EMCC UK presents award for research into coaching people with autism

EMCC UK presents award for research into coaching people with autism

Natalia de Estevan-Ubeda presents Alison Booth with the EMCC UK award for the dissertation with the highest potential for social benefit

EMCC UK recognises the value of research in coaching and supervision as a way to further the profession and develop its practitioners. That’s why Natalia de Estevan-Ubeda, EMCC UK Knowledge Exchange Director, was delighted to present Alison Booth with the award for the dissertation with the highest potential for social benefit at the 16th Annual Coaching and Mentoring Research Conference yesterday. The conference was organised by the International Centre for Coaching and Mentoring Studies within Oxford Brookes University.

Alison’s research investigated the relevance of coaching for people with the behavioural presentation of autism, and the coaching approaches that might be most useful. Her findings and the concept of ‘human kindness’ were presented during the conference in the context of neurodiversity. Her work brings together the current and highly relevant discussion of coaching and mental health.

On receiving the award, Alison commented: ‘Many people feel that coaching has the potential to be extremely useful in all aspects of health care, as is now recognised formally by the NHS in the Health Coaching Quality Framework (Health Education England). The health coaching literature reveals that coaching is being increasingly used in a range of health spheres, e.g. self-management of diabetes and coaching for parents. My study explored a very specific aspect of the autism spectrum, but many of the results are applicable much more broadly, and in the mental health crisis we have, I think that coaching as a preventative intervention, for children and young people as well as adults, needs to have urgent attention. I would like to publicly thank the people who gave me their time to participate in my research. They were a real inspiration to me personally, as well as extremely helpful in the research.’

Alison is an occupational therapist and coach. She works with people to help them overcome barriers to occupation, independence, wellbeing and job satisfaction through a ‘whole person’ approach. Alison can be contacted by email here.