15th International Congress of Coaching Psychology, 2025
DATE: 6th to 10th October 2025, Virtual Conference.
Theme: The evolution of coaching psychology theory, research and practice.
Programme
This Congress programme timetable lists the live keynotes and papers being presented on Friday 10th October 2025. To increase the size of the programme below click on the zoom out radio button at the top righthand corner of the PDF viewer. To download the timetable click on the download radio button at the top righthand corner next to the zoom out button. Do note that there could be last minute changes on the day.
If you have obtained your ticket to attend Day 5, Friday 1oth October, then nearer the time you will be emailed the password to the Congress Login webpage which will have the Zoom links to each session.
Emotional Approach Strategies in Coaching Psychology
Working Group on Coaching Psychology and Emotional Regulation of the Coaching Psychology Section of the COPC. (Official College of Psychology of Catalonia)
Includes pre-recording presentations and the document for download. Click HERE.
Pre-recorded Paper: Evolving GROW: Integrating Psychological Capital to Enhance Coaching Practice, with Dr Katie Crabtree
As coaching psychology continues to mature, a key challenge lies not in discarding well-established coaching tools but in evolving them through deeper integration with psychological theory. This conceptual synthesis explores how one of coaching’s most recognisable models, GROW (Whitmore, 1992), can be enhanced through the intentional application of Psychological Capital (PsyCap) theory (Luthans et al., 2007). Rather than replacing GROW, this approach proposes enriching it by embedding the psychological constructs of hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism – collectively known as the HERO framework – into each stage of the coaching process.
Drawing on empirical research from positive psychology and organisational behaviour, the paper demonstrates how PsyCap provides an evidence-based foundation for deepening goal exploration, enhancing motivation, and increasing client resourcefulness (Avey et al., 2011; Peterson et al., 2008). By aligning the HERO elements with each phase of the GROW model, this framework supports clients not only to set and achieve goals but also to develop the psychological capacities that sustain progress beyond the coaching engagement.
The proposed integration offers a practical way for coaches to evolve their practice by grounding intuitive models in theoretical rigour, while maintaining their accessibility and flexibility. Implications for training, supervision and future research are discussed, with a call to strengthen the field by building psychological depth into familiar frameworks.
As coaching psychology moves into its next phase, the opportunity is not simply to adopt new models but to deepen the impact of those already in widespread use.
Invited Paper: Internal coaches’ paradoxical experiences through role conflict and organisational support, with Dr Yi-Ling Lai (UK)
Whereas organisations have increased their in-house L&D interventions (CIPD, 2023), the support for internal coaches, unlike externally hired coaches, has been substantially under-researched. However, internal coaches encountered more complex professional relationships than external practitioners because of the shared work system with their coachees. To fill this evident void, a mixed method study was conducted to unpack the detailed coaching experiences influenced by power relationships and role conflict. In addition, this study explored how organisational resources make an impact on internal coaches’ development and well-being. The study results indicate that most internal coaches are genuinely self-motivated and exhibit strong psychological attachments to their coaching practice. Nevertheless, a disproportionate personal investment in their internal coaching practice, including time and self-funded coaching supervision. Varied levels of role ambiguity or psychological challenges emerged while our interviewees’ efforts in coaching were not formally recognised or lacked support from the organisation. The study results also identify that organisational resources and support, such as developing appropriate performance recognition schemes and offering complementary supervision for internal coaches, facilitate a greater role clarity and coping with these challenges.
Invited Paper: The Transformative Power of High-Quality Listening in Coaching and Coaching Psychology Practice with Dr Tia Moin PhD (UK)
While coaches are often encouraged to spend 70–80% of session time listening, little is understood about how listening drives meaningful coaching outcomes. Traditionally studied through a communication science lens, listening is only recently being explored as a relational, interpersonal process.
In this session, Tia Moin, PhD, draws on her doctoral research to explore high-quality listening as a key driver of outcomes that determine coaching effectiveness. She will examine how high-quality listening strengthens the relationship—an essential predictor of coaching outcomes—and how it can trigger an upward spiral of psychological and relational benefits. This session offers coaches a research-informed understanding of high-quality listening as a powerful tool for change.
