Understandably, at first glance you’re unlikely to know there’s a difference between a vision board and UnglueYou’s Collage Coaching Technique™ (CCT). Both methods use images taken from magazines to create a collage so that on the surface they appear the same. However, there are significant differences concerning the purpose, process, and outcomes.
Vision Boards
Vision boards are so named because the focus is on visualising the future. As a coaching tool, a vision board helps you focus on what you want for your life or the year ahead. While you may be encouraged to choose images that resonate with your desired future, predominantly, the instructions are to select images that represent your goals.
Therefore, the focus is on identifying goals first and then creating a visual resource that depicts this future. For this reason, the images, words, ideas, and emotions expressed on vision boards are chosen to be positive and future-oriented. They may be related to material, emotional, physical, and spiritual desires etc. Some facilitators or coaches advocate separating these into different areas on your vision board.
Many people believe that in creating a vision board they’ll manifest their future through the law of attraction. Others see them working because, in focusing attention on the images, actions also become focused in that area.
Sometimes guidance includes using a photo of yourself, drawing on your vision board or adding decorations to make it colourful and vibrant.
The Collage Coaching Technique™
The CCT is a psychological coaching tool. It works on the principle that how you think about yourself and respond to situations affects your ability to achieve your goals. When you come to coaching, you may, or may not be aware that you’re facing internal conflicts, barriers, or resistance to change.
Often rooted in fear, they keep you stuck in your current situation, unable to move confidently towards your goals and ambitions. Until there is a possibility to identify and address these feelings. thoughts and unhelpful behaviour patterns, they will impede meaningful and sustainable change. For this reason the CCT focuses first on accessing your unconscious mind. Because, when self-selecting images, you may, consciously or unconsciously, avoid things that are challenging.
Unlocking the Unconscious Mind
Working with the unconscious means, unlike a vision board, an image may resonate with you that you hadn’t thought to look for. Yet this image can perfectly capture what you need to express. As such, your collage is likely to include those that you find challenging or uncomfortable. For example, relating to difficult experiences, limiting beliefs and unfulfilled dreams etc.
Fortunately, these images appear on the collage alongside your motivators, strengths, and values. In doing so you have an holistic representation of yourself. Furthermore, most of the ones you choose to include will have significant symbolic, metaphorical, and emotional meaning.
Consequently, my role, and that of other coach’s includes working with you to deepen personal understanding and create meaning through exploration of these images. This leads to increased self-awareness, clarity and the confidence to define your next steps.
Significantly, in working with the unconscious first, you’re also able to express yourself authentically. Many people describe this as liberating and empowering.
Read other peoples experience of coaching with collage.
Releasing Your Potential
To enable relevant material to surface, you choose a theme for your coaching with collage session. For example, developing resilience, improving well-being, living authentically, career change and building confidence. I also apply creative constraints around timings. Otherwise there’s a risk that you’ll start to overthink as your conscious thoughts begin to question your choice of images, or ponder too long over their placement.
Once completed, like a vision board, you’re guided to place your coaching collage where you’ll see it regularly. This is important as your collage serves to inspire, remind and motivate you long after you created it. Also, the visual metaphors and symbolic images in your collage will have layers of meaning. These continue to offer new insights which deepen your self- awareness overtime. Contributing to your confidence building and learning to trust yourself.
If you enjoy the creativity of vision boarding and appreciate having the board to look at but are looking for meaningful, sustainable change, then the CCT is the perfect alternative. The creative process will take you on a journey into your unconscious, before drawing meaning from your coaching collage that will enable you to make the changes that truly release your potential.
Key Benefits of Coaching with Collage:
1. Bringing hidden thoughts, ideas and feelings to the surface
2. Connecting emotionally with goals
3. External visualisation that enables exploration of your sense of identity
4. Working with the meaning held in visual metaphors and symbolic images
5. Consolidating learning through the coaching conversations
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The CCT works in a profound way and on multiple levels. If you’d like more information about this read The Science Behind the Art.
Alternatively, if you’ve been inspired or are simply curious get in touch and let’s have a chat.
If you’re a coach I provide training on how to use collage as a creative coaching tool
