Coaching with Art Guidance Cards

Not sure if I'm popping this into the right spot on the forums but...

I've recently become an "Art Guidance Coach". This is a unique coaching tool that combines coaching and art therapy techniques. A one hour session, using a card with beautiful artwork is designed to assist with shifting inner awareness, setting new goals and taking further action.

I really like working with these beautiful art cards and helping clients look at their situation from a whole new perspective.

If you're interested in what the cards look like or what Art Guidance coaching is about you can see them at:

www.guidancecards.com

I'd be happy to talk to anyone about this further (and any coaches in the forums interested in adding this tool to their coaching "tool kit") - just PM me, or send me an email at maedelcreativity@mac.com.

This looks interesting, Evie. I too am a coach and it is always interesting to look at a life from a new perspective. Congratulations on your new venture.

Thank you

Wow, Karin Bauer has created an ingenious method of marketing her skills. I'm impressed by how she combined her background as a social worker and life coach and artist. I like abstract. On Friday I am giving a presentation on "art as process: how to interpret the abstract" (which is in the heart of the viewer) I am educated as a social worker too, and I like to see how social workers are using their knowledge to benefit others. Very interesting.

Lynnie, your presentation sounds very interesting. Have you ever used art therapy in your social work?

I'm fascinated by art as therapy, and the healing process of doing any sort of creative work.

I don't have the social work background, but I like the guidance cards from a creative aspect. You mention "interpret the abstract is in the heart of the viewer" - that's how I feel the interpretation of the art on the cards comes out too - each person sees something different. It's really a fascinating process.

(OK, I need a thesauras - I'm starting to use the words "interesting" and "fascinating" way too often )

Hello Evie, I enjoyed browsing through your web site. Very well done. My, you look like a flower yourself. It's an interesting concept you have there. OMG I just used the word "interesting" too.
Hannelore

Thanks Hannelore, don't think anyone has said I look like a flower before

hmmm, there's a thought for a completely different topic (I was going to say "interesting" topic )- if you were a flower, what sort of flower would you be???

I think I'd like to be a carnation - pretty, lots of variety, sturdy and long lasting!!

Very "interesting" (LOL) question, Evie
Now if I were a flower, I think I'd be a cactus flower. Pretty, but wary. Want to pick and choose who gets too close to me.

I think I'd be a rose--high maintenance. Those cards are really beautiful. It was strange but I looked at the first card on her site and got this feeling inside, like a hum or something. I don't know what that was all about but it sure felt good. Good luck with this "fabulous" technique. See, I found a new word to use.

I thought the tree with the bright colors behind it was something special. You need to put your picture on this site too, you are a very pretty lady inside and out.

awww...chatty...thanks I keep trying to figure out the add picture thingy and keep missing all the instructions - one of these days when I have a few spare moments!

So chatty, what kind of flower would you be? I see "sunflower" when I think of you...

Dianne, a rose might be "high maintenance" but definitely worth it in beauty and scent

Ladies, I had the pleasure of doing a one hour session with Evie the other night. I must say I wasn't sure what I was in for, but I went for it. I'm glad I did.

I was a little hesitant because it reminded me of reading cards or palms, and I'm not into that. I was pleasantly surprised. It's nothing like that. It was amazing how it worked.

I had a very specific intention that I wanted to ponder while viewing the cards, and Evie kept me on track. After viewing each one, we discussed how it related to my intention.

I definitely got guidance and clarity for my intention. It's the first time I've taken a full hour to consider the intention, though I've spent lots of time thinking about it in spurts. A consolidated hour (with guidance) was most helpful. I recommend trying it.

Evie was delightful. It was a real treat to work with her.

I'm confused. This was on the phone? How do you view the pics?

Thanks Dotsie and thank you for mentioning your concern about palm reading and card readings - this is something I need to be conscious of when describing guidance coaching or promoting it - it is definitely not card readings, I do not interpret the cards or predict the future or say what the card is supposed to mean, and so I need to be sure I am not giving the wrong impression.

