Wellbeing coaching circles provide learning and development opportunities and build a supportive, connected group. They are especially helpful to support employees during times of transition or those in emotionally challenging roles.
Outside of the workplace, they are helpful in communities to support healing, recovery and coping mechanisms following natural disasters such as fire, collective grief and trauma or ongoing stressors.
Led by an experienced psychotherapist, circles are generally held with regular frequency, for example once a month for a group of people who work together in some capacity.
The circles can have a theme or can be open. The nature nature of the process provides space to explore the theme within the context of the individual’s/group’s environment. This makes them real, helpful and relevant.
Group size is ideally between 6 and 12, plus the coach and the average length of a coaching circle is between 45-90 minutes.
The circle forms around the same structure each time which satisfies our need for predictability and helps create containment and safety. Rules of engagement are articulated clearly in the first session and monitored by the coach. The circles promote accountability as issues discussed will lead to actions to be taken that can be reported on in the next circle, this could be around self care matters or taking care of relationships, conversations etc in the workplace.
Participants experience that these circles provide a safe and contained space away from the work environment to learn, connect in a slightly different way and provide important space for reflection.
Examples of themes that can run in the circles and a description of the how themes could be separated into sessions include but are in no ways limited to;
Positive Psychology Wellbeing Circles based on Martin Selligman’s work – unpacking the PERMA model
Session 1 theme – Setting the guidelines, learning the framework, setting intentions, introduction to the PERMA model
Session 2 theme – Positive Emotion
Session 3 theme – Engagement
Session 4 theme – Relationships
Session 5 theme – Meaning
Session 6 theme – Accomplishments and closing ritual (if group is not continuing)
Enhancing workplace relationships and triggers based on Dr David Rock’s work on SCARF
Session 1 theme – Setting the guidelines, learning the framework, setting intentions, introduction to neuroscience basics and the SCARF model
Session 2 theme – Status
Session 3 theme – Certainty
Session 4 theme – Autonomy
Session 5 theme – Relatedness
Session 6 theme – Fairness and closing ritual (if group is not continuing)
Dealing with complexity and flexing the way we think based on Jennfier Gervey Berger’s Work on Mindtraps.
Session 1 theme – Setting the guidelines, learning the framework, setting intentions, introduction to the concept of mindtraps
Session 2 theme – Rightness
Session 3 theme – Basic Stories
Session 4 theme – Understanding
Session 5 theme – Control
Session 6 theme – Personality and closing ritual (if group is not continuing)
Following a 6 month/12 week program depending on frequency, the groups usually have enough structure and content to run without a theme and instead build on the core learnings.
Having a theme forms the context for the session but the coaches are skilled and in-tune to follow the needs of the group rather than being wedded to the content. The approach therefore is flexible and adaptable to any emerging need or interest of the group.
For further information on this approach, please contact kate@katediggle.com