Life Coaching and the BPSS Model
A View of Life Coaching Through the Lens of the Biopsychosocial Spiritual Model
Taking a more comprehensive look at the history of the Biopsychosocial Spiritual Model reveals a long history that continues to evolve. The BPS model, as it was originally incepted over 40 years ago, “posits that biological, psychological, and social factors play a significant role in disease causation and treatment. Babalola, E., et al (2017). It was developed for medical students to treat patients as a whole, not just their symptoms. Forty years later, an article was published urging educators to remember Engle’s Model and to consider the state of burnout among medical students and residents in training. The article stated, “... biopsychosocially oriented clinical practice calls us to consider the experience of the human being in front of us.” (Vermette et al, 2022, p.2062). This paper will examine how facets of the BPSS Model are inadvertently proving successful in life coaching and, more generally, in coaching, and should therefore be considered a Standard Format for professionals in health and wellness.
First, one must note that the biological aspect of the BPSS Model encompasses all areas of the human specimen: genetics, physiology, and physical aspects. With such a broad span of coverage, it makes sense that it will overlap with other parts of the model, such as events in our lives, which don’t just affect one area; they are all-encompassing. Take, for instance, the case of seeking out a coach: one is aware of a goal to attain: “according to Grant (2003), a key part of life coaching is the attainment of goals, personal development, increased self-reflection, and enhanced mental health in nonclinical populations” (Mogashana, D. et al 2023). A great place to start is with awareness, also known as self-reflection. From there, coaches work with clients to achieve a goal. This is where you will start to see a convergence into all areas of life. A life coach will broaden the scope beyond a single target area, such as nutrition, sports, or leadership, and consider the person as a whole. Life coaching is “a modality which interrogates one’s circumstances and one’s inner world—because it recognizes that information can exist as observable patterns and can be stored in the “sensory, nervous, and biochemical systems” of the body (p. 1034). Burt-D'Agnillo, M. (2023). One might consider the old adage “it takes a village” much like that analogy take for instance activist Gloria Silva, states, “individual self-work is crucial to how participants ‘show up’ for social justice and global mobilization.” Ramos-Zayas, A. (2024). As humans, we want to feel a sense of purpose, which, as is our biology, means we seek some form of social connection, be it a community, a religious affiliation, or a cultural connection. With these aspects in mind, one might look through the lens of a sports coach, who is there to help you hone a skill, increase endurance, or beat your personal best record (Biology). They are there to motivate you, build confidence (psychological), which in turn creates a bond with a team as you are there to lift each other up (social/spiritual). As DiBernardo points out, “bringing the discipline of systematized mental training into sports at all levels can not only enhance performance and outcomes but also catalyze a greater sense of deep connection
and satisfaction and, at least in some cases, the merging of mind and body…” (Kaufman,
Glass & Pineau, 2018, p. xi) and as described as a key feature in Sports Medicine, “The complex and dynamic nature of physical activity behavior requires a transdisciplinary perspective integrating the interplay of biological, psychological, and social factors.” John, J. M., Haug, V., & Ansgar, T. (2020).
As one continues zooming out to see the bigger picture, we notice that we are now merging mind and body (social/spiritual). When acknowledging social or spiritual aspects, tradition, or customs as a life coach, it is important to listen and understand the individual's paradigms. An important part of accountability is having awareness. One way to bring awareness is to quiet the mind. Meditation is a great place to start; neurological studies show that distinct brain wave patterns, otherwise known as EEG, have revealed that distinct meditations affect brain waves such as Alpha 2, Gamma, Theta, and one meditation in particular that has been shown to affect Alpha 1 brain waves, which show a body simultaneously at rest and alert, is Transcendental Meditation. “TM practice showed significantly higher frontal alpha 1 coherence, lower sympathetic activity, higher parasympathetic activity, and slower breath rate.” Travis, 2015, (P. 215). In a study of veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder and in treatment, who were part of a meditation program along with their treatment, all subjects showed positive effects in decreasing post-traumatic symptoms; further observation showed that TM was shown to be two to three times more effective than other methods of meditation. It matters less which meditation type you practice and more that you practice some form of stillness. When viewing the body as a whole, we see how closely intertwined everything is. Life Coaches and coaches of many disciplines have already figured out that considering the client's whole body, lifestyle, and paradigms is vital to guide the client in successfully attaining their goals. The BPSS Model should be considered a standard for training across all health and well-being professions.
