Neuro-Coaching with emotionSync: The Revolution in Coaching and Psychotherapie

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Part 1 – The classical view

Large parts of this chapter are common knowledge for experienced therapists – or should be. Those who come more from a humanistic tradition, will learn new things in the neuroscientific part in any case.

The three Psychos and a common misconception

Psychology, psychotherapy and psychoanalysis – in everyday language those terms bounce against one another like rudderless boats in a torrent. Sometimes also the psychiatry is added. We tend to equate them all. Unfortunately this is absolutely wrong.

Before we go any further, two jokes to lighten up: For most people, psychoanalysis is connected to the name Sigmund Freud – and with Sigmund Freud in turn the terms of the Oedipus Complex and the penis envy. Both are highly controversial, especially regarding the history of the women's movement. In order to defuse this discussion, we steal the thunder from it: Definition of „Penis Envy: the desire to be crumpled and small. The parents have sent their son to a psychoanalyst. Once he is at home he reports the diagnosis: „Mom, I have an oedipal complex. „Oh, says the mother and embraces him consolingly, „Oedipus Rex or buckle Oedipus! The important thing is that you love your Mom.

To come back to the big three psychos: The first big mistake, „a psychologist is a psychotherapist". No, he is not. A psychologist can´t practice psychotherapy. He is not allowed to (very important!) practice psychotherapy. He can learn psychotherapy, but he won´t do it studying psychology in the first place. So what does he learn in studying psychology? Psychology is an empirical science dealing with mental processes (thinking, feeling, perceiving) and behavior.

„The psychologist says what everyone knows in a language nobody understands."

Friedemann Schulz von Thun, Professor for Psychology

The range of research fields is relatively large, as large as the bandwidth of everything that we think (perception psychology), feel (emotion psychology) what drives us (motivational psychology), how we live together (Social Psychology), how we learn (psychology of learning), how our memory functions (memory psychology), what we are aware of – to mention just a few. There is still much more. It is important that we deal with a science that has only been accepted for a short time. The focus has only been on empirical research for 100 – 200 years. Psychology operates empirically on basic research and on the other hand there are applied subjects. The applied subjects include Clinical Psychology, which is connected closest to psychotherapy as it is concerned with the research subject of mental disorders, and psychological aspects of somatic disorders.

On the other hand what is psychotherapy? For psychotherapy there are many different definitions, because there is a large variety of psychotherapy methods (we will discuss this later), which makes a precise definition of psychotherapy more difficult. Probably the oldest extant definition comes from Anna O who is considered one of the „classical patients of the early psychoanalysis. She has been treated by Josef Breuer, who is considered as the co-founder of psychoanalysis next to Sigmund Freud. Her definition of her therapy was „talking cure. Talking all the time of your problems.

Talking is cheap – until you go to a therapist.

A large American textbook took the view that a definition of psychotherapy is not possible. Another called psychotherapy an undefined method, with unpredictable results applied to non-specific problems. A kind of „... for they know not what they do". In the eponymous film James Dean struggels for love and recognition. In many therapy sessions this is precisely the topic. Psychotherapy and Coaching are initially an interaction between at least two people. The relationship between these two people is an essential part of the therapy and its significance may de facto be underestimated.

What is the definition of humanistic psychotherapy? This is the form of therapy, in contrast to the furniture-centric or to the weather-centric therapy that is concerned with the client.

Every serious coach and therapist works with human dignity and appreciating human dignity, corresponding to the principles of the so-called „soft medicine". The Coach and therapist doesn´t just stab around in the dark, but consciously and systematically initiates a process of change that has the objective to reduce suffering pressure or to make good things even better. The exact target (what is to be achieved is individually agreed upon between therapist and client (this development is part of the process). Good therapy offers the possibility of personality development and self-experience, what induces the creation of new meaning. It opens up the patient for new options of action.

