50 PSYCHOLOGIES MAGAZINEAPRIL 2020
Award-winning coach Kim Morgan mentors a university student who had
treatment for anxiety and is fi ghting to maintain her new positive mindsetMartha* told me that in her second year of
university she started having panic attacks.
She took time out and completed six sessions of CBT.
Martha said she had learned to challenge her thoughts,
feelings and behaviour, felt ready to go back to her studies
and thought coaching might help her make that step.
I felt admiration for her. She was determined to manage
her anxiety and wellbeing. From a professional and ethical
standpoint, I needed to be sure coaching would support and
build on the CBT work that Martha had already completed.
There is a well-known saying in coaching: the coach has
the questions, the client has the answers. ‘What do you want
from me as a coach and what would be the ideal outcome for
our coaching sessions?’ I asked Martha.
‘I would like a safe space to talk. The CBT worked and I
need a coach who will keep me motivated to practise my new
thinking and behaviour. I would like help to make a plan to
go back to university and the ideal outcome would be that
I fi nish my degree and look back on this as a blip in my life.’
I took my cue from what she said about looking back after
her degree. ‘Imagine you have graduated. Talk to me as that
future version of you and tell me how you achieved success.’
I sat back and made notes of the strategies she used, the
people who supported her, the people she avoided and how
journalling her thoughts, voluntary work and exercise helped.
Martha had learned that keeping busy, physically active
and focusing on others curbed her negative thoughts about
herself. Future Martha had given us a plan for our coaching.ILLUSTRATIONANDREA DE SANTISSession “I’ve done the work, now I want to focus and get cracking with my goals”
oneJOIN OUR LIFE LEAP CLUB. SUBSCRIBE NOW! GET FREE COACHING FROM WORLD-RENOWNED PSYCHOLOGISTS AND EXPERHelp me put my panic
attacks behind me
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