The way we think about mental health and wellbeing is changing. For many years, the focus has been on dysfunction—diagnosing and treating illness, reducing symptoms, and helping people to cope with pain. Counselling and therapy have played a vital role in this, and continue to do so. Yet, on their own, these approaches haven't enabled us to get on top of the mental health crisis, with rates of mental illness on the rise. 

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​​​​​​​​​Professional coaching, especially when it’s informed by wellbeing psychology, can help people build the kinds of thinking patterns and behaviours that enable them to function well in life, recover more steadily, and relapse less often. Over the last two decades, coaching has grown in popularity across education, healthcare, business, and leadership. Yet the field is still relatively young, and still finding its place in the wider landscape of wellbeing and mental health support.

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My own journey has been right at the intersection of these worlds. I was one of the first people internationally to take a master’s degree in applied positive psychology and coaching psychology — a course designed to combine the scientific study of wellbeing with the practice of coaching. That decision shaped the course of my work. I went on to coach hundreds of people living with the aftermath of trauma, low mood, anxiety, and stress.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The result of my learning, research and practice is what I call the PGROWTH Wellbeing Coaching Model ©. It’s a framework blending coaching psychology with wellbeing science to create sessions that are practical and supportive. Sessions that help people prioritise their improved mental health and strengthen resilience and reduce the risk of relapse.​

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​​​​​​Why PGROWTH? A Model Designed for Mental Health Coaching

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My own coaching journey began over seven years ago, working extensively with the GROW and GROWTH models. These frameworks provided a solid foundation and helped many clients move forward, but as I coached more clients, I noticed a interesting pattern. There were times when sessions flowed naturally and were highly useful, and other times when they felt less effective. The difference often lay in how the session began. When a session started optimistically, it created the conditions for better coaching conversation, clearer ideas for applied change, and more constructive action.

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That led me to reflect on the question: what if we could start coaching conversations differently? What if we began with evidence-based insights from wellbeing psychology – knowledge about effective functioning? For example, how using "yet" helped participants embrace challenges, how responding to good news from a friend with interest and curiosity helped build mutually supportive relationships, how reflecting on why good things happened fostered appreciation... With such learning at the start, clients could then pinpoint what most sparks interest, and we could use that as the launchpad for the rest of the session.

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I began experimenting with this approach. Early trials with clients showed remarkable results: faster progress, more desire to try things, and plans that felt not only achievable but were energising rather than heavy. By starting with applied psychological learning, sessions consistently became more effective and more helpful. This became the foundation of what I now call the PGROWTH Wellbeing Coaching Model.

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Theoretical Foundations

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The PGROWTH Model didn’t appear in isolation. It is built on several well-established psychological theories and methods that, when brought together, offer a compelling rationale for starting coaching sessions with learning from wellbeing science.

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Positive Psychology and Wellbeing Science

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At the heart of the model is wellbeing science, sometimes referred to (although I wish it weren't) as "positive" psychology. Over the last 25 years, this field has studied variables such as optimism, hope, gratitude, resilience, and character strengths — not as vague “feel-good” ideas but as measurable, evidence-based factors that influence how people function. The consistent finding is that when people think and behave in certain ways, they are better able to solve problems, relate to others, and change in a way that supports their mental health. 

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Broaden-and-Build Theory

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A central piece of evidence comes from Barbara Fredrickson’s Broaden-and-Build Theory of Positive Emotions. This theory shows that when people experience certain emotions like interest, humour, pride, or appreciation, their momentary “thought-action repertoire” broadens. In other words, in that moment, they see more possibilities, and are more able to solve problems.

 

Over time, these broadened patterns build lasting psychological and social resources.

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Applying this to coaching, beginning with a moment of positive priming — through exposure to wellbeing research and a short positive psychology exercise — sets the stage for a more resourceful and more effective coaching conversation. What the client wants to focus on in the session emerges from this learning, leading to a more energising and constructive starting point. This is not 

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Learning Plus Coaching

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Another foundation comes from an article by Suzy Green and Stephen Palmer (2019) in the book positive psychology coaching in practice. They describe how learning combined with coaching is more powerful than either on its own. Training sessions on wellbeing topics may be enjoyable, but the benefits often fade unless integrated into daily life. Coaching provides that integration by supporting individuals to apply what they have learned in meaningful, personal ways. PGROWTH takes this principle further by embedding the learning inside the coaching session itself.

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The 3P Method Connection

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A final influence came from my experience teaching in Japan using the 3P Method: Presentation, Practice, and Production. This approach to language learning begins with presenting new material, then practising it in structured ways, and finally using it in realistic scenarios. PGROWTH has a similar rhythm. We begin with presentation (positive priming through psychological learning), engage in practice (through reflection or positive psychology interventions), and then move into setting clients up for a real-life production stage (setting goals, exploring reality, and planning action). This structure makes new knowledge immediately practical and personally relevant.

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The PGROWTH Model Explained

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The PGROWTH Coaching Model builds on the well-established GROW/GROWTH frameworks but introduces an essential new starting point: Positive Priming. This simple shift — beginning with evidence-based wellbeing learning before moving into goal-setting — can change the tone and trajectory of an entire coaching session which is ideal if the purpose of the coaching is increasing wellbeing and mental health. 

