Dr Gary Wood is a Chartered Psychologist, life coach and author based in Birmingham and Edinburgh, UK. He specializes in translating evidence-based psychology and coaching into workable solutions for individuals and organizations. Services include: coaching and training, research consultancy, writing and broadcasting.
Gary has taught psychology, research methods and learning skills in several UK universities and has published in academic journals and mainstream popular magazines. He is the author of three self-help books, the latest of which is 'Unlock Your Confidence'. His previous book 'Don't Wait For Your Ship to Come In. . . Swim Out to Meet It' has been translated into several languages. In his spare time Gary sleeps, eats, reads and occasionally sings.
Excerpt/article from Gary's website:
What is Life Coaching?
The term life coaching has entered into everyday language. It’s a catch-all term to describe a professional relationship where a practitioner assists a client to identify and achieve personal (and professional) goals. If we use the transport metaphor, a coach helps you to get from A to B. It works on the principle of ‘two heads are better than one’. Ideally its a collaborative, professional relationship where the client provides the agenda and the coach provides various tools and techniques. The client brings the content and the coach facilitates the process. Life coaching has its origins in sports coaching and draws from psychology, learning theory, teaching practice, counselling, therapy, and, of course, the self-help movement. In this article, I’ll describe what coaching is, the links between counselling, psychotherapy and coaching and discuss some of the key features ofSolution Focused Brief Coaching.
Coaching as Focused Conversations
Coaching is basically a focused conversation or a series conversations between a practitioner (coach) and you, the client. Within the process the coach will assist you, as a client, to assess where you are in your life. This includes your strengths, values and exploring the factors that underpin your motivation (to change). Such understanding will assist you to manage change, clarifying ambitions and achieve your goals. This includes working to create more compelling and robust action plans, unlike New Year’s resolutions that fizzle out after a few weeks. The coach helps you to assess progress and provide feedback to keep you on track. Coaching is about empowerment and building confidence and self esteem, as you learn the coaching style of thinking. The overall aim is that you acquire the skills to become your own coach once the agreed number of sessions come to an end. In turn, you will be able to build confidence in others by passing on your new insights and skills. This is a key theme in my book Unlock Your Confidence.
