Coaching Outdoors Episode 15 - Alex and Anna-Marie

On a beautifully warm and sunny day on the banks of Loch Fyne on the west coast of Scotland, we finally managed to record our first podcast together! In this episode, we share our insights into some topics that our listeners have asked us for more detail about. Firstly, Anna-Marie covers the hugely important topic of risk awareness in outdoor coaching, and how, as outdoor coaches, we must think about it carefully. Understanding the risks that may be encountered in the outdoors, knowing our own, and our clients’ limits, and ensuring we base our contracting and session planning around these important aspects in critical to both physical and psychological safety of our clients, and ourselves.“what does risk mean to me, what (situation) am I comfortable with putting myself and my client in?” - AMWShe also covers the topics of coach identity and the relationship the coach and client have with nature. For some, an affinity to nature may be what brought them to outdoor coaching. For others, testing that relationship might be part of the coaching journey. Alex then shares more detail about her recent research into the benefits of outdoor coaching and the link to Attention Restoration Theory as a basis to explain these benefits. Looking at some of the key themes of the research such as side-by-side walking, movement and pace and openness.“Our indoor lives, our stressful lives, our busy lives means our directed attention is being taken up and used, and depleted very easily. Which means it’s harder for us to think differently, be creative, problem solve and the things that we as coaches want to help our clients to do” - ABWe also both share our favourite moments from the 14 episodes so far, and a sneak peak of what’s to come in the rest of series 2.We are already planning series 3 and beyond, so if you have any suggestions for topics or guests you would like us to include please share and get in touch.