The article also mentions that social workers are beginning to turn to Life Coaching to circumvent the insurance system. As a clinical social worker, this certainly hits close to home. When Danielle and I started brainstorming Life Gardeners into being, we both expressed our dismay with the current system of mental healthcare and the role of the social worker in the “system.” I truly enjoyed my clinical work at both Austin State Hospital (ASH) and North Austin Medical Center, but in order to make ends meet at home, I had to work both jobs. That meant grueling hours, working 40+ hours a week at ASH, then working on-call from 4pm-7am several nights a week and on weekends.

Because I left the clinical world to move into my position in Community Relations, I didn’t maintain my licensure or seek to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. LCSWs are mental health professionals who can provide therapy and bill insurance. Somewhere along the way I lost the desire to engage in that system. It isn’t that I am averse to bureaucratic paperwork and insurance companies. It’s not overly fun, but there is a certain sense of accomplishment in filling out forms correctly and filing them (the joy of doing something that is step-by-step and emotionally neutral). What I couldn’t see myself doing was sitting in an office talking to person after person all day long. I’m an active being with many interests, so I wanted to create a position that allows me to set my own hours and have time to pet my cats, bake cookies with my youngest daughter, and engage in the pursuits that nourish my soul (knitting, spiritual pursuits, energy work, astrology, painting, gardening).

The caveat offered by Dr. Puder-York is something I considered when I went into this line of business. One advantage Danielle and I offer that few other coaches do is our experience with people who have mental health issues. We are both clinically trained and have hours upon hours of experience dealing with crisis counseling, family dynamics, and mental illness. If you choose Life Gardeners to provide Coaching or other services, you are getting the experience of social workers AND the guidance of spiritual seekers. My strengths as a clinical social worker were my intuition, knowledge base, compassion and dedication. I bring these strengths to my coaching clients. Not all coaches are created equal. This is why I searched for a certification course that was accredited and met both my spiritual and educational needs. Dr. Margaret McCraw, PhD, is a licensed psychotherapist and social worker who is also trained using the Law of Attraction to assist clients in reaching their goals. She grounds the coursework in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, a modality I have used with clients in the past. Additionally, the Law of Attraction model is a seamless fit with Solutions-Focused Therapy, which uses techniques such as “the Miracle Question” to help individuals and families solve problems.

While the Law of Attraction has not been studied and reported in peer-reviewed journals, both CBT and Solutions-Focused Therapy are evidenced-based treatments for a variety of mental health and behavioral issues. I’m grateful that Life Coaching is getting attention from Newsweek. With time, we’ll see a move towards professionalism. It’s exciting to be in a breaking field!

Andy Dean – Fotolia.com

To manifest abundance, we must be as bold as the Wright Brothers. If we stumble along the path, it is because we need to adjust our creative engine before we can fly. These 10 tips will help you tune into your own inner guidance system, turn down the volume on the inner critic, and use your imagination to move past obstacles.

When you were younger, you probably heard the phrase, “Try harder.” These tips require “trying softer.” Trying softer is letting go of resistance and opening yourself up to unexpected outcomes. If you feel yourself starting to push or try, relax or move to another tip.

Have fun with this! Each time you use a tip, give yourself a cheer. “Two bits, four bits, six bits a dollar, all for [insert your name here], stand up and holler!” If you feel silly and laugh as you cheer yourself on, that’s great! Jump around and wave your hands. If you do this with young children, I promise you will raise your vibrations sky high!

Tip #1
Take 10 minutes every day to meditate. The solution to meditation is to not take it too seriously. There is no need to take a class, use a particular breathing method or sit on a hard pillow. You can meditate in a recliner, on the floor, standing up or even in the bathtub! Find a quiet place, turn off the phone and let everyone know that you are indisposed. Get comfortable. Focus on your breathing at first. Do you notice your mind talking to you? That’s fine, just let it talk. You don’t have to listen to it or follow it. How do you feel? Check in with each part of you – from your toes up to the top of your head. What do you hear? See? Smell? When you are finished (it helps to set a timer), give yourself a hug and say, “thank you for giving me time today!”

Tip #2
Write 3 pages every morning. Julia Cameron, in her book “The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity”writes “it is impossible to write morning pages for an extended period of time without coming into contact with an unexpected inner power.” The rules of the morning pages are “keep writing,” “no editing,” and “no judgment.” It is okay to write 3 pages of “I don’t like doing this.”

