Introduction
Quantum Energy Coaching (QEC) was created by Dr. Melanie Salmon, a medical doctor and Gestalt psychotherapist. She found that her patients were not healing, and driven by a passion to discover why this was so she undertook extensive research which resulted in the creation of the QEC process.
I first experienced it in 2010 at a weekend seminar, and at the time thought it interesting but wasn’t hooked by it. Today, having completed the 6-month certification training as well as subsequent advanced training in Crisis, Trauma and Addictions, and in Working with Medical Conditions (each a 6-week training course), and having experienced its efficacy both personally and with my clients, it’s a different story: although I continue to use CBT-based (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) skills and experience in my coaching practice, I use QEC whenever possible and appropriate.
After attending that first seminar over a decade ago, I thought that QEC had been incorrectly labelled as ‘coaching’ given my education as a coach (Masters degree in coaching via Middlesex University). The academic faculty at the time (2002) were all psychologists, and wanted to differentiate between therapy and this new profession (at the time) called coaching. In his opening lecture, the professor asked “Why do people undergo therapy for so many years?” and answered jokingly “Because it doesn’t work!”. Perhaps he’d had the same experience as Dr. Salmon did in her psychotherapy practice, and perhaps for this same reason Dr. Salmon decided to name the process Quantum Energy Coaching and not Quantum Energy Therapy.
I have my own views about the similarities and differences between coaching and therapy, but decided to undertake some research to discover what other people say. I came across two interesting perspectives: the first is the table below sourced from Zencare, a therapist-oriented organisation.
The second is from Michael Bader, an American psychologist and psychoanalyst, who wrote a great blog back in 2009 about the differences between coaching and therapy: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/what-is-he-thinking/200904/the-difference-between-coaching-and-therapy-is-greatly-overstated.
I love his conclusion: “What matters is that people get help in their efforts to grow, master their problems, and become more effective in their lives. Both approaches aim to do this. Who cares (licensing boards notwithstanding) what you call them?”
My coaching education included learning to recognise psychological dysfunction or disorders, and in such cases to refer the client to a suitable therapist. As a result not solely but largely of my QEC education, I have come to understand the causes of psychological dysfunctions and diseases, and how to overcome and heal them using QEC. I therefore have less need these days to refer clients for therapy, and in fact find the opposite is true: clients have come to me for QEC specifically because their traditional therapy has been ineffective.
In my view, QEC is a combination of therapy and coaching. If I use Zencare’s criteria, QEC looks like this:
- CREDENTIALS: practitioner MUST be certified
- TOPICS: goals AND mental health
- TENSE: past, present AND future
- STRUCTURE: sessions have a clear structure
- DURATION: short term
- INSURANCE COVERAGE: in certain countries
- FIT: must have suitable credentials (ideally not only QEC) and experience; MOST important that you feel comfortable and trusting, and ideally are also inspired by the person’s philosophy.
As an aside, this presents me with a personal challenge regarding my ‘branding’: do I label myself as “coach” or “therapist”? In terms of the commonly understood meaning of each I do both. Theroach? Thecoach? Therapoach? Theracoach? Coacherapist? Haven’t found a suitable label yet…
As per the high-level introduction on my Home Page, QEC reprograms our subconscious minds (changes our neurological wiring) with new beliefs and thoughts, which result in changed behaviour and feelings about ourselves and life. It can be likened to installing new software on a computer. The process is easy and effortless, no matter how long the problems have been there. These changes are sustainable on a lifelong basis.
So how does it do this? It is important to know that all elements of the process are grounded in proven science, a brief summary of which is as follows:
- Epigenetics: we are shaped and conditioned (programmed) by our environment, not only by our genes; we are able to change our programming, and by doing so we change our thoughts, feelings and experiences (Dr. Bruce Lipton)
- Quantum Physics: at a subatomic level everything is pure energy in a constant state of potential. We communicate with the quantum field through our thoughts (electrical impulses) and feelings (emotions are magnetic). Electromagnetic influence of the mind on reality is very powerful, in particular when coupled with an elevated emotion such as compassion or gratitude – intention manifestation has been scientifically demonstrated. Our beliefs can change instantly in the quantum field of our brains and bodies (Lynn McTaggart, and Heartmath Institute)
- Neuroscience: neuroplasticity is the ability of neural networks in the brain to change through growth and reorganization, and can occur throughout life. In the first 7 years of life our brains are like sponges, and neural pathways are formed devoid of reason and logic. These early influences form our self-concept – who we believe we are – which is stored in our subconscious (neural networks in the brain and nervous system). Given the brain’s ability to rewire, “…this process opens up the possibility to reinvent yourself and move away from the status quo or to overcome past traumatic events that evoke anxiety and stress. Hardwired fear-based memories often lead to avoidance behaviours that can hold you back from living your life to the fullest” (Christopher Bergland).
