determine action steps. The goal of each and every session is for the client to walk away with new insight and/or a plan of action that they are motivated to achieve.
What does that all really mean?
- It means that the coach and the client will simply talk in a space of free-flowing conversation that is both confidential and client-driven.
- The coach’s opinion and personal perspective are irrelevant in creating an environment that is a judgment-free zone.
- The client has the space to focus on himself or herself free from other distractions.
- The client will explore limiting beliefs, new awarenesses, creating solutions, developing tools, exploring barriers, etc. all while the coach listens and asks questions.
How does athlete mental health coaching work?
The way coaching works is that the client will pick a topic (see some examples below) and an outcome that they wish to achieve by the end of the session. The topic is literally anything that they want to work through. The coach will then use the session to coach them through finding a solution, whatever that might look like.
Here are some examples of coaching topics, although again, it can literally be anything that the client wants to discuss as long as it is based in the present or future. (See more about why we don’t coach on the past below.)
- How to overcome a fear or worry
- Time management
- Meeting deadlines
- Clarity around a decision personally or professionally
- Dealing with overwhelm
- Creating a vision
- Implementing mindfulness into a daily lifestyle
- Getting past a limiting belief
- Solve a nagging issue
- Practice speaking what’s on your heart
- Choosing a direction
- Organizing and meeting goals
- Creating and holding boundaries
- Work-life balance
- Creating a self-care plan
- How to get and stay motivated
- Conflict management
- How to communicate more effectively
- How to overcome a challenge
- How and/or when to express feelings
- How to feel more fulfilled
- Finding relief or clarity around an issue
- How to get back on track
- Find a solution
- Meeting health or wellness goals
What is the difference between a coach and a consultant?
Coaching is different than consulting. In consulting, the person is providing ideas and feedback, whereas, in coaching, the coach is helping the client arrive at a solution based solely on his or her goals and ideas.
What is the difference between a coach and a therapist?
A coach is not a licensed mental health practitioner, which means that they do not provide diagnosis, treatment, or medical advice. Furthermore, a coach focuses on the present and the future whereas a therapist might focus on the past and helping the client undercover “the why.”