It is very important that the approach and verification of emotionSync® is scientifical. If psychotherapy and coaching is scientific, it is controversially discussed. Some point out that therapy could never work scientifically due to the uniqueness of each therapy session. It was more an art than a science. The controversy of science is initially determined by the definition of science. Psychotherapy and coaching, as we understand it, extends knowledge – both within a session, as well as by their systematic further development, explores new and existing methods, disseminats this knowledge through systematic teaching and thus contributes to the whole universe of knowledge. All these are criteria of science. If all aspects of psychotherapy and coaching have the potential of becoming scientific or if they already are, is not finally clarified. The fact that non-scientific aspects can be used in the individual therapy does not alter the fact that psychotherapy is accessible for scientific research. Even the famous philosopher and science theorist Karl Popper noted that the emergence conditions of scientific ideas are often non-scientific. One of the biggest scientific theories, the theory of relativity was created, because Albert Einstein was led by the idea to ride on a beam of light. Not the most scientific of ideas.

However it is undeniable that on the total market of psychotherapy methods not all meet scientific demands. There are also many black sheep and wolves in sheep's clothing. Immanuel Kant believed that psychology as a „science or „experimental teaching was impossible. Today University Psychology could not be imagined without science. Everyday Psychology still exists of course. Susanne Berke Heger describes in her humorous book „It probably is something psychological: When I ignored therapies, tricks & tips and got incredibly happy," how pseudo-psychology is lurking for us on every corner in the form of kitchen psychological wisdom, pseudo-freudian knowledge and allegedly psychotherapeutic general places. This side of psychology and psychotherapy (where both are only pseudos), isn´t considered in detail at this point, but a scientific and also individual and humane approach will be persued.

Who is allowed to do what and who pays for what − a little bit of law

A disclaimer in advance: We are not lawyers and this is not legal advice. We apologize to lawyers in advance who might discover mistakes here.

So, let's go: If neither psychologists nor physicians or else educators per se are psychotherapists who may operate as a psychotherapist then and how does someone become a psychotherapist? In Germany, this is regulated by the psychotherapist law since 1999. According to the lawa, four professional groups are allowed to practice psychotherapy:

Doctors with psychotherapeutic training (there are medical specialists for psychiatry and psychotherapy, specialists for psychosomatic medicine and psychotherapy and specialists for child and youth psychiatry and psychotherapy. There are also doctors with psychotherapeutic additional training.)

Psychological psychotherapists (psychologists with psychotherapeutic supplementary training)

Medical practitioners for psychotherapy: These represent a special case because they get permission to practice psychotherapy according to the non-medical Practitioners' Law. But they are not allowed to practisce the usual tasks of a healer and are therefore often referred to as „small salvation Alternative Practitioners"

Child and adolescent psychotherapists: Those psychotherapists treat only children and young people. They are psychologists, teachers and social educators (some federal states have also other occupational groups) and also have a special additional training in psychotherapy.

The regulation of who is entitled to exercise psychotherapy is country-specific and currently only eleven of the 28 EU Member States have a legal regulation. In many places it is easier than in Germany to be authorised as a psychotherapist. In Austria, for example the conditions of approval are much broader than in Germany. Especially in the USA, it is relatively easy to purchase a license as a „Health Service Provider" – and to get the health insurance companies to pay for it. And so to the next important point: Who pays for what?

There are large numbers of different therapy methods. Psychoanalysis, psychological depth psychotherapy (simplified said, further development of psychoanalysis), behavioral therapy, call therapy, systemic therapy, gestalt therapy, art therapy, music therapy, group therapy, psychodrama, hypnotherapy, just to name a few.

As in the case of the approval it is also country-specific how many and which procedure are „recognized". In Germany the Scientific Advisory Council for Psychotherapy (WBP) is responsible for the recognition. Therapy procedures recoginized by WBP can be paid for by state health insurance. (Caution! There are scientifically recognized methods, yet they are no paid for! Conversely, on special request there are also other therapy methos that can be paid for if there is no authorised therapist available in a reasonable waiting time.) The private health insurance companies are finally free in their decision.

