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Christina Merkley Being
Interviewed on American Television About Graphic Coaching
I had a very exciting past week – just got back from San Diego where I taped an American television show called “Meet the Experts”. The host, Arielle Ford, is a well known Law of Attraction author and publicist to well known personal growth gurus Marianne Williamson, Deepak Chopra, Louse Hay, Debbie Ford and Wayne Dyer.
Arielle selected me to speak on my Graphic Coaching niche … a new and exciting way to conduct coaching and other personal growth work. I am so thrilled that Graphic Coaching is getting its due!
Graphic Coaching: What Is It?
Graphic Coaching is a new, visual way to conduct coaching and personal growth work. Lead by a ‘Graphic Coach’ – helping professional who uses visual thinking techniques to assist individuals, couples, business partners and families in their deep thinking work. Clients who are attracted to Graphic Coaching are usually at some sort of personal or professional crossroads – murky, confused, or excited-but-unclear about their next steps. They seek clarity about what they really want and how to get it. They go to a Graphic Coach to have their answers literally drawn out of them.
This methodology is VISUAL – meaning that the client’s thoughts and feelings are literally drawn out of them … by their coach — who uses paper and markers to write down what they are saying. These displays act as large mirrors, helping people to SEE what is going on inside their heads and hearts. Through the process they come to understand themselves … and, if they choose, can use the displays to inform others of their insights, decisions and plans.
Thinking Container:
Graphic coaching is an alliance or thinking ‘container’ created by the Graphic Coach and their client. The coach creates a ‘container’ in which the individual, couple, or business partners do strategic thinking on whatever is most pressing — and whatever specialty or process that the coach is specifically trained in … as there are many different types of coaching to which the graphic coaching techniques can be applied (i.e. visioning, strategic planning, finances, health, conflict resolution, entrepreneurial couples, etc).
Working in Large Wall-Size Format with Client
Graphic coaching occurs either in person or over the phone/video cam.
Coach and client(s) gather face-to-face and create and capture thinking on large, wall-size displays (see photo above and watch graphic coaching demo video).
Or work in the smaller format … using individual sized graphic maps (I have created a suite of 17 graphic coaching maps for this purpose). These small, pre-drawn templates that can be faxed and/or emailed back and forth if working from a distance.
The work may be just a short session, or part of a longer term, more thorough engagement.
Effective Results:
Graphic Coaching is a very effective medium. People are drawn to it (full pun intended!) for a variety of reasons: it’s engaging, unique and creative. It makes thinking easier and more enjoyable (you can see what you mean). It appeals to many types of people: especially visual thinkers (87% of the population – across cultures!).
Visioning Work with Entrepreneurial Couple (my specialty)
Working in a visual way gives coaching clients something tangible to see, hold and distribute – there is a visual memory of what you have done and the decisions and conclusions that you have reached. Typical coaching techniques rely primarily on the auditory sense (the thinking goes off into thin air), with graphic coaching you have visual reports from your sessions that remind you of what occurred. It’s functional art to post around your home, office and on the computer. And, you can these visual aids to communicate your coaching work to loved ones, colleagues and trusted advisors.
Further Resources:
If you are a client considering Graphic Coaching for yourself, check out my Graphic Coaching Home Retreat Kit (my custom SHIFT-IT System®) or join us for a supportive online group to help you shift your work and life for the better … next online SHIFT-IT Group starts Saturday, January 15th.
If you are a coach, therapist or other helping professional who wants to add the power of Graphic Coaching to your own toolkit, check out my one-of-a-kind Graphic Coach Certification® that attracts wonderful practitioners from across the globe. Together we are helping to transform the lives and livelihoods of our clients (and ourselves) through the power of the marker … make your mark!
