Transformational Group Coaching is a 6-session group coaching programme being offered to Christian ministry leaders to benefit their wellbeing and promote flourishing in ministry. This was originally offered as part of a research project, carried out by Niky Dix and is now being offered more widely.

Niky used a transformational integrative coaching approach, providing a person, or in this case, group centred approach. This offer was exclusively for Christian leaders on mission.

Does "Transformissional Group coaching” offer a plausible means to promoting flourishing in ministry?

To answer this, question, Christian ministry leaders were invited to join a 6 week online Transformissional Group coaching (TGC*) programme.

*TGC is my proposed 6-week integrative group coaching intervention informed by current research in ministry flourishing. Group coaching sessions are not prescriptive; rather, the content comes from within the group participants.

Transformissional Group Coaching is for Christian ministry leaders. This could include clergy and laity, ministers, pastors, local church and multi-denominational leaders or para-church (Christian charity) and Christian missional leaders.

The common factor is that all the group members believe they are Christian disciple of Jesus, working in a leadership role as part of a ministry calling from God.

As this research is interested in flourishing in ministry, the proposed content and themes are based on the latest research relating to Christian ministry leaders. The themes are detailed above.

If you self - identify as “a Christian disciple of Jesus, working in a leadership role as part of a ministry calling from God”* then you can take part. You also need to be an Adult over 18 years old, speak fluent English, and have access to internet with the ability to join an online group with your camera on, from a quiet private space.

*Participants who identify as having no faith or an alternative faith to Christianity are not included, as the research informing this evidence-based intervention is based on Clergy wellbeing, and aligned values in the group is critical for building a safe place for conversations.

If you decide to take part, you will be asked to commit to a 2 hour online sessions for 6 consecutive weeks.

The times and dates will be confirmed once we know how many participants are interested. You wouldn't be committed until you can confirm you are able to make all 6 sessions.

Places per cohort and group are limited and will be filled on a first come first serve basis. Please click this link to express your interest asap. After which we will send you details of the individual sessions, which will start in May 2025.

The research from these groups in 2024 were written up and submitted for my final Msc Research project. These are currently being re-written in a summary form and will be disseminated to a range of audiences and can be accessed by registering your interest below.

Your researcher is Niky Dix. Niky spent ten years as a secondary school PE and Science teacher, followed by ten years running a Christian faith-based charity, partnering with local churches to delivering community health and wellbeing interventions. Niky is now a postgraduate student in the School of Psychology at the University of East London (UEL), studying for an MSc in Applied Positive Psychology and Coaching Psychology. Niky is also an EMCC-accredited coach (foundation), with appropriate professional insurance, and has completed a professional group coaching training programme (34 core and six resource CCE units accredited by the International Coaching Federation (ICF)). Now in the final year of her three-year study, Niky is conducting this research into group coaching as a means of fostering flourishing in Christian ministry leaders.

Because the themes were based on theory and research, the planned outcomes and potential benefits that individuals may find new insights, or be reminded of existing strategies that could enhance wellbeing and encourage flourishing in day-to-day ministry.

Ministry leaders who undertook the research had a positive experience and left with an increased sense of autonomy and improved wellbeing, as well as built supportive and accountable relationships. The overall learning from this research was that individual's all had a rich and positive experience of this group programme, and reported improvements in many aspects of wellbeing, including, increased sense of autonomy, relatedness with others, and competency about stewardship of their own wellbeing that authentically aligned with their professional work.

Being involved in the research was not expected to cause any negative consequences, and all reasonable measures have been complied with. However unlikely, there is a small chance you might still be triggered during group participation or data collecting. Being challenged by the group could result in small levels of emotional distress and discomfort. If you think any of these have affected you, please contact a certified mental health charity or your GP. If you need non-urgent information about mental health support and services that may be available to you, please call the MIND Info Helpline page on 0300 123 3393. For more urgent support, please contact the Samaritans on 116 123. For additional services and individuals from countries outside the UK,, support services can be found at Safe In Our World - https://safeinourworld.org/find-help.

If you are register your interested in taking part in future groups you will receive information about cohort times and dates before you need to accept or decline. You will only be asked to commit to joining all 6 online group sessions of 2 hours a week for 6 weeks, after you have selected and accepted your place.

The times and dates will be confirmed once we know how many participants are interested. The groups will contain a minimum of 6 and a maximum of 10 participants. Please email Niky on niky@healthyleaders.uk or click this link to express your interest asap.

We will reply with details of the individual sessions, which will start in May 2025. All information will be treated confidentially.

Joining a group can be a daunting thing! That’s why the first session is an opportunity for you to find out more about who is in the group and how the group will agree to work, and there will be an option to opt out if this is not for you. Of course, you can still change your mind at any time without judgement, and by contacting Niky@healthyleaders.uk

The research was approved by the School of Psychology Ethics Committee. This means that the Committee’s evaluation of an ethics application was guided by the standards of research ethics set by the British Psychological Society. Niky’s supervisor was Ana Paula Nacif (a.nacif@uel.ac.uk).

The University of East London is the Data Controller for the personal information processed as part of this research project. The University will ensure that the personal data it processes is held securely and processed in accordance with the GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.
More detailed information is available in the Participant Information Sheet, which you can download using the link above. You will also receive a copy when you consent to take part in the research.

If you would like to receive a summary of the research findings once the study has been completed please click here This information is collected and stored separately, so anyone can sign up to find out about the results. Please provide your name and email address to learn of the findings of previous research. If you change your mind and would like to be removed from this findings email list, please let us know by contacting Niky@healthyleaders.uk

Click any of the sign up now buttons on this page, Click here, or copy and paste this link into your browser,
https://forms.gle/XFfqvPfqNXJ9m4K76

All of these options will take you to a form and express your interest in being a research participant, and hopefully inspire flourishing in your ministry and potentially inspire others too.