Duration of psychotherapy

There is different information on thhe average duration of psychotherapy and the statutory health insurance companies have discretion as to how many hours are ultimately reimbursed. In order to give a rough assessment:

Behavior therapy: Typically one hour (one hour means usually 45 minutes) per week between 45 and 100 hours total (shorter therapies especially in narrowly defined problems are possible)

Deep psychological psychotherapy: Typically one hour per week, between 50 and 100 hours total

Psychoanalysis: usually needs 2 – 3 hours per week, 160 – 300 hours total (!!!)

These figures you should keep in mind because you will see later how the ultra-short-time method emotionSync® and its efficiency works.

Says the therapist to the client: „Only three more meetings, then we are ready. The client delighted: „Then I am cured? „No, then you have paid for my house completely alone!"

Psychotherapist versus coach

In contrast to the psychotherapist the term „coach" is not protected. Everyone can call themselves a coach. The result is a virtually inflationary situation in the coaching area. More and more self-appointed or coaches not recoginized and trained by government institutions romp on the market. The range extends from charlatanery up to high quality offers.

Often it is assumed that coaching and psychotherapy are completely different. In a famous book on coaching the author says in a cynical sense „Well, coaches earn more." One of the main reasons is that coaches are often hired by companies. Managers in particular prefer to go to coaches than to psychotherapists and if they go to psychotherapists, the company doesn´t know. Psychotherapy is still stigmatised.

Coaching in Business context is often rather known as training. But Coaching also means further personal development and help with psychological problems. Overall, coaching in the personal area is getting more and more frequent. In addition, business and private life is beoming less disconnected, so business coaching and Personal Coaching (also known as „life coaching) merge ever more. This is initially due to the development of the structures of professional life. In addition some approches (in particular the systemic) emphasize that problems from private life are brought into working life and vice versa. Not only that you come to work „crumpled when small children have passed the night yelling, or vice versa, you can e.g. project problems with your father onto your boss (as shown in the transaction analysis by Eric Berne ).

Psychotherapy is often used in connection with the treatment of the mental disorders diagnosed by a doctor, with a „real" disease. But here also, the difference between healthy and sick is fluent. From the problems of an officially healthy person a diagnosable mental disorder can develop. But caution: For legal reasons, a coach mustn´t claim to heal psychological disorders. But he is entitled to coach someone in order to better endure mental disorders.

Ultimately the question to what extent coaching and psychotherapy differ, is dependent on the precise definition of coaching. Some see a sharp border; others see a rather flowing transition. In any case it is clear that in both coaching and psychotherapy the same methods can be used. The methods presented in this paper can be used in both contexts.

To conclude this with a little caricature: Completely distinguishing psychotherapy from coaching, consultancies, pastoral care, neighborhood/friendly help or self-experience is hardly possible! To tell your neighbourif you need me, I am there for you can already be helping, e.g. because he no longer feels alone. However, severe trauma or phobias or diseases can not be healed by this compassion.

Who is allowed to practice coaching? In principle everyone. The term of coaching is not protected. But it would be grossly negligent to go into this profession without a good coaching education. It is important not only to read this book, but it is better to learn these methods in a seminar (www.emotionSync.de). You can switch on this site to English language.

In order to show the difference between some treatment and coaching methods and to have something to laugh about, here the famous railway station joke. Should you belong to one of these professional forms and would never say anything like this, please do not worry. The fact that sometimes there are two answers proves that there is by no means perfect agreement. Finally the world would be so boring if we are all perfect and agreed.

It is also a task for you to recognize how differently people can think about one and the same thing – which is important for the therapeutic process as you will see later in this book.

Here firstly those who have to do with mental/spiritual therapy in the broadest sense (even if some of the occupational titles can be referred to as a bit dubious):

Breathing therapist: „The breath will show you the way."

