COURSE CSC

Creating Sacred Context

This course introduces participants to the world of spiritually based life coaching in general, with an emphasis on Christian coaching. We will begin by exploring the skills, personal qualities and experience coaches need if they are to offer spiritual coaching (creating a coaching mindset), and then turn our attention to niche building and attracting “the right clients.” Our conversation will include ways of assessing what is a “good match” between coach and client, taking into consideration the client’s culture(s), religious language, images, core beliefs and practices; we will also focus on the importance of establishing trust and safety, especially when dealing with spiritual/ religious content. From there, we will discuss ways of creating an environment conducive to spiritual work, whether it be in a physical setting, a virtual platform or on the phone. Additional topics include Body-Mind-Spirit connections, using scriptural narratives and symbolism, heightening intuition, facilitating spiritual growth and awareness, the discernment process, coaching professional ministers, and tending the soul.

What language and images does the client use?  Which archetypes and archetypal patterns best help the client approach scriptural narratives? How can the life coach avoid imposing his or her belief system on the client? What are some of the tools for assessing a client’s spiritual maturity? Is it appropriate to pray with a client, and, if so, what form should the prayer take? What does one do if the client is from a different faith tradition than one’s own? How does the coach assess whether s/he is the right person to companion a particular client? These and other questions will provide the content of our explorations together!

Frequency: This course is offered once a year.

Required Texts: 

A New Psychology of Human Well-Being by Richard Barrett of the Barrett Values Centre

Learning Outcomes:

• Cultivate a coaching mindset/maintain presence through practicing mindfulness (breath work, prayer, meditation, mindful actions)
• Establish trust and safety by understanding clients' cultural contexts (race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, socio-economic class, physical abilities, age, etc.
• Facilitate growth and awareness through "Epiphany moments" and the questions that lead up to them
•  Understand body-mind-spirit connections
• Assess whether one is the right person to coach a client on the basis of the client’s religious language, images, core beliefs and practices
• Tend the "soul" in ways that are both subtle and explicit
• Work with clients who are professional ministers
• Use scriptural narratives as a framework for understanding life events
• Build a spiritual coaching practice
• Create sacred time (kairos v. chronos) and sacred space
• Learn to trust intuition.

Course Prerequisites

None

Testimonials