Dianne - that is one of the things I love about this form of coaching, it is done online and on the phone at the same time! I send the client an email, with a link to their session. Then when it's time for our coaching session, we connect on the phone. You simply need an hour, your phone and a computer. When the client clicks on the link to their session, we are both looking at the same screen - me on my computer, and them on theirs. As we go through each screen, and discuss the card from each perspective and how it relates to their question/intention, we are both viewing the same thing at the same time. It really is a neat way to do coaching "long distance" because not only are we talking on the phone together, we have a visual process to look at that helps guide the session along.

Kind of hard to explain, but just something you have to experience. Karin has posted a podcast interview on the Guidance Coach website that really explains the process better. If you are interested, you can find it here:

http://www.guidancecoach.com/Preview_Program_Features.php

It sounds really interesting. When my life settles down a bit, I'll do it. I'll tell the hub to take the guys from work out to dinner so I can have quiet...well, Sammie, my bird, might be chattering away in the background. I'm used to it but it might make you laugh!

Dianne, when life settles down a bit, I'll be here Would love to talk to you. Sammie's welcome to join in too!

thanks....

Dianne, go for it. It's very different, and worthwhile. Make sure your intention is clear before beginning. Evie will help you with that. I'd love to hear what you think.

Evie, if I were you, or if you asked me for advice regarding pictures, I would suggest that you do indeed get a new picture for your website. Your smile is engaging and inviting. But the kitchen wall paper and paper towels in the background might give someone the impression of a home-spun business rather than the professional and thoughtful coach that you are. To answer your question, yes, I have used art in therapy, but I am not a certified art therapist. An example of using art is this: as an artist and social worker, I was invited to a high school which held grief sessions for its students. You'd be surprised at the number of students who was missing a parent due to drugs, guns, cancer, or vanishing. Anyway, I brought my paints and the school supplied some stuff for the kids. As we went through the session, I asked them to paint any aspect of their feelings...there was no right or wrong...etc. During the sharing part, one girl held up a very ugly black painting. It was shocking in its stark ugliness. She said, "I know my painting aint pretty, but my feelings aint pretty." Enough said. She was authentic, and not hiding her true feelings, and that was a good thing. By the way, how do you collect the fee for your services? Are you set up to take bank cards or credit cards?

Lynnie, thanks for the thoughtful advice on the picture.

I admire that young girls courage in painting how she felt and not apologizing for it - yes, a good thing.

At the moment, I am taking payment through Paypal (or by cheque). I don't have a shopping cart system set up just yet.

Evie, I'm glad you took the advice in the good and helpful spirit way that it was intended. Setting up a web site including the Pay Pal thing can be a daunting task if you do it yourself. I had PayPal on my site, but took it off when I was feeling scared about security. Now I have to do it all over again, and like you, it takes time to sit with these tasks to get them done. BTW, many social workers have become life coaches lately in view of funding cuts at their agencies. So, that's one reason I ask you a lot of questions. I'm real happy to see Dotsie experienced the art cards and enjoyed it.

Evie,

Sounds like a delightful concept!

I just wanted to let everyone know that for the month of December, I'm offering anyone who books a Guidance Coaching session the discounted price of $50 (it's regularly $75.00)

No time for a session in December? Not a problem - just contact me before December 31 and arrange your booking for the new year, and the discounted price will apply!

Send me an email at maedelcreativity@mac.com if you have any questions or want some further information.

Evie, I sent you an email. Do you ever do " background" work before taking on a client? For example, how much do you need to know about a client before working with the guidance cards?

Got your email Lynnie thanks.

I send the client a prep form with some very simple questions on it that are geared to helping the client set an intention for what they would like to get out of the session. I use that prep form to help me select a card, but I really feel sometimes that I could just pick any card and see what comes up - it's all really in what you see in the art work.

So, as far as background goes, all I basically need to know for a session is what question or intention the client wants to get out of it, and what blocks they may have been experiencing up to now. For example, "I would like to be more creative", or "I would like to resolve a problem" or "have more clarity".