Bioenergetist: „Look, your body already knows the answer. Make: Sch –sch –sch.! That works!"

Coach1: „If I give you the solution first, it will not eliminate the problem permanently."

Coach2: „Are you part of the solution or part of the problem?"

Family constellation: „If you had felt your father behind you, you would have already found the station."

Family therapist1: „for whom in the family is it particularly important that you go to the station?"

Family therapist2: „What do you think your sister will think your parents might feel when they hear that you want to go to the station?"

Family therapist3: „What is your secondary profit, if you ask me the way to the station? Do you want to make my acquaintance?"

Freudian: „Could you please tell me in how far you might be the station yourself!"

Spirit healer: „For the answer we need a great deal of positive energy. Let us form a circle of power and call your protection spirit!"

Dialog therapist1: „You would like to know where the station is."

Dialog therapist2: „You would like to know where the train station is and that makes you not only sad, but also a bit angry."

Dialog therapist3: „You woul like to know how to get to the train station, don´t you? And that makes you not only clueless, but perhaps even a bit angry?"

Gestalt therapist: „You, just fully accept that you want to go to the train station!"

Humanistic psychologist: „If you really want to go there and then simply believe in yourself, then you will find the way."

Hypnotherapist 1: „If you let the idea take over while exhaling smoothly, that you already are at the train station ––– Yeees, sooo, righhht, simply ever more and deeper intuitive and curious while exhaling, what steps might you probably have taken even before ––– always more step by step perceiving deeper and more of what shows itself to get there? Perhaps you already feel how that feels when you very gently with the soles of your feet ..."

Hypnotherapist 2: „Close your eyes. Your subconscious knows the way to the train station."

Hypnotherapist 3: „Close your eyes. Relax. Ask your subconscious, whether it will help you or not."

Imago-therapist: „I hear you say that you ask yourself how to get to the train station. Have I heard everything?"

Integrative therapist: „What do you feel when you ask me of all people that question? Try to sense it exactly! What does it do to you? What does this remind you of?"

Creativity therapist: „Jump around on one leg until your head produces a spontaneous idea!"

Speech therapist: „What sense does it make for you to go to the station?"

Solution orientated therapist 1: „Imagine: Suddenly a miracle happens and you are already at the station. What is different with this?"

Solution orientated therapist 2: „There was already the exception that you had found at the Station? What difference does this make?"

NLP’ler: „Imagine you are already at the train station. What steps have you taken?"

Provocative therapist: „I bet that you will never find the way to the train station!"

Psychiatrist: „Railway station? Traveling by train? You? Which class? Don´t answer, take this medicine."

Psychoanalyst 1: The first one does not react quickly enough so that the seeker prefers to make an appointment with someone else in the next year.

Psychoanalyist 2: „You mean this dark cave where there is always something long driving in and out, in and out, in and out?"

Psychodramatherapist: „To the train station? Fine. We will play that. If you give me your hat, I will give you my jacket and then you only need to find someone who is willing to play the train station."

Rational-emotive therapist: „Give me a good reason why you want to go to the station."

Reincarnation therapist: „Go back to the time before your birth. What karma makes you always rely on the help of others?"

Systemic consultant 1: „Simply select someone from the pedestrians for the station! What changes for you when you approach him? Is there something more to it than just the station?"

Systemic consultant 2: „I wonder what your mother would say, if your father had asked that question."

Systemic consultant 3: „What do you think, what it means for your wife when she learns that you want to go to the train station? And what do you think your mother-in-law would suspect what your wife will say?"

Depth psychologist 1: „So you want to travel? Actually, will you leave everything behind you?"

Depth psychologist 2 (slow, stretched): „You ... want to travel?"

Depth psychologist 3: „You feel this urge to travel again?"

Depth trauma analyst: „Railway? Station? The path as the path of life ... the present section