Abstract
In this chapter, I will consider the practice of what I have called ‘Rational-Emotive Cognitive-Behavioral Life Coaching’ (RECBLC). It is important to be clear at the outset about how I am going to use the term ‘life coaching’ and also how it differs from other related modes of helping. Grant and Cavanagh (2010, p. 297) say that life coaching “is less about restoring or improving functionality and more about enhancing existing well-being. It typically tends to focus on goals that fall within the personal sphere rather than the work or employment sphere”. It can thus be contrasted with counseling which has more of a focus on the restoration of functionality and with executive coaching which “focuses on helping clients who have managerial responsibility in organisations to achieve goals that improve their professional performance, and consequently the effectiveness of the client’s organization” (Grant & Cavanagh, 2010, p. 297). However, while I can see the logic in Grant and Cavanagh’s position, in my practice the boundary lines are more fluid, and since people invest a lot of themselves in their work, I consider that work issues have a place in life coaching, and this position will be reflected in this chapter.
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Notes
- 1.
It is my view that coaching professionals have an ambivalent view on ‘life coaching’ on the one hand recognizing its value, while on the other fearful of the fact that life coaching is open to being practiced by unaccredited individuals who may bring the professional field of coaching into disrepute (George, 2013). I note with interest that while ‘The Complete Handbook of Coaching’ edited by Cox, Bachkirova, and Clutterbuck (2010) and published by Sage Publications features a chapter on ‘Life Coaching’ (written by Grant & Cavanagh, 2010), ‘The SAGE Handbook of Coaching’ edited by Bachkirova, Spence, and Drake (2017) not only contains no chapter on ‘Life Coaching’, but has no mention of the term in its index! While there are, at present, no formal training courses in REBLC, it is my view that this training initiative is needed if Life Coaching is to thrive in the Rational Emotive Behavioural community.
- 2.
In this chapter, I will use the term ‘goals’ to refer to what the person wants to achieve from coaching that addresses emotionally-based obstacles to development and the term ‘objectives’ to refer to what the person wants to achieve from development-focused coaching.
- 3.
The eight areas of life are: (1) physical environment; (2) career; (3) money; (4) health; (5) friends and family; (6) significant other/romance; (7) personal growth; (8) fun and recreation.
- 4.
- 5.
I consider my own results to be quite accurate. Thus, my three most important values are in order: (1) Perseverance (2) Judgment (by which is meant ‘Thinking things through and examining them from all sides; not jumping to conclusions; being able to change one’s mind in light of evidence; weighing all evidence fairly’); and (3) Humor. My three least important values are in order: (1) Teamwork; (2) Appreciation of beauty and excellence and (3) Humility.
- 6.
The personal domain is a kind of psychological space that contains anything that the person deems to be personally valuable.
References
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Cox, E., Bachkirova, T., & Clutterbuck, D. (Eds.). (2010). The complete handbook of coaching (pp. 297–310). London: Sage.
George, M. (2013). Seeking legitimacy: The professionalization of life coaching. Sociological Inquiry, 83, 179–208.
Grant, A. M., & Cavanagh, M. J. (2010). Life coaching. In E. Cox, T. Bachkirova, & D. Clutterbuck (Eds.), The complete handbook of coaching (pp. 297–310). London: Sage.
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Dryden, W. (2018). Life Coaching. In: Bernard, M., David, O. (eds) Coaching for Rational Living. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-74067-6_11
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