“You’ll never know if a Wisdom Coach is around until you realise you need one; then three will appear at once.” Well, not quite yet, maybe.
My journey to becoming a Wisdom Coach is a personal one that began when I moved to Cornwall. Over five years, I immersed myself in learning and practising the diverse skills required for this role. This path led me from C.G. Jung, past an unexpected re-connection with Franz Perls, and towards Matteo Di Pascale.
I drifted into calling myself a Wisdom Coach simply because the coaching role that was emerging for myself didn’t hang on any other pegs; life (huh?), transformational (of what?), regenerative (..ish), wellbeing (of course, but..) behavioural (nope!). For a while, I kicked the terms Midlife and Elderhood Coach around, feeling that many of the issues people in these demographic groups face are on my radar (such as lost direction and control, shock and unbalance), but not quite…
So Wisdom Coach surfaced as a container with plenty of room (vagueness?) for me to move into, and the moniker seemed self-explanatory enough: a point in the circle. Self-explanatory.
Some get it immediately; “I love that you call yourself a Wisdom Coach!” Emily Johnsson (Wish Tree) congratulated me, and Daveed Benjamin (Bridget DAO) commended me, saying, “Wisdom coach is such a cool title.”
But for others, it’s not so evident.
So, what exactly is a Wisdom Coach? Ask ChatGPT, and it rumbles, “A Wisdom Coach is a professional who assists individuals in cultivating wisdom in their personal and professional lives. The role is multifaceted, varying based on the coach’s background, expertise, and the unique needs of their clients.” AI is obviously not entirely up to speed with this role yet.
Now, let me share my unique approach as a Wisdom Coach. I specialise in working with individuals stuck in a life where things have lost meaning and direction. I guide them through the liminal space between consciousness and unconsciousness, helping them rediscover their true selves, their purpose, and the path they should be on. I assist people in finding meaning in their lives and navigating change. As Arnold Beisser wrote, ‘Change comes about when you become what you are, not when you try to become what you are not’.
Between us, we create a space where time is reconsidered as a phenomenon that shrinks and stretches, not only fast and slow-paced. Together, we find stories that retrace the territory leading to our arrival in the present. Cast fresh shapes that reinterpret the path taken and describe a new map for the future.
Socrates wrote that “wisdom cannot be taught”, but experience shows that it can be coached.
