Executive Coaching: The Essential Guide for Mental Health Professionals

For many mental health professionals, executive and personal coaching represent attractive alternatives to managed care practice. This book provides mental health professionals with a map of the territory of the corporate world and describes in detail the major theoretical coaching models and progressive phases. Sperry addresses both executive coaching and personal coaching, revealing the practical, ethical and legal aspects of beginning and maintaining an active coaching practice.

For many mental health professionals, executive and personal coaching are attractive alternatives to managed care practice, having the appeal of practice flexibility and offering the opportunity to assist relatively healthy and productive individuals in a non-medical environment. Likewise, formal mental health training can be a significant asset in coaching clients with complicated psychological problems.

In order to make a successful transition from a clinical to a corporate environment, clinicians need a realistic understanding of organizational dynamics as well as preparation in the methods and professional issues unique to coaching. This book provides mental health professionals with a map of the territory of the corporate world and describes in detail the major theoretical coaching models and progressive phases.

Sperry addresses both executive coaching, which focuses primarily on issues of work performance and personal coaching, which deals with the development of high level psychological and physical health. Special strategies for optimizing executive performance, developing leadership skills and promoting personal, relational, physical and spiritual well-being are revealed as the book explores the practical, ethical and legal aspects of beginning and maintaining an active coaching practice.

Len Sperry, M.D., Ph.D. is professor of Health Services Administration and Psychology, and director of the Masters in Health Services Administration program at Barry University in Florida. He has consulted with executives throughout the U.S. and abroad for over thirty years, and has designed and implemented leadership development programs for several corporations. Sperry is board certified in psychiatry, preventative medicine, and clinical psychology and a fellow of the Division of Family Psychology of the American Psychological Association. He has published over 200 articles and 30 books, many with Taylor and Francis.