Alexander Hohmann
Life & Business Coach in
Freiburg or ONline
Certified Systemic Coach
(English / German / French)
“Systemic” means that the person is not being
considered as if it were a statue on an empty
square. Because the person is 1.) not cast from
a single mould but instead made of many parts.
And 2.) the person always is surrounded by a
context, with other humans and situations,
without which it would be almost impossible to
explain what is currently going on within that
person.
You know that phenomenon: When you
successively meet three different people, you
become yourself three different people. Each
situation calls for certain sides of your
personality, abilities and behaviours. Some of
these people or situations can trigger stress
patterns that keep you away from some of your
resources and abilities. Sometimes we feel tall,
sometimes we feel small. Therefore each of us
is one, but each of us also is many.
Originally the Systemic approach came ou from
applying systemic theory to family therapy.
From there it went to being applied to single
persons. Each human was now seen as the
result of the interaction of many inner parts that
together form another “system” was well. Today,
this approach is being successfully applied in
coaching, too. And in organisational coaching, a
systemic approach seems all the more natural,
since organisations obviously are systems with
lots of interactions.
As any other system, a human being has an
inside and an outside. And there is a lot going
on inside. Some parts may seem to have a life
of their own. For example, they push into
different directions. That can cause a feeling of
inner conflict or make it difficult to take
decisions. This person strives into different
directions at the same time.
Or these parts can start fighting each other, lock
horns and eventually enter polarisation. This
can consume much energy and still generate
only immobility. In that case, it is a good idea to
see a coach to help you bring these parts “to
the table of negotiation”.
Sometimes parts can als “carry” an old burden
so that the rest of this human can have a
seemingly normal life - a life that can even
become quite successful by common standards
but still feel empty from within. People have no
idea how many successful persons in
leadership positions feel emptiness and
numbness instead of fulfilment. At some point,
the time comes to take the burden off the
shoulders of these carrying parts, so that they
can return to their natural place in the
wholeness of the person and provide their
resources and abilities.
Sometimes polarisation in the world out there
can rouse inner conflicts that were thought long
appeased or were even completely
unbeknownst to their holder. Perhaps the inner
parts will even start to fan the flames of those
outside conflicts (e.g. society issues or political
divisions). The downside: It does not feel good.
The upside: This makes the inner fault lines
visible and they now can be addressed - as
long as the person is ready to be very honest
with herself or himself.
The goal of a coaching sequence always has to
do with increasing self-efficacy or self-
reliance. This can start with the following
realisation: “I am not this way. Instead, I notice
that in this particular context, a part of me turns
into this.” In that moment the identification of
the whole person with one particular, single
state of the self starts dissolving and replaced
with a healthy distance from which to see things
better and work on them. “Creating a distance”
for dis-identification purposes is an essential
component of Systemic Coaching. Once we
have established an observer position from a
distance, we can jump between parts and thus
see many different perspectives. Then the
strong inner parts can take care of the weaker
or less visible ones until a healthier wholeness
is restored. This way, you can give yourself
what you have not received from others in
earlier times. You become your own coach.
The more parts you get back into the harmony
of the whole, the stronger your self-efficacy and
self-governance get, and the more virtuosic you
can navigate the Oceans of Life.
Coaching Methods
When we meet for a coaching session, there
are many methods and models from which to
choose. The following are those I use most
frequently.
Systemic and hypnosystemic conversation
techniques
There are tons of conversation techniques.
Some remain simply verbal. Others include
moving around in the room and taking into
account the expression of body and posture. To
include the body is surprisingly efficient,
especially when the person has trouble
expressing things with words. So coaching is
much more than “just talk”.
Systemic Structure Constellations
Parts of a system, of a group of people, or inner
parts of a person and their interactions can be
visualised by signs or objects placed in a room
or on a desktop. This can bring up unexpected
realisations and allows to experiment with new
configurations that are better suited to install a
balance where imbalance hitherto ruled.
Interactions can become more peaceful.
Hypnosystemic development of the
central Self and re-integration of parts
The hypnosystemic system combines
constellation with benign hypnosis methods in
order to strengthen the Self of the client and
equip it with appropriate self-protective
methods. The Self establishes a healthy immune
system instead of entrenching itself behind walls
that have the effect of isolating oneself from the
good things of life. It can then be a better and
more accepted leader to the other inner parts of
a person.
Mindfulness techniques
“Mindfulness” can be seen as some fancy “en
vogue” term and we got it thrown at us from all
sides. But it actually is helpful. Mindfulness
provides help in finding back to oneself and
getting free from whatever draws us either into
the past and the associated pains or the future
and the associated fears. A state of mindfulness
is excellently suited for deeper coaching work -
and for many everyday tasks, too, by the way.
Imaginary journeys in a light trance
(consciousness activation techniques,
formerly known as hypnosis)
With these benign techniques, we induce no
hypnotic half-sleep but on the contrary activate
the consciousness in order to train active
awareness control. We then use this active state
to go for some imaginary journey or to build
metaphors and play around with them. Instead
of talking about something at lengths, we
produce change by building and modifying inner
pictures and scenes.
Elements from the Internal Family System
(IFS)
Some elements and conversation techniques
from the systemic therapy model called “Internal
Family System” as created by Richard C.
Schwartz are being used in my coaching.
