Wanderlust: Expat Life & Style in Thailand April / May 2015 - The Health & Wellness Issue | Page 49

HEALTH & well-being “Coaching takes you through a journey and moves you from being stuck, paralyzed, and disoriented to being on track with clear direction and goals.” are many areas that can be worked on through coaching, from career goals to relationships, but for Amelie expatriation is the main topic: “Life coaching touches all areas life, but people mostly come to me for coping with expatriationthe expat wives who say, ‘I’ve lost myself. I’ve lost my self-esteem.’ Or those who say, ‘I want to contribute economically. I don’t want to spend because I feel I’m not contributing.’ There are those whose children are grown and they cannot justify staying at home. Expat women want to reconnect with professional women. Or they want to find the bodies they had before. –Be and Become I see expat wives in a lot of pain. Life and Motivational It’s my goal to pull them out of their Coaching website pain and empower them.” Amelie didn’t tell me what to do or what to think. There was no force or strong hinting. Instead, through a series of gentle, steering questions, Amelie helped me arrive at conclusions on my own. When it came down to a “game plan,” she didn’t get out a dry erase board and map it out for me. Instead, she helped me figure out my own plan, stated in my own words. There were injections of wisdom, which I appreciated. She at times quoted inspirational leaders or used analogies to illustrate things more clearly. My favorite tip, something to put in the toolkit, was this: In a confrontation, the first thing to do is voice my need and then try and focus on identifying the need of the other person. This would help me not get caught up in the battle but rather remember the other person is human and probably feeling hurt, too. What does that person need? Conflicts could be resolved so much more quickly if we would focus on the needs of others instead of putting up defenses. At the end of the session, I felt lighter, like a weight had come off my chest. I was happy to have some new tools to use for the next time a conflict arises, and I was grateful to Amelie for expressing genuine concern, warmth, and care throughout our time together. IS LIFE COACHING FOR YOU? I asked Amelie what are some of the classic kinds of problems she helps people overcome in her coaching. There FIND OUT MORE For more information, contact Amelie through her website at www.bblifecoaching.com. She has an office close to Ploenchit BTS and she can also hold coaching sessions via Skype. Amelie offers personal coaching, team and group coaching (for the workplace), and motivational speaking in English, French, and Spanish. “Life coaching touches all areas of life and many people come to me for coping with expatriation— such as the expat wives who say, ‘I’ve lost myself. I’ve lost my self-esteem.’” www.wanderlustmag.comWANDERLUST  47