Feeling Blue?
15th February, 2019
So it is pretty clear that water is medicine… the scientific evidence is stacking up with more and more blue health related studies appearing…
Researchers are not now aiming to measure IF water has health benefits, but moving into specifics – starting to quantify WHAT exactly the presence of water is doing for our minds, bodies and our social relationships.
The very idea of water – used in countless meditation and mindfulness practices is enough to shift our mood and physiology for the positive and whether the water is experienced virtually or in situ the possibilities are endless when it comes to promoting wellness.
So what is a blue prescription, I hear you ask? In essence a blue prescription sits within the domain of social prescribing. This can be guidance or recommendation from a health professional that promotes and encourages their client / patient to consciously engage with water to facilitate their health and wellbeing.
All and any unstructured time spent with water will of course do you good… Test this for yourself!
That said as a beach based blue health coach™, I can attest to the fact that guided and considered water-conscious activities will enable a greater sense of connection to the planet and (importantly) a greater sense of connection with ourselves.
Stepping outside a formal therapeutic context allows exploration to be more free-flowing removing intensity without losing depth of discovery, since the coaching draws upon a wealth of professional coaching competence and a strongly symbiotic relationship with the environment.
Coaching is progressive – we seek to develop resourcefulness, to acknowledge the here and now and to move forwards coherently. Blue health coaching activities have been developed over the past decade using a mixture of modalities and working in partnership with the landscape and seascape.
Blue health coaching uses natural wild water interactions to aid and promote cognitive, social, emotional / psychological, physical and spiritual health and wellbeing.
Whilst all Going Coastal Blue coaching is blue health coaching, an increase in requests to support individuals through social prescribing has prompted me to more overtly share that this is something I offer for those referred via GPs and Health Practitioners.
What does this entail?
Each coaching series is fluid (it is after all “coaching”)… and yet there are some common themes such as:
- Time and tide… an exploration into presence and transition using the coastal landscape to move through stress, anxiety and trauma.
- Currents and swell… an opportunity to develop resilience and flow, core qualities required for coping with lack of certainty.
- Ecosystems… acknowledging the importance of connection, the impact of our actions and the interdependencies we experience.
- And more…
Who gets referred?
People are referred for many reasons including:
- Stress / burnout
- Significant change
- Anxiety social / contextual
- Trauma
- Lost sense of self
- And more
What is expected?
As with all coaching, we contract expectations together up front and these involve clients fully committing to the coaching process – taking action upon insights gained. The nature of a blue prescription is one of supporting a return to wellness as part of wider systemic care and self-care. As such an initial series of 3 – 6 coaching sessions is recommended.
A Blue Prescription will:
Develop ability to use landscape metaphor to distill and dilute dissonance and discomfort – to regroup and move forwards with clarity.
Enhance ability to find and experience awe, exploring playfulness and lightness of spirit, reconnecting with joy.
Embody qualities of water enabling flow, balance and strength – physically and emotionally.
Practice using blue breath and somatic exercises to navigate stress triggers and respond with composure, clarity and compassion.
The Blue Health Coach™ rule of thirds…
As a blue health coach™ I commit to giving back to the health of our blue environment through offering 1/3 of my time for voluntary marine conservation activities (for me the causes I champion are: SAS, BDMLR and Blue Mind)
To aid accessibility to this service: as a member of the Blue Mind Works team advocating #waterismedicine …. blue prescription GP / Health Practitioner referrals save 1/3 on Going Coastal Blue standard £ coaching fees* as part of their blue health prescription.
*please provide doctor’s note or a signposting referral note from professional advocacy / guidance service providers
