The Science Behind Your Coaching Sessions

It's what happens inside your sessions that counts. Your "Legacy Planning" sessions isn't just a break from reality for an hour or more to debrief and find breakthroughs, it's a powerful blend of concepts working in harmony.

1. Psychology & Positive Psychology

Coaching is deeply rooted in humanistic and cognitive-behavioral psychology, emphasizing self-awareness, growth, and personal agency.

• Positive Psychology (Seligman, Csikszentmihalyi): Focuses on strengths, values, goals, and well-being rather than pathology.

• Self-Determination Theory (Deci & Ryan): Suggests people are most motivated when their basic needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness are met—central to effective coaching.

• Cognitive Behavioral Techniques: Help clients challenge limiting beliefs and reframe perspectives, leading to more adaptive behaviors.
  

2. Neuroscience

Modern coaching often incorporates insights from neuroscience to optimize mindset shifts and behavior change.

• Neuroplasticity: The brain's ability to rewire itself based on new experiences and habits—coaching accelerates this through focused reflection and goal setting.

• Amygdala Hijack & Emotional Regulation: Coaching helps clients build emotional resilience and access the prefrontal cortex (the "executive brain") where planning, empathy, and decision-making occur.

• Mirror Neurons: These support empathy and rapport in the coaching relationship, facilitating deeper connection and learning.
  

3. Adult Learning Theory

Also known as andragogy (Knowles), this theory supports the idea that adults learn best when:

• Learning is self-directed.

• It's immediately relevant to their life or work.

• They’re treated as equal partners in the process.

• Coaching honors this by tailoring sessions to the coachee’s goals, context, and reflection pace.
  

4. Behavioral Science

Coaching applies goal-setting theory, habit formation, and behavioral change models like:

• SMART Goals: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound.

• GROW Model: Goal, Reality, Options, Will—a widely used coaching framework.

• Transtheoretical Model: Stages of change (precontemplation → maintenance) help coaches align strategies with readiness.
  

5. Social Psychology & Systems Thinking

• Coaching often explores role identity, social influences, and organizational culture to support systemic change.

• It also leverages constructivist approaches, helping clients re-author their narratives and design a preferred future.
  

The Net Effect?

When grounded in science, coaching becomes a transformational process—not just a conversation. It helps people:

• Build awareness

• Set and achieve meaningful goals

• Overcome psychological barriers

• Enhance performance

• Increase overall well-being