Combining Science, Experience, Qualifications and Personal Joys!

I always think it’s important to show how we got to where we are. Here you can explore my qualifications and professional knowledge as well as discover how my own personal experiences and research help to shape the way I work. 

Being Active Outdoors

Occasionally you'll find me racing my mountain bike

*P.s. Being ‘active’ doesn’t mean you need to be sweating, being active just means moving your body – walking will do!

My love for the outdoors began at a very young age, always in my garden causing trouble. My first career was an outdoor pursuits instructor. Teaching climbing, hill-walking, sailing, windsurfing and kayaking to kids & adults in the UK & Europe. 

Now, I spend most of my spare time on my bike – either coaching MTB or riding with friends or my daughter. 

Being outside and moving your body has a special way of resetting your thoughts,  giving you space and allowing you to breathe through the many metaphors it provides. There is SO much science behind the benefits of being outside and I combine coaching & facilitation where possible with being outside as often as I can. 

When we’re looking for answers from ourselves, we as much access to our cognitive resources as possible. The hormones produced and emotions stimulated by being active* in the outdoors can open these cognitive resources even further for us.

When we challenge ourselves with tough questions at the same time – we’re giving ourselves the best opportunity to find the most creative and courageous answers. 

Journalling

When I was studying for my MSc I became fascinated with the connection between writing and our mental-health. As we become an increasingly digital culture – the power of the pen has taken on a different meaning. 

You see, the best way to get information from our heart to our head, and vice versa – is through our hands. When we write down our emotional thoughts, we are not only able to add logic to those thoughts, but we are able to create patterns of positive processes and find ways to re-train our brain. 

I completed my masters thesis on journalling, developing my own ‘Journal for wellbeing’ combining the bet of Positive Psychology into a habit-generating wellbeing tool. 

The Science, Theory & Qualifications

Click through the options to explore a little more about the background of my professional knowledge

I’m often asked what Positive Psychology is and why it is different. I actually love answering this question as many people hold the belief that it is simply the ‘Pop’ positive thinking we see on many a Facebook status – inspirational quotes and the ’toxic’ positivity of ‘just think positively’. Being wrongly associated with this style of behaviour has sometimes given positive psychology a dusty name, so here is my take.
 
Positive Psychology is the science of human flourishing. Whereas in the past, psychology, in general, has looked at the deficit model – that is, why we are mentally ill. Positive Psychology looks at why we are well and how we can amplify that to be ‘well’ more often. To put it another way, if you look at ‘mental health’ on a scale of -10 to 10. Psychology in general looks at -10 to 0 – so the absence of mental illness (but also the absence of mental health) Positive Psychology goes further and looks to identify what makes life worth living and how we can do more of that to support us in flourishing.
 
Positive Psychology doesn’t ignore the negative either – contrary to popular opinion – it simply looks to find learnings and changes in perception and thinking that lead to personal growth.
 
From a very personal perspective, I find Positive Psychology gives me the opportunity to find the RIGHT wellbeing-recipe for each individual I work with. We all have unique and differing opinions on ‘what makes us happy’ and how our individual qualities help us achieve true wellbeing.  Positive Psychology helps me to finds ways to uncover this by searching for the nuggets of brilliance in each individual, team or organisation and build strategies to amplify those feelings and behaviours to build resilience, confidence and authenticity.

Qualification* MSc International Applied Positive Psychology

Transformational coaching sits beautifully with both Positive Psychology and Appreciative Inquiry because rather than simply looking at helping people better themselves through their behaviour and the way they act, it looks at the way people see themselves. So, in practice, this approach can help people transform their self-image, perceptions about themselves and the perceptions of their limitations. jeni sanderson - positive psychology coach
In a nice little nutshell, transformational coaching can help you become more aligned with your hopes, dreams and aspirations and couple with Positive Psychology you can discover your best-self and how to apply it to those hopes, dreams, and aspirations to improve your wellbeing.
As a transformational coach, I provide a person-centered approach focussed on providing a safe space to generate and spark powerful conversations. It’s a two-way relationship built on trust and authenticity with me, as the coach actively listening to the whole communication which is not just limited to the words you say.
Qualifications
* Accredited Diploma in Transformational Coaching
* ICP-ACC Agile Team Coach
* Accredited Certificate in Group Coaching & Facilitation
Appreciative Inquiry is a form of change management that focusses on what you do well, rather than trying to ‘fix’ a problem. The principles behind Appreciative Inquiry stem from the knowledge that “What we focus on grows” – so if we focus too hard on the problem, not only does it expand in our minds, but we are likely to also discover further issues, therefore creating a never-ending cycle of problems.
 
Research has demonstrated that by focussing on what works well and doing more of it can have a much more positive impact; and in many cases; actually negate the original problem by creating a culture or environment of energy towards success.
 
The ‘traditional’ Appreciative Inquiry model follows a ‘4D cycle’:
 
  1. Discovery: Exploring the “best of what is now”  – identifying strengths, best practices, sources of excellence, vitality, and peak performance within an organisation, team or individual.
  2. Dream: What is the future you really want? Creating a vision of a future that is desired, where individual or organisation is fully engaged and successful around its core purpose and strategic objectives.
  3. Design: Matching the best of what is with the vision to design high-impact strategies to move the individual or organisation creatively and decisively in the right direction.
  4. Destiny: Now we put it into action!

Qualification* AFAI Appreciative Inquiry Practitioner

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