Keynote. Title: A call for clarity: navigating the murky waters of health, wellness, and wellbeing coaching, with Dr Ana Paula Nacif (UK)
The increasing focus on health, wellness, and wellbeing coaching has driven both research and practical advancements within the field. However, these terms are often used interchangeably, or even conflated, despite representing distinct practices grounded in specific paradigms and bodies of knowledge. This session will examine similarities and differences in the conceptualisation and application of these coaching areas. It will introduce a framework to help coaching psychologists and academics explore this field further, while emphasising the importance of ongoing dialogue among researchers and practitioners.
Keynote: How can communities of research assist in evolving coaching psychology theory, research and practice, with Dr Lizana Oberholzer (UK)
A critical exploration of how collaborative professionalism, as described by Hargreaves and O’Connor (2018) can assist to shape communities of research to assist in evolving coaching psychology theory, research and practice. How can the pillars of collaborative professionalism be used to strengthen and extend research communities and evidence informed practice within the field of coaching psychology?
Climate Coaching Psychology in Practice, with Prof Stephen Palmer (UK)
In this paper Climate Psychology and the emerging field of Climate Coaching Psychology will be discussed. The application of an informative, ethical, coaching psychology approach to tackling debilitating climate change worries, ecoanxiety and ecodepression will be described. The ‘Simple, Serious, Solvable’ approach to understanding and tackling climate change will be included. Climate change anxiety/eco-anxiety and eco-depression will be defined.
Becoming a mental health-related climate-literate professional, knowledgeable about climate change to enhance information giving in coaching and coaching psychology practice and supervision is highlighted as an option for practitioners. The activities of the Faculty of Climate Change and Coaching Psychology, ISCP International Centre for Coaching Psychology Research will be covered.
The paper finishes by reflecting on professional and ethical practice considerations including CPD and supervision. It asserts that practitioners should assess and prioritise a client’s psychological readiness to engage with climate-related themes, particularly when confronting existential fears, ecological grief and/or intergenerational responsibilities.
Keynote: Do we need psychology to drive the coaching profession with AI, with Dr Jelena Pavlovic (Serbia)
Artificial intelligence (AI) as a general purpose technology is shaping various fields of human learning and development, including coaching. Many AI coaching agents are being built, frameworks for developing applications for AI coaching are being developed and coaching with AI seems to pose many fundamental questions to our profession. Frequently missing in all these debates is the psychology behind our thinking of human-AI interaction in coaching. In this paper, I will explore why psychology is fundamental in how we design and build various AI agents that support coaching or coaching education (AI Tutors, AI Mentors, AI Coaches, AI Coaching Simulators). Behind any AI agent we build to support our coaching practice is a multitude of assumptions around how people learn and develop, what counts as change, what principles of dialogical exchange should be built as support, and many others. These are basically fundamental questions of psychology. The paper will illustrate how constructivist psychology can guide as one of the possible psychological perspectives in designing AI agents that augment the value we deliver with coaching. Finally, it will point to psychology as an inevitable body of knowledge to drive the innovation in the coaching profession with AI.
Keynote: Perspectives of Coaches and Other Positive Psychology Mental Health (PPMH) Practitioners Informing Inclusive PPMH Training Themes for the UK and India, with Dr Ceri Sims
This keynote by Dr Ceri Sims explores research based on an international collaborative project between Indian and UK universities. The aim was to identify key emerging themes in Positive Psychology in Practice that could guide the development of an inclusive training course for coaches, therapists, and other mental health and education practitioners in both countries. Focus groups and interviews examined perspectives and learning gaps among a diverse sample of PPMH practitioners, resulting in themes and sub-themes that highlight emerging topics important for PP in practice. The findings are discussed with particular attention to the future development of PP coaching.
Invited Paper: From theory to practice: Effective use of coaching tools and techniques by coaching psychologists with Dr Linda Steyn (South Africa)
Background
Coaching in general, and coaching psychology in particular, has the potential to make an effective and lasting contribution to people’s lives and to our world (Palmer & Cavanagh, 2006). The roots of coaching psychology are founded in psychology (Grant, 2011; Lai & McDowall, 2014) and is applied by psychologically trained practitioners in applying psychological approaches, interventions and processes (Allen, 2016; Passmore et al., 2013; Passmore et al., 2018).
