International Society of Coaching Psychology:10th International Congress of Coaching Psychology, 6-9 October 2020
Navigating Covid-19, acceptance and commitment therapy, performance and resilience, the coaching alliance, creativity, health and wellbeing, managing transitions and ecopsychology – these were among the themes explored at the International Society of Coaching Psychology (ISCP)’s recent virtual conference.
The event, on 6-9 October, was themed: 2020 Vision: Navigating adversity with coaching psychology and positive psychology.
Speakers included the UK’s Tatiana Bachkirova, professor of coaching psychology and director of the International Centre for Coaching and Mentoring Studies at Oxford Brookes University and Professor Suzy Green.
In the ISCP Anthony Grant Lecture 2020, Prof Suzy Green, clinical and coaching psychologist (MAPS) and founder and CEO of The Positivity Institute, argued for the role of psycho-education to complement coaching and, in particular, positive psychology coaching.
In her keynote, ‘What do coaches need most when helping clients to deal with adversity?’, Prof Bachkirova made a case for pluralistic thinking. She describes pluralism “as a philosophical perspective that positively values multiplicity in the world” and is about “recognising differences in all shapes and forms as a reflection of the complexity of human nature being part of the complexity of the world.”
She warned that navigating adversity cannot rely on “magic means” suitable for everyone but said it’s possible to identify dimensions of differences that can offer useful pointers for a coach when helping clients to deal with adversity. It’s also possible to nurture pluralism in ourselves.
In her session with Prof Stephen Palmer and Julie McCall, Dr Zelda Di Blasi suggested that combining telephone coaching support with walking in nature can increase feelings of vitality and self-efficacy, and boost creativity and wellbeing during the pandemic.
Di Blasi is co-director of a Masters in Positive and Coaching Psychology at University College Cork, Ireland.
Dr Kristina Gyllensten, a psychologist and researcher at a department for occupational and environmental medicine at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Sweden, researched managers’ experiences of participating in executive group coaching in a municipality in Sweden.
Four main themes emerged: group engagement, a space for reflection and creativity, taking different perspectives, and increased
self-awareness and courage. The executive group coaching was a highly engaging process that provided an opportunity for reflection, creativity and self-awareness, finds her research.
The study also highlights that executive group coaching can provide an opportunity for managers to give and receive much-needed peer support.
Dr Meg Arroll shared her research on online health coaching for weight management, suggesting that health and wellbeing coaching can offer a unique intervention to furnish individuals with the mindful awareness, perceived control and stress-reduction techniques
required to manage weight and improve overall health.