The Power of Coaching in Stress Reduction

Coaching can be used to balance out or decrease the stress in our lives and the stress in other people’s lives. No matter what you think about coaching—whether you’re enamored with the idea of becoming a coach or you feel ambivalent about it—coaching is a powerful tool that can, among many other things, combat stress.

This isn’t just about becoming a professional coach; it’s about applying coaching techniques at various skill levels and in many situations to do something positive. While it takes time and effort to really build out coaching as an advanced tool, understanding the basics and even applying some of them right off the bat can make significant changes in the way we engage with others and handle stress. These changes increase over time—the more we learn, the better we get at it, and the more we’re able to help others.

Why Focus on Stress Right Now?

We all experience stress—sometimes it’s manageable, and sometimes it’s not. Not only do we experience stress, but everyone we meet does too. Stress has become known as the silent killer because it contributes to many of the health and mental health problems we see today, like heart disease, depression, and anxiety. It also impacts what’s most important to us: our personal and professional relationships. Stress doesn’t just affect us physically; it can destroy our connections, break communication and trust, and decrease our overall well-being.

Think about the last time you were stressed out. Maybe someone approached you with what would normally be a simple issue, something you’d usually handle with ease. But because you were stressed, your response was less than optimal. Maybe you were a bit strained, or perhaps you reacted in a way that was actually problematic. These interactions, whether in our practice, the workplace, or at home, have a significant effect on our relationships and overall well-being.

There are many reasons for high stress levels right now: global uncertainty, economic pressures, technological overload, work-life imbalance, social isolation, political polarization, environmental anxieties, and health concerns. These stressors often interact with each other, amplifying the stress we feel across multiple areas of our lives.

But the main issue isn’t just the presence of these stressors; it’s our lack of coping resources. We know that stress is a part of life and that we’ll experience it no matter what. But collectively, we’re experiencing an even higher amount of stress, and many of us don’t know how to cope with it effectively. That’s where coaching comes in—it provides the tools, resources, and abilities to work with these stressors as they come up.

Common Problems in Handling Stress

Many people try to handle stress reactively rather than proactively. They might attempt to solve or eliminate the problem causing the stress, which sometimes can actually increase stress levels. Others believe that nothing can be done about stress—that it’s just the way life is. They might turn to medication or self-medicate to balance out how they’re feeling but don’t believe there’s a real solution.

This often happens because people try a particular technique once—like deep breathing—and when it doesn’t work immediately during a high-stress moment, they conclude that stress is unsolvable. Education is really helpful here. Understanding that managing stress is a skill that takes practice can change this mindset.

Leaders often ignore the emotional aspects of stress, focusing too much on productivity or efficiency because they don’t know what else to do. It’s not due to a lack of care but rather a lack of developed skills in this area. This is another reason why coaching becomes so helpful—when leaders learn how to work in a coaching manner with others, they gain a whole new set of tools to use.

How Coaching Makes a Difference

Coaching gives us tools to change how we work through what’s happening, and that makes all the difference. The way we engage with others, how we get to solutions, and how we think about problems all contribute to decreasing stress over time and even eliminating it for the future.

We’re not just dealing with stress in the moment—like using a deep breathing technique—we’re finding ways to work with it mentally and emotionally that help us repeatedly over time. This approach can even eliminate the stress as we go.

This is a problem everyone has, and it can get in the way of success, whether that’s measured by bottom-line numbers or the quality of interpersonal relationships. But it’s something that can be changed by learning certain basic skills.

Real-Life Examples of Coaching in Action

Consider a business owner who integrated coaching into her leadership style. The immediate result was a change in office negativity—people had an outlet for what they otherwise didn’t know how to express, and they began learning communication skills themselves. This improvement was so significant that she encouraged her leadership team to learn coaching skills as well, building a solid team structure.

It’s not just business owners who benefit. Practitioners like acupuncturists or chiropractors often find that life stress prevents clients from staying consistent with treatment plans. By integrating a bit of coaching before and after sessions, they see more consistency and success with their clients.

Time and again, people tell me they were surprised at how much learning coaching skills affected their personal lives. They expected professional benefits or looked forward to helping others but didn’t anticipate the positive impact on their day-to-day interactions and relationships.

Coaching Skills Are for Everyone

You don’t need to become a professional coach to benefit from learning coaching skills. These skills help leaders, business owners, practitioners, and anyone who interacts with people to be more effective in their relationships and work. Coaching techniques can be applied in various aspects of life, making them incredibly valuable.

I often say that anyone who interacts with people can benefit from learning coaching skills or something similar. It’s such a powerful addition to our lives that I believe it should be part of basic education.