What is a positive psychology coach and why does it matter? It is the empirical study of how people and organizations prosper and flourish, what works well and functions properly, and how to positively and resiliently deal with problems and issues as they arise. Though the field is called positive psychology, it is sort of a misnomer in that it aligns itself with the practice of coaching more than it does with the field of psychology.

A positive psychology coach shifts the focus away from pain and pathology and directs it toward talents, strengths, vision, dreams, and goals. There is no doubt that many individuals who schedule sessions with coaches have certain deficits in their personality, underdeveloped skills, lack of specific talents, or even some level of pathology – most people do. However, coaches can help determine existing strengths and talents, and create signposts and maps to guide their clients in identifying the right paths from their vision to a new reality.

The Positive Psychology Coach Combines Art and Science

The coaching field has expanded exponentially in the past few decades; all those clients must mean that coaching is a viable and beneficial industry. However, coaches have been hard-pressed to provide data to support their positive benefits to clients and society in general. Positive Psychology Coaching can give the industry the legs on which it can stand by providing assessments based on empirical, theoretical, and scientific explanations. It provides a workable evidence base for the coaching profession. Because coaching is based on the principles that people are talented, creative, resourceful, and in control of their own destiny, it aligns perfectly with this push in psychology toward the positive. The art of coaching combined with the science of psychology – a perfect match.

How Does a Positive Psychology Coach Help Their Clients?

• Help create more positive emotions which builds up barriers against negativity, increases resiliency, smooths tensions, and reduces the levels of stress.
• Identify, assess, and evaluate those problems and roadblocks that contribute to negative feelings and discover ways to turn the negative into a positive.
• Emphasize natural talents and strengths, instead of focusing on weaknesses and deficits.
• Bring a sense of meaning and purpose in to the conversation. Help clients find ways in which their lives have substantial meaning and purpose.
• Emphasize the need for positive relationships in life.

The movement for self-empowerment and self-improvement has fueled the phenomenal growth of the coaching business. Individuals can now find a coach to help them with any type of issue or situation. There are also books, CDs, and DVDs available for every problem, goal, or niche.

Coaching can help individuals or organizations to find fulfillment in any form – relationships, career, money, life. A positive psychology coach can bring about these changes in a positive manner while assessing, evaluating, and analyzing the data on what is beneficial to the client. Combining the art of coaching and the science of psychology is taking coaching to a whole new level.

Hope you took some great value out of this post today! I’d love to hear your feedback, so make sure you leave a comment with your thoughts or questions. And also, you can click on the Twitter button below to retweet this article…Thank you!

Fred Philips
Business Coach
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