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If coaches are to deliver their best work, it is important that they are emotionally and psychologically well-resourced. In a rapidly changing and increasingly complex world, the ability of coaches to monitor, manage and enable their own well-being is an important component of effective and ethical practice. However, little is known about the self-care needs and practices of coaches, with few resources available to guide practitioners in the development of personalised self-care plans. In this context, it is argued that the use of formulation has the potential to make a significant contribution. Formulation is well-established in applied psychology as a means of better understanding and responding to the needs of individual clients. This article extends the use of formulation to the domain of coach self-care. Following a review of literature relevant to self-care and to formulation, the article presents a case study which illustrates how formulation was applied by a coach to enhance self-awareness, self-monitoring and decision-making in relation to her self-care needs. Particular attention is paid to the way in which the process guided the coach's thinking and decision-making to illustrate how formulation can enable reflective practice in relation to self-care. Implications for training and practice are considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the 'personal benefits' of training reported by graduates of a health and wellness coach training programme. In particular, we investigated reported benefits, areas of life affected by the training, and whether changes occurred in health and wellness or more broadly. Using a semi-structured interview design, we incorporated an atheoretical qualitative approach to data collection and analysis. Thematic analysis was used at a semantic level to identify the major themes. The findings indicate a blend of personal and professional benefits for the graduate. As a result of participation in the programme, graduates gained greater self-knowledge, and better connection with others. They also improved their professional optimism and noted positive changes in personal health and wellbeing. Further research is needed to see if trainees from other health and wellness coach training programmes report similar personal benefits, and to identify key training elements instrumental to generating these benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Covid-19 pandemic has illuminated how all aspects of personal and professional life can be profoundly disrupted and, in some cases, permanently changed by events that are unpredicted, unprecedented and apparently random. As the full consequences of the pandemic emerge, individuals, organisations and societies across the globe will need to evolve not only to address the impacts of Covid-19 but also to equip themselves for future challenges of an equally complex and unprecedented nature. In this context, coaches might also need to acquire novel perspectives, models and methods to optimise their contribution, both to existing clients and to new client groups. A concept that has considerable potential relevance to the issues now confronting coaches and their clients is antifragility. Introduced to professional and scholarly debate by Nassim Taleb, antifragility refers to the characteristics of systems that thrive in situations of disorder and chaos. This article defines and describes antifragility, considers its similarities and differences to the more familiar concept of resilience and examines what antifragility might contribute to coaching as the field explores its response to a future that is increasingly unknown and unknowable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an evolving field, coaching psychology continues to develop its own knowledge and evidence-base whilst also integrating approaches from related disciplines. Formulation is well-established in applied psychology and this article examines how coaching psychology can benefit from the use of formulation as a means for coaches to navigate the complexities of their practice whilst remaining grounded in the knowledge-base of our field. Following a definition and description of formulation, the article considers the relevance of formulation to coaching and outlines the different ways in which the task of formulation can be approached. Two case examples are used to illustrate these different approaches and provide examples of how formulation can support coaching practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability to reflect on our work is increasingly recognised as a vital competence of skilled professional practice. However, reflection is a concept that has proved difficult to define and operationalise which can hamper the ability to devise effective means of enhancing this capability. This article examines the concept of reflection, reviews some of the literature which seeks to inform our understanding of reflective practice, and provides an illustration of its use in coaching research and practice. The article concludes with some recommendations for coaches and coaching psychologists who wish to develop their skills as reflective practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article introduces realist evaluation and makes the case that it is a useful addition to more traditional approaches to evaluating the effectiveness of coaching interventions. Realist evaluation is discussed in the context of current trends in evaluation and an overview of the realist evaluation approach is given. A case study provides a brief illustration of how this approach goes beyond asking whether an intervention works, towards an enquiry into what makes coaching effective for whom and in what circumstances. The article concludes with a summary of the challenges and complexities of applying this emerging paradigm to coaching and coaching psychology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to establish its reputation as a distinct domain of applied psychology, coaching psychology needs to demonstrate that it is underpinned by a cogent evidence-base. However, traditional approaches to defining and categorising evidence may not prove fit for purpose for a form of professional practice that is as diverse as coaching. This article seeks to raise awareness of some critical issues that need to inform evidence-gathering in coaching psychology. Specifically, the case is made for embracing broader, transdisciplinary approaches to enquiry, as well as understanding the political, economic and social agendas that underpin the pursuit of an authorised evidence-base. Consistent with this proposal a framework is described, derived from professional experience, that offers a means of facilitating a personal engagement with both using and gathering evidence and that coaching practitioners can use to reflect upon and critique their work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to raise awareness of some of the debates and controversies surrounding formulation, and to highlight ways of navigating these debates more successfully for the benefits of ourselves, our clients and the future development of our profession. The concept of formulation, that is an explanatory account of the issues affecting a client, is widely used in sister disciplines such as clinical, counselling, forensic psychology and psychotherapy. Its purpose is to provide a descriptive and explanatory narrative that the client and practitioner can use to plan interventions. While coaching psychology has used many ideas from its sister disciplines this concept has not appeared as a feature of much in the coaching psychology literature (with a few exceptions). The reasons why this might be so are explored. The paper provides an overview of the role of formulation in psychology and some of the arguments for and against its use. The position of formulation in coaching psychology is discussed with reference to the purposes of coaching and some boundary issues between this and related fields. A framework for using formulation in coaching psychology is outlined through consideration of purpose, perspective and process. Such a framework it is argued provides a format to enable coaching psychologists whatever their theoretical orientation to use the concept of formulation to assist client change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]