About Me - Barry Preston

Personal Vision for Coaching: I began working as a professional mindfulness and character strengths coach because I saw from personal experience how effective these processes were for improving my life.  Applying these principles and processes dramatically increased my sense of health, happiness, and overall well-being. I wanted to share with others what I had experienced myself. I discovered professional coaching to be an effective context for me to share this work with others. 

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Research: I have had a life-long interest in psychology, mythology, and comparative religions. As such, my teaching, coaching, and research have been influenced by the writings of Carl Jung, Abraham Maslow, Carl Rogers, and Erik Erikson. The writings of Carl Jung's student Joseph Campbell have helped shape my understanding of mythology and comparative religions.  My appreciation for mindfulness and meditation has been informed primarily by the writings of Jon Kabat-Zinn, Richard Rohr, and Thich Nhat Hanh.  

 

Coaching Psychology: The theoretical foundations for my coaching have been directly  influenced by Positive Psychology and Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (known as Acceptance and Commitment Training in a coaching or training context).  Positive Psychology has been popularized through the writings of Martin Seligman and by the publications of Ryan M. Niemiec through the VIA Institute on Character. ACT was developed by Stephen Hayes and popularized by Russ Harris; the book and training offered in Acceptance & Commitment Coaching by Joe Oliver and Jon Hill has more specifically informed my practice.   

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Coaching Model:  Integrating my vision and research, I embrace a mindfulness and strengths-based coaching model.  Depending on the context and goals of my client, we can leverage character strengths or mindfulness or both.  IN a more formal sense, my model for coaching is embodied through Mindfulness-Based Strengths Practice developed and taught by Niemiec. 

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Education, Training, and Professional Associations

• Certification as Trainer in Mindfulness-Based Strengths Practice (In progress)

• International Coaching Federation Member

• Association of Contextual Behavioral Science Member

• Master Certified Professional Life Coach

• Certified Mindfulness and Meditation Teacher

• Doctor of Ministry in Spiritual Formation

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