Emotion-Coaching:

The Emotionally-Intelligent Child/Parent

According to John Gottman* and others in the field, Emotional-Intelligence (EI) is as important as Intelligence-Quotient (IQ) and emotion-coaching is THE key to raising happy, resilient, and well-adjusted kids. Gottman’s 30 years of research shows that it is not enough to be a warm, engaged, and loving parent. We also need to emotion coach our kids.

Emotion Coaching uses moments of heightened emotion and resulting behaviour to guide and teach the child and young person about more effective responses. Through empathetic engagement the child's emotional state is verbal acknowledged and validated, promoting a sense of security and feeling 'felt'. This activates changes in the child's neurological system and allows the child to calm down, physiologically and psychologically.

Five key steps are involved in Emotion Coaching;

1. Becoming aware of the child's emotions;

2. Recognise the emotion as an opportunity for intimacy and Teaching;

3. Listen empathetically, validating the child's feelings;

4. Help the child find words to label the emotion;

5. Set limits and explore strategies to solve the problem at hand.

Ref: *John Gottman: ”Raising an Emotionally Intelligent Child”

Ref: www.emotioncoachinguk.com

NOTE: Helen Ryder of Hope Parenting™ is a trained Emotion Coach and delivers the University of Melbourne’s: “Tuning-In-To-Kids(TIK)/Teenagers(TINT) leading-edge courses.

  Services: Emotion Coaching