Having done some research with coaches and coach trainers about how to introduce spirituality into NewStart Life
Skills, I've come to some conclusions and suggestions for those who might wish to make the attempt.
Many of the coaches and coach trainers surveyed in the research are of the opinion that spirituality is inherent
in Life Skills. Study participants and various researchers (e.g. Garrett and Osborne, 1995; Gilbert, 2000; Page
and Berkow, 1998) have identified many practices that relate to spiritual awareness and growth that are current
in NewStart Life Skills, from the equality implied by sitting in the learning circle to constructive relating with
others to self-disclosure and problem solving.
I've identified three general approaches to spirituality that coaches and coach trainers are using: indirect, emergent,
and direct.
Indirect
Complementing the idea that named or not, spirituality is inherent in NewStart Life Skills, some study respondents
saw no need to be explicit about spirituality. Other reasons for taking an indirect approach were that formalizing
it is inconsistent with spirituality being a personal rather than a social journey, the wish to avoid a potentially
controversial and distracting (from skills development) subject, and not being knowledgeable enough to directly
address the question of spirituality with confidence.
For the coach / coach trainer who wishes to hold exclusively to indirect methods, nothing more need be done. This
approach becomes problematic if the topic of spirituality emerges from the group. Allen, Mehal, Palmateer and Sluser
(1995), and Page and Berkow (1998), are clear about the importance of group leaders being ready, willing and able
to let go of their own agendas to go where the group is going. If the group wants to discuss spiritual matters,
then the coach / coach trainer who is dedicated to the indirect approach must either arbitrarily change the subject
(and then deal with whatever problems arise from doing so), or stretch herself and facilitate the discussion -
thus moving to the emergent approach. A coach / coach trainer does not need to be spiritually oriented in order
to facilitate exploration of the topic with her group.
Emergent
Some study participants suggested not addressing the subject of spirituality unless and until it comes from the
group. This relates to not imposing one's views on the group and to being cautious about giving offence to group
members.
The emergent approach gives some, though not complete, assurance that the coach / coach trainer won't be seen to
be imposing an unwelcome topic. It also gives a clean opportunity to be a facilitator of the discussion, rather
than be the expert resource for the topic. The coach / coach trainer who uses the emergent approach must be ready
to deal sensitively with the topic of spirituality when it arises. She needs to be willing to describe her own
spiritual orientation and practice, or lack of, in an open and non-judgemental fashion. While it may be useful
for the coach / coach trainer to have knowledge of how spirituality unfolds, it is more important that she be prepared
to accept and appreciate group members wherever they might be in their own spiritual development. Once spirituality
is established as a factor in the group's learning, the coach / coach trainer may wish to take the explicit, direct
approach.
Direct
NewStart Life Skills theorists (Smith, 1982; Mullen, 1985) have described a need to extend the exploration of personal
growth beyond the limits that restrict the traditional skills based, cognitive-behavioural approach. This, combined
with the opinions of many NewStart Life Skills developers that they would now address the spiritual domain as part
of the NewStart Life Skills program, with the experience of one overtly spirit-based coach training format, and
with the opinion of most study participants that spirituality is at the very least implied and inherent in NewStart
Life Skills already, makes a case for being explicit and direct about spirituality in NewStart Life Skills.
Issues that arise involve the forcing of opinions and beliefs on others and the readiness of the coach / coach
trainer to deal with spiritual matters.
If a coach trainer wishes her graduates to have experience in facilitating discussions of spirituality and acceptance
for the spiritual awareness and growth of their future group members, she needs to make sure that the topic arises.
Whatever her spiritual orientation, she needs to explicitly model the attitudes and behaviours that she wishes
her graduates to display in their own groups.
I recommend that coaches / coach trainers who wish to (or are willing to) address spirituality with their group
members, take steps to explore their own spirituality. At a minimum, the skill of mindfulness, which is basic to
many other practices, should be explored. Some useful sources for the exploration of mindfulness are Bennett-Goleman
(2001), Hanh (1976, 1991), Kornfield (1993), Kurtz (1990), Langer (1989, 1998), and Tolle (1997). I recommend that
coaches willing to approach spirituality in their groups use the emergent approach, and that coach trainers who
wish their graduates to be ready for at least a discussion of spirituality be direct in their approach to spirituality
with their training groups. These coach trainers will do well to have some understanding of the theoretical constructs
that underlie spirituality and NewStart Life Skills, and be able to demonstrate, and/or refer their training groups
to, appropriate techniques and resources.
References
Allen, S., Mehal, M., Palmateer, S., Sluser, R. (1995). The new
dynamics of life skills coaching. YWCA of Metropolitan Toronto,
Toronto, 267 pp.
Bennett-Goleman, T. (2001). Emotional alchemy: How the mind can
heal the heart. Harmony, New York, 341 pp.
Garrett, M., Osborne, L. (1995). The Native American sweat lodge
as metaphor for group work. Journal for Specialists in Group
Work, 20(1): pp. 33-39.
Gilbert, M. C. (2000). Spirituality in social work groups: Practitioners
speak out. Social work with groups, 22(4): pp. 67-84.
Hanh, T. (1976). The miracle of mindfulness! Beacon Press, Boston, 109 pp.
Hanh, T. (1991). Peace is every step. Bantam Books, New York, 293 pp.
Kornfield, J. (1993). A path with heart: A guide through the perils
and promises of spiritual life. Bantam, New York, 352 pp.
Kurtz, R. (1990). Body-centered psychotherapy: The Hakomi method. LifeRhythm, Mendocino, CA, 210 pp.
Langer, E. (1989). Mindfulness.
Addison-Wesley, Reading, MA, 234 pp.
Langer, E. (1998). The power of mindful learning. Addison-Wesley, Reading, MA, 167 pp.
Mullen, D. (1985). A conceptual framework for the life skills
program. University of Toronto, Ottawa, 117 pp.
Page, R., Berkow, D. (1998). Group work as facilitation of spiritual
development for drug and alcohol abusers. Journal for Specialists
in Group Work, 23(3): pp. 285-297.
Smith, P. (1982). A taxonomy of the life skills required to become
a balanced self-determined person. University of Toronto, Toronto,
134 pp.
Tolle, E. (1997). The power of now: A guide to spiritual enlightenment. Namaste, Vancouver, 193 pp.