Tip #3
Exercise your inner guidance system. Your intuition has many of the answers you seek. Give it some exercise! Take 60 seconds and ask yourself the following questions: What are my special gifts? How do I bring more love, wealth, abundance into my life? Where do I feel most peaceful? What brings me joy? What is it that I truly desires? Take a piece of paper out and write down the answers to your questions. Do the same exercise every day.

Tip #4
Turn down the volume of your inner critic. Your inner critic is not your friend! Is there a voice in your head that cuts you down or calls you names? If so, take the next 60 seconds to invite this voice into your consciousness. It usually helps to state a hope, dream or desire and then wait for the barrage of criticism. What does this voice sound like? Does it use “I,” “You,” or “We”? My own inner critic uses “You,” as in “You shouldn’t have done that” or “There no way you can have that!” Is it male or female? Can you make it talk louder? What about a whisper? Try having the voice talk in a cartoon voice. Next time you hear this voice in your head, turn the volume down or have it talk in a squeaky, silly voice. You will feel better immediately!

Tip #5
Learn while you sleep. Request guidance for the next day before you go to sleep and note any dreams you have. Sometimes your dreams will seep out in your morning pages. As you go through your day, think back on the dream and notice if there is a message for you. Sometimes it’s not obvious. One dream I had was about getting stuck in thick mud on my way to my car. I finally gave up and went back inside, where I took a bath. The next day I was stuck in a computer project and couldn’t make any headway. I remembered the dream and took a shower. When I went back to the project, the software miraculously worked! To supercharge your dreams, refrain from alcoholic beverages. Alcohol disrupts the sleep cycle, which makes it more challenging to remember dreams.

Tip #6
Take out the trash. When you look around your apartment (house, garage, office, car), is everything in good working order? Is it beautiful? Does it fit (size, style, etc.)? If not, consider clearing it out or repairing it. The most common reactions I’ve heard to this suggestion is, “but, it reminds me of . . .,” “but, I might be able to use it someday,” or “but, so and so gave that to me.” Abundance flows into the space we create. By clearing your space of what isn’t necessary or beautiful, you eliminate the following types of thoughts: I should fix this, if I lost weight I could wear this, and Why the heck did so and so think I’d like this? By clearing your space, you say to the universe, “I’m ready for beauty, joy, and abundance.”

Tip#7
Keep a gratitude list. Take time each day to write down what you are grateful for in your life. When you are in a situation that feels stressful or negative, pull out your list and read it. Take just 15 seconds to experience your gratitude. A small notebook or index card in your wallet is a great way to make gratitude your gratitude.

Tip #8
Look where you are going! Too many of us spend hours each day looking at the past. People spend countless hours and bucket loads of money every year rehashing the past and looking for the answer to the question, “Why?” Why am I afraid of heights, why am I self-critical, why don’t my relationships work, why couldn’t I have had different parents. It’s a simple rule that every driving instructor knows. By focusing on the past, you miss your present and your future. In the Biblical story of Lot and his wife, she does not listen to the Angels who warn not to look back. As a result, she turns into a pillar of salt while Lot and their daughters are led to safety. Faith is leaving the past behind and trusting in the future.

Tip #9
Give. Whether you give a smile, an encouraging word, your time or your money – giving to others results in better physical and mental health. Give from a sense of abundance. Be grateful you have an overflow of abundance and love that can be given freely. Imagine every plant and creature living in harmony. Move toward that goal by sharing your gifts with others.

Tip #10
Once you have stated your desire for abundance, a loving relationship, or more wealth, release it and get on with your life. Sitting on your couch waiting for something to happen will not bring the results you want. Know that the universe is working to bring you what you desire. When we wait for wealth, a relationship, or health, we are telling the universe that we do not believe in our own power to create our own well-being. If you feel stuck, go back to some of the other tips and use them!

Margaret has devised a four-step program to bringing your desires in-line with your believes to create your ideal relationship. So many people today are looking for their soulmates, but while they are looking, they continue to run into the same relationship
stumbling blocks over and over again. According to the Law of Attraction, we attract what ever we are vibrating, or “putting out there.” We also have a tendency to think about what we don’t want in a partner, rather than what we do want.

Margaret’s book walks the reader through the Law of Attraction and how to put it into use immediately by creating “Feel-Good” moments and creating a detailed wish list of the qualities we’d like our partner to embody. Throughout the book she gives real-life examples from her clients’ lives and her own life. The process in the book can be adapted to manifest prosperity, abundance and joy in all areas of life.

Whether you are looking to find a new partner or to create more joy in your current relationship, “Tune into Love” by Margaret McCraw is an illuminating addition to your relationship toolbox.