Affirmations like “one part of me wants this, but
another part of me wants that” are taking very
seriously and literally. We seek to enter a
dialogue with these different parts and mediate
between them so that they can find a common
ground. Some parts may also have been forgot
for long and waiting for all that time to be seen
again and relieved of the burden they carry.
Age regressions and timeline work from a
safe meta position
In a state of slightly enhanced awareness
(benign trance) we scan the timeline of your life
in search of hidden or forgotten treasures and
resources. But we also look for some older states
of yourself (inner children) waiting at some point
of the timeline to eventually be collected and
cared for, to return to their natural place in the
wholeness of the individual. One of the possible
consequences may well be that you become
more whole as a human being.
Working with inner children
There probably is not the one inner children
within you, but instead there is quite a number
of them. They represent past states of the self
whose needs have not been met or that had to
experience hardship of some kind. When we
start talking to these inner children, then our
neglected or buried parts can finally find relief
and be tended. Interestingly, it is well possible
that some area of life that used to stand still for
some time suddenly starts to evolve and
blossom, because these inner children are also
the wardens of resources and abilities that can
return to expressing themselves.
Acceptance and Commitment Training
(ACT)
This derives from the Acceptance &
Commitment Therapy (ACT), a well
established cognitive behavioural therapy. Here
we only use those elements of ACT that are
appropriate for coaching (coaching is no
psychotherapy but there are toolbox overlaps).
It is useful for freeing yourself from beliefs and
ruminations without trying to “get rid” of them,
because getting rid of them usually does not
work out. Instead, we shift the focus away from
this depreciating self-talk and to your own
values. Values - meaning true values, not
currently fashionable hashtags - are what is
really meaningful to you and gives your life its
meaning. Once values are clear, it is them that
can henceforth guide your actions and
decisions and commitments in order to build a
really meaningful life.
Introvision
Introvision is a protocol well suited when
emotional reactions to certain situations or
triggers are clearly and repetitively excessive -
e.g. panic attacks before talking publicly. We
then detect the underlying fears and find ways
to confuse the automated reactions the the
triggers. This confusion creates for the brain a
window of realising that its reactions are
excessive and fall back to a more appropriate
response.
Clarification and development of goals,
e.g. with the Walt Disney method or with
the cooking plate model
Well established creativity methods like the Walt
Disney method or the cooking plate model
help clarify personal goals in a playful yet
enlightening way. Are your current goals sincere
and the right ones for you? Or are you on a
detour or even in an impasse? What would be
possible if everything was possible? And what
parts of that everything actually are within a
realistic reach? Usually it is more than you
thought.
Working with parts through Core
Transformation
The Core Transformation is a powerful technique
to turn obstructive beliefs into sources of energy.
Even the most obstructive beliefs running in our
head only want the best for us (e.g. protect us
from pain, rejection or failure), albeit by
expressing it in an inappropriate and obsolete
way. If we can work out the well-meant goals
behind the beliefs, the brain can train new ways
to achieve these goals that are more in
alignment with our abilities, purposes and
maturity.
Identifying your true values and taking off
role costumes
We are often in too strong an identification with
certain roles we haven taken over. These roles
may often meet a good social acceptance
because their vary fabric is made of social
expectations. But we end up losing sight on the
deeper self and get off track on our life purpose.
When we work on taking off these roles, we can
identify the true values behind them and find
ways to live them more fully, in a more
meaningful way, more in alignment with who we
are instead of sticking to who others expect us
to be.
Maturity degree model (Integral approach)
for people and organisations
The Integral approach sees everything undergo
a ripening process that is shaped as an
upwards spiral: individuals, organisations, whole
historic eras. This process happens in a certain
order, the same inescapable one for everyone
(a bit like the individuation process defined by
C.G. Jung). When changes are introduced, they
often fail because 1.) they do not respect this
order and 2.) they start from a faulty or over-
optimistic estimate of the degree of maturity the
person or system has already reached at that
time. Degrees of maturity are something where
self-evaluation and objective reality tend to
diverge quite often. Resistance to change is
then blamed on those who are supposed to
change instead of seeing that the change
process attempts to unduly jump required steps.
Leadership Coaching
Leaders in organisations, having high-profile
positions, sometimes manage unwillingly or
unknowingly to project their own inner conflicts
on the organisation or enter in resonance with
those already in place. Whence it is no
weakness but instead a healthy and far-sighted
approach to find somebody with whom to
explore those blind spots and shadows that
might otherwise interfere with leadership duties.
Why certain things go well with the people in the
company go well and others do not may be a
starting point from where to look further.
Additionally, there is a relatively new trend for
managers wanting to give their role more sense
and meaning. And this at a time when
companies have an increasing difficulty actually
finding people ready to take on the
responsibilities of management an leadership
roles. A coaching setting is a good place to
individually look into whether the role and the
person get along well or some minor or major
changes should be made.
Team models and Organisation models
Both teams and organisations present recurring
patterns that map to a number of models. In
each group of people, there is a certain number
of roles. Sometimes these roles cast
themselves on the people more than the other
way round (just like some roles appear in all
school classes). And sometimes certain roles
necessary for the success of the group are just
not there - the group keeps on failing but does
not know why.
See also:
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What is Systemic Coaching? What are
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