What is Transpersonal Coaching?
The term Transpersonal relates to “states or areas of consciousness beyond the limits of personal identity.” As humans, we are not merely our physical body – we are also mental, emotional and spiritual beings – we have a soul and spirit.
Transpersonal coaching is based on transpersonal psychology. It actively engages with an individual’s spiritual intelligence (SQ) and builds on emotional intelligence (EQ) to enable deeper and broader perspectives on the challenges we face.
Transpersonal Coaching vs Traditional ‘Coaching’
Here are the some of the fundamental elements of Transpersonal Coaching, and ways that this type of coaching may be different from other forms of coaching:
- The sessions start with mindfulness/open awareness to enter an expansive/altered state of awareness which enables greater access to the subconscious and our intuition, as well as a heart centered, compassionate space.
- There is more emphasis on the healing presence and the liminal space.
- A key premise is that the client holds the answers; it is the coach’s task to ask the questions that elicit those answers.
- People want to be heard, seen and their experience to be validated. For this reason, we cannot underestimate the power of simply holding space and using active listening skills.
- It is future orientated, but we also hold space for past experience and stay present with the experiences that can arise. This means, we are able to hold space for what emerges within coaching sessions, and also have resources and processes that we apply.
- The goal is to help people to align with their purpose (their reason for being) and their authentic nature rather than a need to fit in or be more ‘productive’ according to societal expectations.