Firstly, what is Ontology?
Ontology is the study of ‘being’.

According to The Oxford Companion to Philosophy, “Ontology  is … the science of being in general, embracing such issues as the  nature of existence and the structure of reality”.

Fernando Flores is said to be the originator of the ontological approach to coaching and the key figure in the formation of the discipline. Ontological coaching stems from the philosophies of Martin Heidegger, J. L. Austin and John Searle as well as the works of Maturana and Echeverria. The ontological approach to coaching has been further developed by Alan Sieler at the Newfield Institute.

Ontology in this context simply means the nature of being, becoming, existing or the nature of your reality. By changing your ontology, or way of being, the possibilities for change increase – thereby enabling your life to change. Traditionally listed as a part of the major branch of philosophy known as metaphysics, ontology deals with questions concerning what entities exist or can be said to exist, and how such entities can be grouped, related within a hierarchy, and subdivided according to similarities and differences.

When you feel anxiety, distress or discomfort, you are experiencing a breakdown in the natural flow of life. These things can damage you – your health, performance and relationships which is why it’s important that you to deal with these concerns in the moment. You cannot change the past and the future becomes what you think and do now.

The outcome or result you need to deal with is the breakdown. A typical reaction is to consider is what Action can be taken to achieve a desired Result.  But those actions can be much more effective if the beliefs and values of you, the Observer are considered, and so making the choice of actions more conscious.  By Observer we mean when you observe something you are looking at it in a particular way. The words you use to interpret what you are seeing will have a specific meaning for you, which will be linked to an emotional attachment depending on how you associate it with past experiences and current beliefs.

What is Ontological coaching?

An ontological coach is a particular kind of coach who embodies the powerful distinctions of the “Ontology of Language”, also spoken of as the “Ontology of the Human Observer”, and who is able to support people in achieving their goals and creating a new way of being. Even though people often know what they want in life, quite often they do not know how to get there. Similarly, they do not always know how to avoid what they do not want. Sometimes, people do not even know what is missing for them. Dealing with this blindness is the job of an ontological coach. They support others to address what is missing for them in the different domains of their lives, relationships, work, family, career and so on.

The essential role of the coach is to provide a safe context for the client or coachee to learn new distinctions that expand  how they are observing, enabling them to become a different and more powerful observer (with power being interpreted as the capacity  to take effective action).

The theory and methodology of Ontological Coaching enables a coach to observe and work constructively with three essential domains of human existence — language, emotions and body — as a means for supporting coaching clients to develop important new perspectives that generate more effective behaviours. The approach generates shifts in a client or coachee’s “way of being“. A human’s way of being is not a fixed state but one of continual change and the role of the Ontological Coach is to work with the client to design a way of being that that serves them best.

When coaching, I support people to develop and take full advantage of their personal skills, competencies and what they already know. In the last decade, we have seen coaching translated into many other fields – business, education, performing arts and so on. Ontological coaching provides a greater richness to understanding the human condition and relationships that most other approaches. The ontological approach is not simply about coaching, it provides for a very different way of understanding your experience of life.

So in a nutshell, our body, behaviour – moods and emotions, and language – communication style are the four domains of life that form our way of being and affect our experiences. An ontological coach is a keen observer of human beings in these domains and seeks to intervene in what they see is the most appropriate domain to initiate a change in being. They then ensure there is embedded change in all domains to achieve a new pattern of being.

Knowing about yourself enables you to reflect on who you are as an observer and engage with our ‘felt’ and other unseen aspects of being human. Carl Jung calls this our “shadow”, the unconscious emotional reactions and mental images that get in the way of us being our best selves.. They are the little annoyances and concerns that prevent effective action. Simple dilemmas can cause indecision and worries that recur again and again without warning. Transformative learning involves you in discovering how to find “both/and” solutions to ‘either/or’ problems.

Learning more about ourselves and how we interact with our thoughts, feelings and behaviour can be transformative in giving us a sense of personal power to free ourselves from the concerns, tensions, habits and beliefs that are stopping us reaching our full potential as a creative gift to the world.

When we engage with ontological learning we are opening up windows to our soul as we:

• seek change that will empower us to think and act with purpose.
• operate from mental models that keep our mind open to life’s infinite possibilities.
• are able to be open and honest about who we are and what matters to us.
• can accept conflict, anxiety and paradox as natural forces for living and learning.
• are willing to go to the edge of our comfort zone and challenge our own values and beliefs
• see life as a continuous journey of learning from a position of gratitude and wonder to explore life beyond our conscious awareness.

Ontological Coaching is for you if:

• You need to evaluate your life choices and purpose with a clear vision of the life you want to live
• You are making career changes or transitions perhaps exiting or retiring
• You feel you are stuck or trapped and lack creativity and spontaneity
• You need to build and maintain more productive and effective professional and personal relationships
• You are focused on wellness and health
• You are motivated to improving your personal effectiveness
• You desire balance in your life – that  essential life balance between mind, body and spirit
• You simply want to have more fun and live a more meaningful life

Ontological Coaching provides my clients with:

• An enhanced sense of well-being and reduction of stress
• New ways of observing concerns and circumstances
• Heightened ability to evaluate choices and make decisions
• Significant improvement in self-understanding and confidence
• Significant improvement in communication with increased ability to build productive relationships
• Enhanced productivity, effectiveness and well-being