International Academy for Professional Development Ltd
in partnership with the Centre for Coaching & Centre for Stress Management
All courses are now delivered using the zoom virtual platform
Climate Coaching Action Day
The International Academy for Professional Development and our affiliated centres including Centre for Coaching, Centre for Health Coaching, Centre for Positive Transitions, International Centre for Ecopsychology, and Centre for Stress Management support Climate Coaching Action Day. On this page we list articles co-authored by our staff, trainers and associates on topics relating to climate coaching, ecoanxiety, ecostress, ecodepression, ecopsychology, research and coaching/therapy interventions to enable coachees and clients to maintain motivation.
In 2023, the Action Day is 2nd March. Look out for and use the social media hashtag: #climatecoachingactionday
Climate change, Ecoanxiety and Ecodepression: How positive and coaching psychology can assist coachees in addressing these issues
Prof Stephen Palmer
In 2017 the American Psychological Association and ecoAmerica co-published a ground-breaking guide on mental health and the changing climate. The publication covered many aspects of these two important areas including the rise of a condition described as ‘ecoanxiety’. This short paper focuses on climate change, ecoanxiety and ecodepression and how cognitive behavioural techniques could be used within positive and coaching psychology practice to assist coachees in developing a more resilient approach to tackling them.
Visit ResearchGate to download the article.
Keywords: social prescribing, social prescription, coaching, coaching psychology, positive psychology, ecopsychology.
Citation: Palmer, S. (2019). Climate change, Ecoanxiety and Ecodepression: How positive and coaching psychology can assist coachees in addressing these issues. Coaching psychology International, 12 (1), 25-32.
Can ecopsychology research inform coaching and positive psychology practice?
Prof Stephen Palmer
This short paper focuses on how both coaching psychology and positive psychology practice can be informed by ecopsychology research. It argues that coaching and positive psychologists can promote relatively straightforward ecopsychological interventions to their client groups in order to enhance their wellbeing. At the beginning of the last decade, both positive psychology and coaching psychology gradually became established internationally as two new branches of psychology. In these two fields, handbooks were published, journals and professional bodies set up, national and international conferences held, research units/centres established at universities around the world and postgraduate courses launched (see Palmer & Whybrow, 2007). The Australian Psychological Society, Interest Group in Coaching Psychology (APS IGCP) definition of coaching psychology highlights the link between these two branches of psychology (APS IGCP, 2015). Both coaching and positive psychology have a focus on enhancing wellbeing using a range of evidence-based strategies, interventions and techniques. Can ecopsychology research inform coaching and positive psychology practice?
Visit ResearchGate to download the article.
Keywords: coaching psychology, positivepsychology, ecopsychology, wellbeing, Eco-Health Relationship Browser, resilience,health and wellbeing coaching
Citation: Palmer, S. (2015). Can ecopsychology research inform coaching and positive psychology practice? Coaching Psychology International, 8, 1, 11-15.
Beyond the Coaching Room into Blue Space: Ecopsychology informed coaching psychology practice
Dr Siobhain O’Riordan & Prof Stephen Palmer
Ecopsychology interventions may offer creative and helpful ways of supporting coachees with wellbeing, stress management and psychological restoration. There is growing evidence to suggest that being with nature can positively influence our wellbeing and health. In light of this, coaching psychologists, coaches and healthcare professionals have begun to place more emphasis upon understanding the ways in which ecopsychology can inform our practice. This paper reports the findings from two studies based on outdoor coaching formats. Drawing on insights from an ecopsychology informed coaching psychology approach, participants were encouraged to undertake a short ‘walk and talk’ coaching session involving blue space outdoor-based activity. The findings from both studies showed that participants self-reported wellbeing and vitality scores improved following coaching in a natural setting. This has implications for the work of coaching psychologists and coaches and suggests there may be a possible over-reliance on more traditional coaching formats based on seated and indoor face-to-face or online coaching.
Visit ResearchGate to download the article.
Keywords: coaching, coaching psychology, positive psychology, ecopsychology, blue space, blue exercise
Citation: O’Riordan, S. & Palmer, S. (2018). ‘Beyond the Coaching Room into Blue Space: Ecopsychology informed coaching psychology practice’. Coaching Psychology International, 12, 1, 2-18.
Reflections on walking for enhancing creativity and wellbeing: a way forward for coaching and coaching psychology practice
Prof Stephen Palmer & Dr Zelda Di Blasi
Coaching has been defined as ‘a partnering with clients in a thought provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential’ (ICF, nd). As coaches and coaching psychologists, understanding how to maximize creativity and inspiration is an important skill. A potentially powerful and innovative way to do this is by walking with our coachees outdoors in natural environments ie nature. In this brief article we review the evidence to highlight how walking side-by-side can potentially optimize coaching sessions.
Visit ResearchGate to download the article.
Keywords: creativity, wellbeing ecopsychology, coaching and walking
Citation: Palmer, S., & Di Blasi, Z. (2019). Reflections on walking for enhancing creativity and wellbeing: a way forward for coaching and coaching psychology practice. Coaching Psychology International, 12 (1), 19-24.