What is Skillz4Kids?

Skillz4Kids came about as a merging of my teaching background, my passion for improving the lives of
young people as well as my coaching and positive psychology studies, research and experience. Through Skillz4Kids I work directly with young people on a one on one basis to help them to build resilience, coping skills, strategies for dealing with difficult times and to ultimately support them to create outstanding lives.

I work with parents on a one on one basis or with their children to give them skills and tools to support their child, tween or teen to develop confidence, resilience, coping and communication skills, self respect and strong, loving connected relationships.

What is Coaching?

Coaching allows people to create their ultimate life. Coaches assist their clients to be and experience
their best self and assist clients to really thrive not just survive. It provides a holistic approach to well-being and as such the positive changes made in one area of a client’s life often translates to other areas of their life too.

Many people have dreams and goals and with the right coaching clients can achieve their goals and
aspirations much quicker and more easily than without. Coaching streamlines the achievements and keeps the clients focussed on the outcomes. Coaching can use a range of research-based methods including Neuro-linguistic Programming (NLP) and Meta Dynamics as well as mindfulness and positive psychology to facilitate change in their client’s thinking to make rapid and lasting changes in their life.

How is coaching different from psychology and counselling?

When people see a psychologist they often have a specific mental health diagnosis and the psychologist treats them for this diagnosis and assists them to get to a point where they are functioning, this is where
the relationship usually ends.

Counsellors are often seen by clients who are struggling with an issue, or issues and the counsellor assists their client to work through those issues by talking about the problem. A coach by comparison is less interested in a diagnosis and more interested in assisting their client to achieve results and a life where they are flourishing and thriving. Coaching focuses on equipping clients with the thinking that enables clients to not simply cope with a problem but rather have the skills and tools that enable them to thrive in this situation and in future difficulties as well.

What is Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP)?

NLP, created by John Grinder and Richard Bandler has been improving peoples’ lives by making them happier and more successful for over 40 years. It’s like being given the code to your brain or a blue print for achieving excellence in any field which you choose to apply it to. NLP allows people to take control of their mind and to use it to create the life they want.

NLP or Neuro-Linguistic Programming is a method of influencing three of the most powerful components involved in creating any human experience, these being neurology (our mind), our language and our programming (the way that we organize ideas and actions to get results).

The use of NLP allows a person to “recode” the way that their brain responds to stimuli. The use of NLP often involves a level of hypnosis or self hypnosis to assist the person to achieve the outcome that they want faster and with lasting results.

NLP has been used by some of the worlds’ top spots people, leaders and entrepreneurs to achieve outstanding results in their fields.

What is Meta Dynamics?

Every day we make decisions, consciously or unconsciously, about how to feel, what to think about, how to react to or respond to events and circumstances in our lives. Meta Dynamics is the study of how we make those decisions and how we can make different decisions that will lead to better outcomes for our lives.

Meta Dynamics, developed by Sharon Pearson of The Coaching Institute takes NLP to a new level. Sharon utilised years of study of NLP and human behaviour as well as a decade of industry experience as a highly influential coach and created Meta Dynamics, which has been touted as the biggest innovative breakthrough in human behaviour since NLP.

Meta Dynamics is the first research based 4-dimensional model of human behaviour that enables people to achieve the results they are wanting for their lives much faster.

Where most coaches will begin their work with a client by discussing an event or situation then assessing their response and help them make changes at that level to change the result. Meta Dynamics practitioners look first at the thinking behind the thinking. We start with the perception that a person has of an event or situation, then the event itself followed by the persons response and lastly the result. The power of this is that the most profound change happens at an unconscious level and by changing a persons perception before the event even occurs we are able to assist our clients to make rapid and lasting change to all areas of their lives.

Do NLP and Meta Dynamics work with young people?

YES!

In fact, these methodologies arguably work better with young people than with adults because young people are typically more open to change, are more creative in their thinking. I have worked with NLP and Meta Dynamics with many young people and their families with huge success.

I believe that every parent, teacher and person who works with young people should learn the tools and skills that would enable them to assist young people with coping, resilience, creating an outstanding life. What a difference we could make to the world if all young people were taught to harness the power of their mind and given the power to choose their destiny regardless of life circumstances.

Who does NLP and Meta Dynamics not work for?

No methodology in the world will assist someone to change who does not want the change for themselves. I screen all of my potential one-on-one clients (no matter their age) to ensure that the change they are seeking is something they are genuinely committed to and want for themselves. I will not take on a client who is not committed to their own change.