Deep Dive

I once jumped feet-first off a 30 foot cliff into the Shuswap Lake in BC. The moment I hit the water, I sank - deeper and deeper until panic surged and I kicked hard to surface, desperate for air.

That's what life can feel like when you're trying to support someone who you love through mental illness or addiction - while still meeting deadlines, managing family dynamics, and keeping your work performance from slipping. Your mind is split, your energy drains fast, and burnout starts to look inevitable.

I had to take DEEP DIVE into my own life when I was faced with supporting a family member living with Bipolar Disorder. What I realized through this journey, I had to do my own work on myself due to trauma, family challenges that shocked me and recognizing my children were being affected by my approach that made situations worse instead of beter. When I was told by a smart friend who said "If you don't take care of yourself, you will go down with the one you are helping! As blunt that statement was, it was a wake up call for me!!

What if you had one focused hour a week (8 to 10) times depending on what is needed for you to slow down, name what's really going on, and learn practical tools to navigate both home and/or work?

The benefits of a process for yourself are:

1. Coach listens to fully understand what's happening in your life.

2. Coach asks deep-dive questions to clarify your challenges and what feels overwhelming

3. Coach reflects back what they heard ( a clear summary)

4. You confirm what's accurate; if anything is off, you restate unitil it's right

5. You name what it feels like to be heard and understood

6. Coach explores that feeling to uncover what matters most to you.

7. Coach helps you speak the truth of what's happening - without minimizing or masking it.

8. Together, you identify root themes beneath the situation

9. You choose one clear goal that signals real progress

10. Coach suggests a practical tool/strategy to use during the week

11. You decide whether you're willing to try it (and what would make it doable)

12. You get simple steps for how to use the tool in real-life moments

13. Next session, you share what happened; coach helps you extract what worked

14. Coach notices cues ( words, energy, body language) and gently explores what's underneath

15. Across 8-1 hour sessions or10- 2 hour sessions, you build tools and recognize strengths you can draw on when challenges hit

16. So let me ask it this way: who do you want to be again - inside your own life - not just the person who's " holding it together"?

    
    

And what would it look like, in real moment, if both parts of you could breathe - the caregiver at 2:00 am and the professional at 9:00 am - when you're answering that text, sitting in the meeting, or trying to be present at dinner?

Something to think about. This is an example of what a process can look like.

Options: Each of the 4 options have a specific focus and process

1. 10-week-2 hour Families Helping Families Sessions supporting a loved one living with mental health/addiction/family dynamics (evening 7:00 - 9:00 PM) funding available through our affliliate - The Thumbs Up Foundation

2. 8-1 hour Cool Corp Solutions group sessions for employees (12:00 -1:00 PM)

3. Individual sessions - 1hour sessions

4. Discovery Session - discuss what is best for your particular situation

#Deep Dive

#Coaching Process Example

#Something to Think About

#Option for Families

#Option for Workplace

#Option for Individuals

#Book a Discovery Session

For more information contact: mona.cooley@coolfamilysolutions.com to book a discovery session to discuss what option is best for your particular situation.