Mental health through coaching: your toolbox for a happy life

More and more people are struggling with dissatisfaction, have mental health problems or don't know what to do with their lives. At the same time, therapists are rare. More and more people are therefore seeking help in Coaching. Even people without a pre-existing mental illness can benefit from a mental Health Coaching and put them on the right path for them.

In this blog entry, you will find various tools to help you deal better with everyday situations or mental health problems. We explain the difference to medical-psychological treatment and provide you with knowledge that will help you to recognize, accept and change your behaviour.

Imagine ...
Let's take a classic toolbox. In it we will certainly find a hammer with nails, screwdrivers with screws and perhaps even larger tools. Each of these tools has a specific function.
It is the same with the various mental tools that we can learn and understand. If you hammer in a screw with a hammer, it probably won't last long. You need a cordless screwdriver. And when we're stressed, we shouldn't skip our break and get straight back to work. That's much healthier. Namely by using the break to recharge our batteries and then carry on fresh.

Therapy or coaching?

First of all, it should be noted that mental illness cannot be cured by coaching alone. Rather, coaching helps to recognize the symptoms and use the right tools. So if you suffer from a mental illness, you should urgently (!) consider psychological treatment.
However, this does not mean that coaching is not for you. In general, we can say that coaching helps us to the extent that we can apply what we have learned independently in everyday life. This is why it is so important to lay the foundations for a self-determined life through therapy in the event of illness.

What is the difference?

In short: a psychological Therapy is used for illnesses such as depression, sleep disorders or obsessive-compulsive disorders. This usually involves the patient's past and the therapist is able to make a medical diagnosis and prescribe medication for initial relief.

Coaching, on the other hand, focuses more on the current situation and draws conclusions from it in order to achieve positive changes for the future and emotional well-being. A coach supports the desire for professional growth or other changes in a person's life. This can involve professional reorientation, goal setting or dealing with stressful situations.
As a supplement to therapy, coaching can therefore help people to cope better with an illness and lay the foundations for a better future. happy life to lay.

Specifically: How does coaching help with mental health?

First of all, we need a toolbox in which we can keep the tools. This is the ability to look at our situation objectively and the belief that we have it in our own hands to change this situation for the better.
This means for step 1: Take full responsibility for your life now! And to be able to look at your life objectively: Try meditation. This is the first tool in your collection. There are many articles, apps and resources on the internet that can help you with this. (Add article here)
Step 2: Accept your situation! You cannot change the past, but you can determine what you do now for your future.
These two steps have laid the foundation for positive change. Now it is up to you to see every situation as an opportunity to develop these skills.

That and much more: the added value of coaching

Let's look at sport. The soccer trainer is often referred to as a coach. His tasks are similar.
He makes the players aware of their mistakes, just like a psychological Coaching helps to uncover the aspects that prevent us from leading a happier life.
He gives the players the knowledge of how to execute a technique, such as a shot, just as the coach gives us tools for all kinds of situations.
Last but not least, the Trainer his team. After a defeat, he focuses on what went well and what they learned from it. The coach does the same. He motivates us when we don't know what to do next.

In a nutshell: coaching helps. You are supported in a process and can make changes in your life as a result. And even better: you will never forget the tools you receive, I promise you that. Because even the first success is an experience that you will remember in the future. And by practising regularly, you will get better and better. You will strengthen your muscles.

Can mental health coaching also be used for larger groups?

It also works with groups. Like the coach in the soccer example, mental health coaching can also support larger teams. Companies in particular are already benefiting from this. Employees get to know tools for coping with stress and can apply them at work. However, it is more difficult to respond to individual situations here.

Tools to try out:

These are probably the most well-known ones you may have heard of.
I. Meditation: As already mentioned, there are many resources on this topic on the Internet. Meditation used to be considered a spiritual practice, but today most people can no longer imagine their everyday lives without it. No matter what you think about meditation. It works.

II. write down your thoughts: After a long day, answer the following questions in writing: How do I feel? Why do I feel this way? As soon as we write down our thoughts, we get a different perspective on them. It's like seeing another person's thoughts on paper.

III Breathing: the only internal process that we can control ourselves. Or simply stop digesting for a few minutes? Nature has actually given us a direct way to calm our brain and therefore our body. Take a minute and breathe in and out deeply. Breathing in for longer makes you more concentrated, breathing out for longer calms you down.

IV. Gratitude: Set yourself an alarm clock. Name it: What am I grateful for? In future, you will be reminded once a day to be grateful. This will also have an effect on other areas of your life, because gratitude can be the start of many positive changes.

Conclusion

Mental health coaching helps people to make positive changes in their lives through concrete tools. Hand in hand with therapy, it can also support the healing of mental illness. During a coaching session, or even afterwards, you can deal better with everyday problems and, over time, tackle bigger issues. The foundations for this are: Personal responsibility, objectivity, solution orientation and, last but not least, the motivation to change something.

Would you like to benefit from the use of coaching in your company?

Arrange a free initial consultation now! Our experts will be happy to advise you.

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Frequently asked questions

Conclusion

Mental health through coaching is not a topic that can be reduced to a simple formula. The most important findings from this article:

• Professional support makes all the difference: Whether in a business or personal context - an experienced coach measurably accelerates development processes.
• Individual fit counts: There is no one-size-fits-all solution. The right method and the right coach are crucial to success.
• Act now: Knowledge alone changes nothing. The first step is always the most important - and often the most difficult.

If you are ready to take the next step, we are at your side as experienced sparring partners. A non-binding initial consultation will clarify whether and how we can support you.

Practical tips: How to get the most out of your coaching

The success of a coaching process depends largely on your own willingness and preparation. Before you start coaching, you should take the time to clearly formulate your goals. What exactly do you want to change? What specific results do you expect? The more precise your objectives, the more focused the coaching process can be.

Between the individual sessions, it is important to actively integrate the insights you have gained into your everyday life. Keep a coaching diary in which you record your progress, challenges and "aha" moments. This reflection reinforces the transfer effect and makes your personal development visible. Many of our clients report that the time between sessions is crucial for lasting change.

Be open to new perspectives and be prepared to question habitual thought patterns. A good coach will challenge you without overwhelming you. Trust the process, even if individual steps seem unfamiliar at first. The best results are achieved when you get involved in the collaboration and play an active role in shaping it. Our experience at Ihr Coaching Institut in Frankfurt has shown that clients who have this basic attitude achieve their goals much faster and more sustainably.

Read also: Coaching costs & fee, Attitude in coaching, Developing leadership skills through coaching

Tim S. Tabrizi is the founder and managing director of Ihr Coaching Institut (Frankfurt). Certified Executive Coach (ICF, DBVC) with over 15 years of experience. 35 coaches throughout Germany. LinkedIn profile | Your coaching institute on LinkedIn | Author page →