Coaching psychology and positive psychology were developed from the humanistic psychology approach, which includes the fully functioning person (Rodgers, 1961) and self-actualisation (Maslow, 1968; Linley & Harrington, 2007; Palmer & Whybrow; 2007). Therefore, coaching psychology is considered a form of applied positive psychology to facilitate promotion of optimal human functioning and meaningful change on individual, group, organisational and community level (Allen, 2016; Grant & Cavanagh, 2007; Linley & Harrington, 2007; Palmer & Whybrow, 2007; Passmore & Oades, 2014)
Combining theory, research and practice
The practical application of coaching tools and techniques during a coaching programme could broaden the use of these tools and provide coaching psychologists with appropriate and practical ways to support the coaching client toward personal and professional growth and development, and well-being.
Human beings inherently strive to flourish. Coaching psychology applies knowledge and methods from the psychological sciences to promote psychological well-being and optimal functioning (Seligman, 2011; Grant, 2017). The use of creative tools during a coaching programme can provide alternative insights and perspectives about an individual’s situation and enable them to explore complex issues (Donaldson-Wright & Hefferon, 2020; Ramos-Volz, 2018). Coaching tools also contribute to change and transformation as a result of coaching (Baron et al., 2011; Bozer & Jones, 2018; De Haan et al., 2013; Pandolfi, 2020; Vandaveer et al., 2016).
Keynote: Coaching Without Borders: Guiding Leaders in Decentralized, Open-Source Ecosystems, with Liz Sweigart, PhD
The rise of decentralized and open-source technologies is reshaping how we communicate, transact, and collaborate. It is also redefining the very nature of leadership. Within the Nostr ecosystem and other distributed networks, founders, developers, and designers are creating tools and communities that challenge traditional organizational structures. In this keynote, Dr. Liz Sweigart will explore how coaching psychology can adapt to these emergent contexts, where authority is diffused, innovation is accelerated, and collaboration spans geographies and cultures. Drawing from her experience coaching leaders in the decentralized web space, she will highlight the psychological frameworks that support resilience, creativity, and ethical decision-making in environments where uncertainty is the norm. Attendees will gain practical insights into how coaching can help individuals and teams thrive in borderless, self-organizing systems, and how coaching psychologists can expand their practices to meet the needs of a rapidly evolving technological frontier.
Keynote: From Identity to Competence: Forming Coaching Psychologists in Hungary with Dr Vince Szekely (Hungary)
Abstract
Educating coaching psychologists—both within and beyond academic settings—is crucial for establishing a profession that is both scientifically grounded and socially relevant. This keynote examines the challenges and dilemmas of developing coaching psychologists in Hungary, contributing to previously raised questions. The formation of a coaching psychologist calls for an integrated blend of education, training, and reflective experience. While foundational work has addressed the mission (why), curriculum (what), methods (how), and target audience (to whom), this presentation focuses on two aspects. First, how can education support the identity development of coaching psychologists, facilitating their openness to new concepts and a willingness to engage in unlearning and relearning skills? Second, what approach can we use that reflects a coaching psychologist’s mindset and promotes self-directed learning and self-supervision? Through the Hungarian context, the presentation invites broader reflection on how education shapes the future of coaching psychology as a dynamic and credible profession.
Invited Paper: Reframing the Entrepreneurial Experience: A Coaching Psychological Perspective on Well-being and Distress with Christin Tan (Singapore)
Entrepreneurship, while celebrated for innovation and autonomy, presents a more complex reality fraught with psychological strain, emotional volatility, and health risks. The positivity bias within entrepreneurship discourse and education often valorises traits like resilience and grit, thereby obscuring psychological demands such as burnout, anxiety, and isolation. This creates an information asymmetry, leaving aspiring entrepreneurs unprepared for the emotional and structural burdens they may face. Entrepreneurial activities differ significantly from conventional employment, lacking boundaries between work and personal life, requiring constant emotional labour, and unfolding in highly uncertain, resource-constrained environments, thus posing biopsychosocial risks beyond financial ones.
The psychological experience of entrepreneurship is dualistic, encompassing autonomy and purpose alongside anxiety and fear of failure. This challenges simplistic, binary models of mental health, suggesting a dynamic continuum of positive and negative states. Organisational psychology, focused on motivation and thriving, and clinical research, on dysfunction, are fragmented. Entrepreneurship provides a context to integrate these perspectives, demanding frameworks that capture both emotional highs and psychosocial hazards. The unique pressures impact performance, decision-making, and venture survival, often lacking institutional support. An emerging entrepreneurship psychology could address this gap, enhancing entrepreneurial theory and its practical relevance for coaching psychology.
