This episode’s conversation is with nature-based coach, James Farrell. As well as being the director at The Natural Coaching Company and founder at The Human Nature Partnership, James works in environment and climate change related fields and has done so for almost 30 years.
I’ve been on a search for the last few years, for that sweet spot between people, planet and human potential…. I’m a surfer and my pre-coaching prep five minutes before the session is to imagine I’m out there, sitting on the ocean. That brings the environment into it (the coaching session).
In our conversation about nature-based coaching we explore how rooting coaching practice in the natural world – literally and metaphorically – benefits coachees and nature. James cites a wealth of research to back up his commitment to his work.
This generation and the next are the ones to turn the corner to more just and sustainable planet, so that’s what nature-based coaching is about for me. I’m driven by the idea that to pull this off we need people who can be operating at their very best so that we’ve got a chance of make the biggest possible impact. That’s where coaching comes in – and coaching in all its forms is wonderful when it is done well.
Episode 6 of Coaching Conversations with Alison Whybrow (January 2021) explains more about the Climate Coaching Alliance mentioned in this episode.
James is offering a free ‘Coaching with nature’ guide to his subscribers. Get in touch via the Natural Coaching Company website or email hi. The details are below, along with information about the scientific research that he draws upon and mentioned during our conversation.
Mentioned in the podcast
The Natural Coaching Company https://naturalcoachingcompany.com/
where you can find James’ Climate Coaching Alliance webinar as a blog
Climate Coaching Alliance https://www.climatecoachingalliance.org/
Climate Change Coaches https://www.climatechangecoaches.com
Michael Cohen, Project Nature Connect https://projectnatureconnect.org and 54 natural web strings https://www.ecopsych.com/insight53senses.html
Earth based institute https://earthbasedinstitute.org
Finding Nature Project (for Miles Richardson and Alison Pritchard et al). https://findingnature.org.uk
Gold Standard https://www.goldstandard.org/take-action/offset-your-emissions
International Coaching Federation https://coachfederation.org/blog/icf-cosigns-global-statement-regarding-climate-change
Zoltán Kövecses (2010), Metaphor – a practical introduction, published by Oxford University Press.
Joanna Macy & Christ Johnstone, Active Hope https://www.activehope.info/index.html
PANAS scale https://positivepsychology.com/positive-and-negative-affect-schedule-panas/
Richard Strozzi-Heckler and the Strozzi Institute https://strozziinstitute.com/
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