Hi and welcome.

If you’re reading this it’s probably because you haven’t got a clue what I’m pushing here and you’re intrigued to find out. If that’s the case, I’m Carol-Anne, a mind-body coach, and that’s my face at the top. That's the intro done, let’s crack on with why you’re here :)

What is Mind-Body Coaching?
Let’s dive straight in. Mind-body coaching – it might sound like some kind of holistic magic a celebrity would rave about, but stick with me, it’s genuinely transformative.

And, for all the doubters out there (I hear you, I’ve been there), this stuff is based on some science too. As Mathew McConaughey would say, “green light”.
Imagine your mind and body are completely out of sync. Well, most of us don’t need to imagine, we’re in that space a lot of the time. Anyway, imagine your mind’s talking deadlines and your body’s nervously sweating. Neither knows what the other really wants, and neither are listening to find out. Mind-body coaching is like the friend who steps in, cuts through all the awkward stuff, and gets them to have a real conversation.

In essence, it’s about recognising that your thoughts, emotions, physical sensations and behaviour are all inextricably linked. Instead of listening to the constant chatter of the mind, this kind of coaching turns the focus on what your body’s trying to tell you. Spoiler: it’s always smarter than we give it credit for. And there’s neuroscience to back it up.

There is a LOT more to this, but in a nutshell, your mind and body communicate through the nervous system, with the vagus nerve being a key player. It’s responsible for regulating everything from your heart rate to digestion, and research shows that stimulating through things like meditation, breathing and movement, can reduce stress and improve mental well-being. Your gut, often called the "second brain," is also constantly sending signals to your mind, influencing your mood and cognition. Mind-body coaching taps into these connections, helping you understand what your body is trying to communicate to your brain so you can make different choices.

But why does it feel so awkward?
Let’s address the elephant in the room, why does connecting with our bodies feel so bloody weird?!

Well, the strange concept that humans have pushed for generations is that our mind (in our head) and our bodies (that thing our head is stuck on) are two separate things. Total madness when you actually think about it.

This divide, especially in Western medicine and psychology, where physical health and mental health have been treated as completely separate entities, has left us feeling disconnected from ourselves. The stigma around mental health has only deepened this split, but here's where neuroplasticity comes in to change things.

Neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to rewire itself, shows that the mind is constantly changing in response to experiences we have. Mind-body coaching leverages this by helping you create new, healthier patterns between your thoughts and bodily sensations. When your brain thoughts change, and your body feelings change in response, you subconsciously embrace different behaviours, which in turn helps you to change your life. Bloody magic if you ask me.

And, what’s all this “gut feelings” and “intuition” mumbo-jumbo?
Think about “gut feelings” and how you often find yourself saying “I know I was right about XYZ…”. The gut feeling, stress, elation, peace, shakes, wobbles, pains and everything in between, is all your body telling you something important and asking you to listen.

Mind-body coaching teaches you how to actually pay attention to those signals. Your body’s not just there to lug your brain around. It’s there to be an important player in this thing we call life.

Sessions involve a bit of everything – talking (the classic coaching technique), noticing sensations as you talk (mind-body connections), breathing, movement (which could be a shift of position on your chair, physically walking around or star jumps), whatever it is, you’re always 100% in control.

It’s about getting you out of your head and into your body. And trust me, once you understand how to do it, you’ll be fascinated at how transformative it can be.

If you think (or feel) that you could use some of this superpower magic sauce, then get in touch and we’ll chat!

Until next time, stay curious.
X