From Persona to Authenticity: A Jungian Coaching Case Study, with Dr Gail Wrogemann, IGCCP, South Africa and Dr Anna-Rosa le Roux, IGCCP, South Africa
Abstract
This paper presents a case study of executive coaching underpinned by Jungian principles, demonstrating the value of depth-oriented approaches in supporting leaders’ growth and self-awareness. Jungian coaching emphasises the integration of conscious and unconscious processes, archetypal patterns and the individuation journey as pathways to authentic leadership. The coaching engagement explored the client’s recurring challenges in managing authority and conflict, which were linked to shadow dynamics and unexamined archetypal identifications. Through dialogue, active imagination, and symbolic reflection, the client gained greater awareness of underlying patterns shaping decision-making and interpersonal behaviour.
The case illustrates how Jungian concepts such as the shadow, persona and archetypes can be meaningfully integrated into executive coaching to deepen insight, expand leadership capacity, and cultivate resilience. The coaching process combined contracting and goal setting with emergent exploration of symbolic material, allowing the client to link inner dynamics with organisational challenges, particularly in a complex environment. This integrative approach highlights the rationale for using Jungian coaching in executive contexts: it enables leaders not only to solve immediate performance issues but also to engage in transformative development, fostering authenticity, adaptability and sustainable leadership, by engaging in systems thinking. The paper concludes by reflecting on implications for coaching psychology practice and the broader contribution of Jungian approaches to leadership development.
Keynote: Considering the Temporal Ecological Model in Coaching Psychology: Exploring Individual Agency and Contextual Influences with Dr Anna Navin Young, PSI Division of Coaching Psychology, Ireland.
Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological model recognises the constant and dynamic interplay between an individual and their environment as fundamental to human development. The temporal ecological model approaches this interaction of individual and environment as a critical perspective for understanding individuals’ relationship with time and the widespread time challenges present in today’s world. Integrated into Coaching Psychology, this temporal ecological perspective can be used to support clients to reflect on and become more aware of their relationship with time, environmental influences that have influenced their time habits and beliefs, and the active role they play in shaping their experiences.
Pre-recorded invited paper: Weaving Together: Learning from Māori Wisdom in Coaching Psychology Practice with David Bennett, Dr Barbara Kennedy, Dr Kirsty Agar-Jacomb and Debby Prideaux and New Zealand Coaching Psychology Special Interest Group.
Culture is often overlooked in coaching literature, yet it’s essential to the evolution of coaching psychology. Our Coaching Psychology Special Interest Group (CPSIG) has been learning a Māori framework that shaped pre-colonial society and continues to work powerfully for Māori in ways that Western approaches sometimes don’t. This presentation explores our reflective learning journey and how engaging with this framework is shifting how we bring ourselves to coaching. We share insights from CPSIG members about what changes—how it brings greater nuance to understanding leadership roles, encourages appreciation of diverse leadership styles, and deepens our focus on interdependence and varied contributions within teams. The framework is influencing both individual practice and how we’re approaching coaching competencies and professional recognition. While emerging from a specific cultural context, it offers perspectives applicable internationally, demonstrating how learning from indigenous knowledge systems enriches contemporary coaching psychology.
The Coaching Psychology Special Interest Group (CPSIG) is part of the New Zealand Psychological Society. CPSIG members contributing to this presentation are:
Dr Barbara Kennedy – Consulting psychologist, supervisor and educator with experience in clinical, organisational and coaching work.
Dr Kirsty Agar-Jacomb – Clinical psychologist, accredited coaching psychologist who partners with senior leaders who find themselves under tension, whether that be from growth and development, transition and change, people issues, or wellbeing.
Debby Prideaux – Registered psychologist and mental fitness advocate dedicated to unlocking human potential through developing psychological resilience and mental fitness.
David Bennett – Executive coach supporting leaders navigating complexity using an evidence-based approach grounded in adult development theory, cognitive behavioural coaching, and complex adaptive leadership. MSc Coaching Psychology from the University of Sydney.