- Gamma Brain Waves: the fastest brainwave frequency with the smallest amplitude. This frequency promotes learning, memory, information processing, and cognitive functioning, enables linkage of information from all parts of the brain, and is the “in the zone” peak mental state (Chris Walton)
- Cardiac Coherence: a smooth, sine-wave-like pattern in heart rate variability. Heart rhythm coherence is the primary indicator for psychophysiological coherence, which is the state when the heart, mind and emotions are in energetic alignment and cooperation. In this state, there is increased synchronization and harmony between the cognitive, emotional and physiological systems, resulting in efficient and harmonious functioning of the whole. We experience greater emotional stability, and we also have increased mental clarity and improved cognitive function. Simply stated, our bodies and brains work better, we feel better, and we perform better (Heartmath Institute)
- Whole Brain Integration: balances the two hemispheres of our brain. “Increases ‘cross-talk’ between the two brain hemispheres, thereby achieving a more whole-brained state, which is ideal for changing subconscious beliefs. In addition, when right and left hemispheres are in simultaneous communication, the qualities and characteristics of both hemispheres are available to maximize your full response potential to life’s challenges” (Rob Williams, PSYCH-K; Paul Dennison, Braingym)
On average each QEC session is 1.5 hours, roughly divided into two 45-minute components.
- Gestalt Dialogic Enquiry
This first step seeks to find out what issues are problematic, and what changes are desired. The key qualities which guide this process are:
- Equality: I as facilitator and my client – you – are equal on the basis of our shared humanity, regardless of age, race, gender, culture or educational background. There is no power differential, and all judgement is suspended.
- Expertise: you are the expert on your life, and my role is to help you find your way through its complexity and the answers you seek. It is not my job to fix you, nor do I have the power to do so.
- Attitude: I am fully present in the session, listening with all my senses, empathetic and authentic, with your highest good as my intention.
- Co-creation and Installation of New Belief Statements
With the desired changes as input and accessing your imagination, together we create new belief statements, which must conform to the rules of the subconscious mind: the sentence is stated in the first person in the present tense, and does not contain any negative words.
Once you’re happy with the sentences, we move on to the installation process where I guide you through step. The process involves achieving a state of cardiac coherence, adopting a whole-brain integration posture, and accessing an elevated emotion feeling. In that state I read and you repeat each sentence, which results in the statements being installed in your subconscious mind (your brain is rewired).
After each session you may feel a bit emotional and/or tired. It is advisable to drink water and to relax, and ideally not to do anything which requires great focus and concentration.
It excites me to work with clients who wish to heal their trauma, whatever it is (toxic shame, abandonment, abuse, to mention just a few which so many people have experienced). Our traumas are fundamental in shaping who we are, what we think, how we feel, how we behave, and our physical health. Without healing our traumas, we cannot change any of these aspects of ourselves on a sustainable basis: we may be different for a while, but as soon as something happens which triggers a traumatic memory, we revert back to old thought and behaviour patterns.
As part of QEC’s trauma formula, we release all the negative emotions associated with the event, we restore a feeling of safety and security which we lost, and ‘magically’ we create the new person we want to be. It is a very powerful process, and enormously rewarding to witness the outcome: I have seen physiological healing as a result of clearing emotional trauma from childhood.
As per leading authorities on trauma and addiction (Gabor Maté in particular), most addictions stem from childhood trauma, in particular abandonment (physical OR proximal). Releasing and healing the trauma via QEC enables overcoming the addiction without the need to follow lifelong cognitive programs such as AA and NA.
In summary, the QEC process installs chosen beliefs at the level of the subconscious mind. These new positive beliefs replace old limiting ones, and life moves into a positive upward spiral of experience.
Please feel free to contact me for more information or schedule an introductory meeting. You can also find more information on QEC at https://qecliving.com/.