Part of the EpiCoaching Academy coach training path includes creating your own coaching model and – as a Coach Member of EpiCoaching Academy – for a creative person like me this is a real ‘wedding invitation’.
In the world, there are many different models that support the coach in the development of their sessions and their paths, but I wanted to create something that in addition to helping the coach was also clear for the client.
So, here I am, with six blank A4 sheets and tape I gave life to my ‘magic board’ and I opened the dance to a wild brainstorming. Since I have a visual memory, I liked the idea of starting from a symbol from which an acronym could emerge. But how do you create such a symbol from nothing?
I decided to do some research that led me to (re) discover the Runes.
The Oxford Dictionary defines the Rune as follows:
– One of the letters in an alphabet that people in northern Europe used in ancient times and cut into wood or stone
– A symbol that has a mysterious or magic meaning
After carefully observing and studying some Runes I found Uruz, which represents the inner King and Queen. It indicates both male and female strength and it was precisely this combination that fascinated and intrigued me.
Uruz symbolizes courage, healing, endurance, determination, perseverance, freedom, will and independence.
The Uruz symbol is very simple and I felt that it was not complete.
I realized that there was a need for more harmony and a musical note was just the missing ingredient. 
I decided that the main theme of my model would be based on three pillars:
P: Power
H: Harmony
D: Determination
With harmony above, as if it reigned over everything else.
What is meant by “Power”?
The clients who approach coaching are pushed by a force (power) that pushes them to change. This is the customer’s choice and desire to become a better version of themselves. It is based on empowerment, will and awareness.
In this phase, the coach explores what the client wants to achieve. It is the moment of the creation of the partnership where the processes and objectives are defined.
The client has the “power”. The choice is theirs and they choose what happens during the session. What role does Harmony play?
The person who decides to undertake a coaching path, generally does so because they feel the need to maximize their potential. Harmony is the invisible thread that keeps us aligned with the idea of who we would like to become. It is a step that is based on full trust (of the client towards their potential and towards the coach) and on listening.
Here the coach listens actively creating a safe environment for the client, his presence is tangible but allows the client to align and grow because he is free to choose and walk at his own pace.
Last – but not least – Determination.
The choice of coaching is a gift that the clients give to themselves. It is a path where the customer undertakes to continue improving by pursuing their goals. The customers feel that, thanks to determination, the power of their choice leads to the implementation of their action plan and personal growth.
In this phase, the coach invites the client to use the new learning to achieve the set goal and then partners with the clients to find their best way to support themselves on the way to their goals.
The PHD coaching model is entirely based on the client’s process: the power of one’s choice, the will to align with oneself and the determination to achieve the set goals. It is a model that stimulates personal growth and individual empowerment.
* Disclaimer:
The PHD model is not connected in any way to the PHD Doctorate but is the acronym of the coaching model created by Laura Peli at the request of the EpiCoaching Academy for the purpose of coach training certification.
