A Coaching Model Created by Kelly Goyer
(Life Coach, CANADA)
My Coaching Model is called The Hero’s Journey. I called it that because Joseph Campbell’s work greatly influences me. He helped me realize the shared humanity of us all, and the shared story of our lives as we strive to live nobly, and heroically meet the challenges our lives bring us in order to become more fully human.
His work has shown me a great deal about the shadow side of our psyches, and how if we have the courage to listen, to illuminate those parts of ourselves, we gain great wisdom and insight that can serve us powerfully.
My style of coaching addresses the whole person and could be described as semi-linear. As outlined in the model, one can see that plans or actions do not emerge until the client is well-grounded in themselves, their story, their purpose and core values.
The Journey Opens
Coach and Client build rapport and establish trust and ‘confirmation of humanity’.
Focus is gaining understanding from the client about what has lead them to seek coaching. It provides the coach with some background, and perhaps an understanding of potential starting points with the client.
Why are you here?
Hero’s Heart
Set the Vision. Explore Core Values.
What does the client want? What core values have been written on their heart? What is their mission? What future state do they want to bring into being? How does what they want serve this? How does this future state look on the inside (experience love, triumph, safety, fun, etc.) and how can the outside (environment, partner, possessions, etc.) match with that?
The Cave
Coach and Client go down into the ‘dark waters’ as Roberty Bly put it.
Into the realm of underlying beliefs, subconscious patterns, unexamined habits, automatic commitments. Coach and Client must first know what is in the cave preventing or sabotaging success. There is great wisdom, insight and self-awareness to be gained here.
What has been preventing you from achieving this future state? What do you believe about what you are saying? Who do you really want this for? Does this fit with what you believe about yourself? What about you aligns with your future state? How do you know you will get there? How has this belief been serving you until now? If you let go of this belief, then what?
Touching Your Power
Now that the Client has gained in self-awareness and is not ‘at war with oneself’, they have freed up a great deal of energy that can be harnessed toward building momentum as they prepare to move forward to their desired future state.
Also, Coach and Client revisit the desired future state to see if it needs to be redefined, tweaked, or remains the same.
Sacred Fire
This stage is where Coach and Client build new, powerful habits for the mind and body that will keep the client focused, grounded, and connected to themselves. They will find the courage, tenacity, and heart to continue despite challenges or setbacks.
It is the beginning of creating or enhancing existing systems to support the Client and exploring a best fit across meditation/exercise/diet and family/friends/mentors/personal heroes.
Walking The Path
Coach and Client explore resources, options, approaches, etc. that the Client can use to bring their future state into being. There is more overt focus on taking action and accountability in this stage than in others.
The Village
A coaching conversation focused on helping the Client connect with how they are serving humanity, or connecting to the larger whole in some way. It is also a focus on how the Client can ‘give back’ thus completing the circle of the Hero’s Journey.
Reflection
Coach and Client will reflect back on the journey so far, noting milestones achieved, goals set and met, and a comparison of the Client’s state at the beginning of coaching compared to present day.
