Mental Health and Cultural Wealth

I have been having lots of conversations with my employees about the role of coaching for individuals with depression or anxiety, or other mental health issues.

This conversation came up because one of my team members is a practicing therapist, and is a very vocal advocate of psychotherapy. I’m an advocate for therapy, as is everyone on my team, but it got me thinking that it would be wonderful to share with you all the benefits that coaching can have for someone with mental health issues, acknowledging that it cannot replace psychotherapy when it’s needed.

For individuals with mental health issues, my coaching protocol is exactly the same - no matter what issues you come into my sessions with, I will treat you the way I treat any other client. However, what we work on and the benefits it can offer vary greatly.

For a client with anxiety, we may work on the power of positive thinking and identifying individual strengths that they can refer to when they’re in the midst of an anxiety spiral. Or we might work on finding affirmations, or identifying past successes, that they may be able to return to when they find themselves anxious.

For a client with depression, we might work on identifying positive coping skills, or hobbies that bring them joy, so that we can create more positive headspaces even in the midst of an episode.

For a client with body image issues, we might work on positive self-talk, and working on identifying harmful behaviors, like looking at weight loss pages on social media.

These are just a few examples, but I share them with you all to demonstrate that coaching is not meant to replace therapy - but it can be an excellent supplement. Coaching is very solution-focused and strengths-based, which can be wonderful alongside psychotherapy when treating mental health issues.

Coaching can also contribute to something called cultural wealth - which refers to the amount of support that individuals have around them on any given basis. The higher the level of someone’s cultural wealth, the more likely they are to thrive, even in the face of life challenges. Coaching can be another coin people add to their cultural wealth piggy bank - it is not meant to replace any of the other coins. It can also be a great starting point for people who may be curious about seeking professional help but don’t know where to start - I often refer my clients to therapists in addition to my coaching if I feel they need it.

Regardless of what you’re dealing with, who you are (teen, parent, individual, family), and what you bring into the coaching space, I am dedicated to taking care of you as you are and finding ways to address everything (yes, even adding therapy).

If you know someone who is struggling, or you find yourself in that space, send them my way. A consultation is free, and you never know what you might get out of it.