Hope Theory - A Salve For Our Troubled Times?

Main Category: Psychology / Psychiatry
Article Date: 19 Dec 2008 - 0:00 PDT

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Coaching psychology may have more than a 'quantum of solace' to offer, in the form of 'hope theory', as individuals and society battle with the challenges arising from our troubled times. This is the opinion of Danish coaching psychologist, Jens Boris Larsen, who speaked the European Coaching Psychology Conference on Wednesday 17 December 2008.

Mr Larsen, who is Chair of the Society of Evidence-based Coaching of the Danish Psychological Association, has identified the importance of hope as a personal quality that can and should permeate coaching endeavours. Coaching can facilitate three critical elements of hope: the setting of goals, the development of solutions for achieving those goals, and the bolstering of willpower to maintain motivation to achieve those goals.

"One of the key success parameters of any coaching engagement seems to be the cultivation of positive emotions about the future - to see the challenges we face, the future we desire and the paths we need to walk through the lenses of optimism and higher hope.", explains Mr Larsen. "People of high hope see many pathways to overcome obstacles and have high levels of energy and motivation available for goal pursuit, show more resilience when encountering setbacks, and have more flexibility when meeting insurmountable obstacles".

Dr Alison Whybrow, Chair of the Special Group in Coaching Psychology said: "Given the challenges arising in our societies today, it is encouraging to identify work, such as Mr Larsen's, that offers tangible and pertinent approaches from coaching psychology to help address and overcome these challenges."

The British Psychological Society

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