From Coach to Positive Psychology Coach

The success of positive psychology interventions and visual learning methods combined with the growing field of executive coaching provides rich opportunity to develop potentially transformative positive coaching methods. My hypothesis is that it is possible to become a deeper coach helping clients to achieve improved outcomes by understanding effective coaching methods and identifying a few specific vehicles of constructive engagement (positive interventions), developing depth and expertise as a coach in these areas, and applying these with supporting visuals to coaching engagements. This paper includes a literature review of pertinent positive psychology, coaching and visual learning research. Also, I gather a broad perspective of positive psychology constructs and successful coaching interventions by interviewing current positive psychology coaches, researchers, and visual practitioners. Findings: while each interviewee uses the breadth of positive psychology research and concepts, each seems to have a particular focus area that reflects that individual’s particular personality or interests. Therefore, I chose to focus on three particular areas of interest to me – cognitive-behavioral coaching to influence one’s internal dialogue and explanatory style, positive emotions, and visual learning. I foresee using these approaches frequently in my coaching engagements