In this blog, OMF-Trained Teacher Eike Brazier shares her personal journey towards becoming a mindfulness teacher for coaching professionals along with findings from her paper “Taking control of the wandering mind: how can an experiential mindfulness programme support coaches and their practice?”

Through my own mindfulness practice and experience in the coaching industry, I have realised the significant impact mindfulness can have on coaches and their clients. While exploring this further during my master’s dissertation research, I have witnessed the transformative power of mindfulness on all aspects of coaching. This has prompted me to advocate the inclusion of mindfulness in coaching training and practice.

Several years ago, life presented me with a myriad of challenges: I experienced the painful loss of a close friend, profound grief and unexpected change. Amidst the turmoil, I sought solace for my restless mind and joined a mindfulness programme facilitated by the OMF. There, I gradually acquired the skill to focus my attention. By engaging with present moment experiences, I managed to avoid being swept away by the ever-ruminating mind.

I have witnessed the transformative power of mindfulness on all aspects of coaching.

The programme also taught me the importance of acknowledging and allowing difficult emotions and sensations instead of avoiding unpleasant experiences. Thus, I eventually learnt to accept loss and adapt to change and developed greater resilience through this process. I vividly remember walking home one evening, observing the vibrant autumn leaves and hearing their gentle rustle beneath my feet.

Utilising my senses to immerse myself in the present moment enabled me to become more grounded during that challenging time, while gratitude and appreciation practices allowed me to fully enjoy the beauty of this precious life.

Later, I had the fortunate opportunity to join a pilot programme for the 12-week “Mindfulness: Taking it Further” training organised by the OMF. This course not only deepened my theoretical and experiential understanding of mindfulness, but it also motivated me to embark on a mindfulness teacher training.

Throughout this exciting journey, I had the pleasure of meeting and connecting with like-minded people from every corner of the world. Moreover, I had the great privilege of learning from highly accomplished mindfulness teachers at the OMF who generously shared their wisdom and knowledge.

Due to the unfortunate circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, my own teaching experience had to adapt to an online format. However, it soon became apparent that the fundamental principles of mindfulness can still be effectively transmitted and shared in a virtual setting and provide valuable learning opportunities.

Utilising my senses to immerse myself in the present moment enabled me to become more grounded during that challenging time, while gratitude and appreciation practices allowed me to fully enjoy the beauty of this precious life.

I thoroughly enjoyed teaching and wanted to complement my mindfulness knowledge with further academic studies. I pursued a master’s degree in coaching and mentoring practice to enhance my understanding of adult learning theories as well as human psychology and behaviour.

My research yielded unexpected findings that hold significant implications for coach educators.

Within the framework of my dissertation, I had the unique opportunity to utilise my mindfulness expertise to enhance the efficiency of coaching. My research explored how mindfulness training could effectively support coaches and their practice. In addition to demonstrating that mindfulness helped coaches in raising their self-awareness, focus and self-regulation, my research yielded unexpected findings that hold significant implications for coach educators. I would like to share some examples below:

Utilising body sensations as a source of information

Notably, my research participants, who were all experienced coaches, struggled to establish a genuine connection with their physical sensations and emotions during coaching. Much like many of us, they found themselves confined within their cognitive minds, preoccupied with their own thoughts. However, through experiential practice, the participants learnt to attune themselves to their bodies and thereby gained a greater awareness of subconscious processes like intuition and projection, as well as deep-seated biases. This enabled them to notice and regulate unhelpful behavioural patterns, which enhanced their coaching presence and client connection.

Monitoring self-care needs to avoid burnout and compassion fatigue

As many helping professionals, coaches are often unaware of their own self-care needs and wellbeing, which can lead to increased stress and burnout. By practising mindfulness, the research participants gained greater awareness of their own self-care needs and were able to engage in nourishing practices that promoted their overall sense of wellbeing. For example, the concept of self-compassion was particularly beneficial, as it allowed them to approach challenges with kindness instead of falling into the trap of harsh self-criticism that some had previously experienced in their reflective practice.

The principles of mindfulness can be applied in everyday life, where they will not only benefit practitioners at a personal and professional level but also lay the foundation for a more interconnected and compassionate humanity.

Recognising the immense value of experiential learning

My research highlighted that many aspects of being a coach require experiential practice, a facet that is effectively covered by mindfulness training. For instance, mindfulness cultivates attitudes like openness, kindness and non-judgement, which are also core competencies in coaching. However, a mere awareness of these attitudes does not automatically translate into their successful application to everyday encounters. Often, the unexpected or undesirable experiences offer an excellent chance to explore and experiment with these attitudes. Unfortunately, existing coach training programmes often lack this vital experiential practice, and I therefore actively promote its inclusion in coach education and further professional development.

Numerous authors (Chaskalson and McMordie, 2018; Hall, 2013) discuss the significant potential of mindfulness in supporting coaches before, during and after coaching. I am delighted to acknowledge that the findings from my own research (Brazier, 2023) have contributed to the growing body of evidence demonstrating the effectiveness of mindfulness training for coaches.

Ever since sharing my study, I have been actively advocating the benefits of mindfulness through my articles, webinars and customised training programmes. However, it is important to note that mindfulness is not a universal panacea for all challenges. Its effectiveness depends on the commitment and consistent practice of individuals, making its integration into coach training even more desirable.

Fortunately, the principles of mindfulness can be applied in everyday life, where they will not only benefit practitioners at a personal and professional level but also lay the foundation for a more interconnected and compassionate humanity.

Access Eike’s paper “Taking control of the wandering mind: how can an experiential mindfulness programme support coaches and their practice?” here

Listen to Eike discuss the benefits of raising mindful awareness in coaching on the EMCC UK Podcast here

Author Bio

Eike is a freelance leadership coach, mindfulness teacher and co-founder of the Oxford Coaching Partners. She has a passion for wellbeing and regularly facilitates experiential coaching workshops and mindfulness training. She has a master’s degree in Coaching and Mentoring Practice, is an accredited EMCC senior practitioner, a licensed career counsellor and a trained mindfulness teacher with the Oxford Mindfulness Foundation.

For further information about Eike’s publications, mindfulness programmes and workshops please contact her via eike@oxfordcoachingpartners.com or visit her LinkedIn profile, or find her at Oxford Coaching Partners