What is Cognitive Hypnotic Coaching ®?

In life coaching, there are many models to help a client achieve an outcome. You have probably heard of the GOW, TGROW, and OSKAR models. Each model focuses on defining the outcome, defining the client’s current position vis-a-vis the outcome and creating an action plan to reach the outcome. The coach generally acts as an accountability partner and motivates the client to take each step, gradually moving towards the desired outcome.

However, anyone who has ever tried to create a change, develop a new habit or achieve a goal knows that it is not a lack of vision, action plan or motivation that truly stops us from making the change.

Let us understand this with an example.

We are sure you have, at least once in your life, set an alarm to wake up early in the morning. Haven’t you? But when the alarm rings at the said time, we either hit snooze or off and continue sleeping.

So, what happened?

Setting an alarm indicates that you have the conscious awareness, desire and motivation to wake up early. (the reasons could vary – to study, exercise, to write a blog etc.).

However, when the alarm rings, it is as if someone literally takes your hand and makes you press snooze or off. And this action usually follows an automatic thought that pops up in your head, like “10 minutes more,” or “I’ll start from tomorrow,” or an automatic feeling of lethargy.

Sounds familiar?

And for those of us who do wake up with the alarm, it is either very tiring or too much effort. And many of us give up after a while or go back to the old routine of waking up late.

And you are not alone. Millions of people go through something similar every day!

And this is the challenge with standard life coaching models.

While clients want to change and are able to define an outcome and design an action plan for achieving it, they are not able to take those actions consistently because of such hindrances.

The above example illustrates how automatic thoughts and emotions may hinder the client from taking necessary and consistent actions to reach the outcome. But that’s not all. These hindrances may also lie at a level deeper than this.

But before we talk about that, let’s understand where these hindrances are coming from.

As you are reading this article, do you have to consciously tell yourself to breathe or tell your body to digest the last meal you had?

No, right?

There is something within us that is responsible for carrying out these automatic or involuntary functions on its own, almost on autopilot. Since we are not doing it consciously, it would only be fair to call this regulating unit the UNCONSCIOUS MIND.

Recall the morning alarm example once. The “10 minutes more” thought or the feeling of lethargy was also automatic and spontaneous, right? That means it is the unconscious that is creating those thoughts and emotions. And if the unconscious is creating those thoughts and emotions, it is a no-brainer to say that in order to wake up early naturally and effortlessly, we need to change those unconscious thoughts and emotions first!

And these unconscious hindrances are not limited to thoughts and emotions. In many cases, these thoughts and emotions are themselves being driven by underlying unconscious beliefs, values and positive intentions. They need to be identified and resolved too.

So, a perfect life coaching model would be one that not only helps clients define outcomes and design action plans but also overcome these unconscious hindrances that prevent them from executing the action plans and achieving their outcomes.

This is where Cognitive Hypnotic Coaching comes in.