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Here’s how each stage of PGROWTH works:

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P – Positive Priming

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Every session begins with a short piece of wellbeing learning. This could be a research insight, a video clip from a leading psychologist, or a simple positive psychology intervention. The purpose is to prime the client with knowledge that sparks curiosity, interest, or hope. Ideally this process would also begin prior to the session and continue in between sessions. Rather than starting from a neutral or heavy place which already has it's place in counselling, the session begins with learning, energy and optimism. 

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G – Goal

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From this inspired starting point, the client identifies a focus for the session. Goals that arise in this way tend to be affirmative and constructive — “approach goals” rather than “avoidance goals.” This makes them more energising and more likely to be sustained.

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R – Reality

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Next, the client reflects on their current situation. What is happening in their life right now that relates to this goal? What are the challenges, resources, and patterns at play? This stage grounds the session in the client’s lived experience.

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O – Options

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Together, coach and client explore possible ways forward. The broadened mindset created by the Positive Priming stage often means that options are more creative, varied, and hopeful than they might otherwise be. Clients generate new ideas and approaches that feel both practical and motivating. Coaches are equipped with a wide variety of tools to help clients move past stuck places. 

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W – Will

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At this stage, the client makes choices. What do they feel willing and able to try? What mini-experiment feels interesting to them to further support learning? 

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T – Tactics

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The commitment is then translated into concrete tactics. This involves clarifying the “how, when, and where” of the chosen actions. Tactics provide structure and clarity, turning intentions into realistic steps. 

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H – Habits

 

Finally, the focus shifts to embedding change over time. What's happening with past actions and learning? What new habits or routines could support the client in sustaining their progress? By emphasising habits, PGROWTH ensures that progress is not just immediate but also long-term.

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The key innovation is the addition of P – Positive Priming. Starting in this way doesn’t mean that difficulties such as anxiety or low mood are ignored — they still have space in the conversation. But they are not the overall focus. Instead, they exist in the context of energising goals and constructive possibilities.

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Applications in Mental Health and Wellbeing Coaching

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PGROWTH was created with a clear purpose: to provide coaches with a structured, evidence-based approach to supporting mental health and wellbeing. While traditional coaching models often focus on performance or workplace outcomes, PGROWTH is designed to meet the needs of people living with the real challenges of low mood, anxiety, trauma, and stress.

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Trauma and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

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One of the strongest applications of PGROWTH lies in coaching for those who have experienced trauma or ACES. My own published review of the research into positive psychological variables shows that factors like optimism, gratitude, meaning, and self-compassion can help buffer the impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in adulthood. These variables do not erase the pain of trauma, but they can support resilience and development enabling clients to think and act in ways that support recovery and move toward healthier functioning. Such coaching, I predict will ever make clients more likely and able to receive the benefits of counselling. PGROWTH offers a way to actively integrate these protective factors into coaching sessions.

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The Sustainable Model for Mental Health

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Another foundation of PGROWTH is the Sustainable Model for Mental Health, which recognises two essential sides of psychological support:

• On one side, interventions that address well-studied dysfunctions — therapy and counselling that reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, or PTSD. This includes automatic negative thoughts, shame, self-criticism, repression, etc. 

• On the other, interventions that build function — approaches that strengthen resilience, constructive thinking, and effective behaviour. This includes ways of thinking through problems, how to open up positive emotions, identifying strengths, how to build meaningful relationships, etc. 

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Who carries out the psychological treatment for barriers and dysfunction? I imagine you would correctly guess, "highly-trained counsellors and psychotherapists"... and who provides equally highly-trained psychological interventions that build resources and functioning? This is where I expect you to be stumped. That's because the answer is, currently, no-one. The same level of training and expertise exist in both sides of psychological support. We just need to get those trained people into this role as quickly as possible and go from there.

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More and more there is recognition that both sides matter, how they relate to each other matters, which one to choose and when matters, and context and culture matters. For example, with suicide being the leading cause of death for men in the UK under 50, perhaps the hesitation to enter counselling can be supported with a more resource-building approach? 

 

If we are to genuinely turn the tide of the mental health crisis I believe something needs to change. Counselling and therapy are best suited to reducing dysfunction, while the mental health coaching I present here is better placed to build functioning. These two areas can support each other... leading to, as the model suggests, sustainable mental health. My PGROWTH wellbeing coaching sits firmly in this second category, helping clients cultivate the psychological resources that keep them well in the long term.

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The Dual Continuum Model

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The Dual Continuum Model of Mental Health also informs this approach. It shows that mental illness and mental health are not simply opposites. It is possible to experience symptoms of illness while also having high levels of mental health — thriving in certain aspects of life despite ongoing challenges. It's fair to say that current UK mental health services are doing well in reducing mental illness, but could be doing a lot better at increasing mental health. 

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PGROWTH coaching supports this possibility by equipping clients with tools and habits that strengthen functioning even when difficulties remain.

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A Balanced Approach

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Taken together, these applications show why PGROWTH is so relevant to today’s mental health landscape. Counselling and therapy remain vital for addressing dysfunction, but they cannot carry the entire burden of the mental health crisis, and if things continue this way with treatment and relapse cycles, it will be very difficult to cause a lasting change. Coaching informed by wellbeing psychology, alongside talking therapies, can play an important role in supporting the “functional” side of mental health — helping people reduce relapse, and build a more lasting and sustainable mental health that clients feel motivated to continue alone.

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Professional Standards and Training

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For coaching to play its full part in supporting mental health, the profession must meet the highest standards of training and practice. At present, there is a clear imbalance. Counselling and therapy are widely recognised as Master’s-level professions. Practitioners typically complete Level 7 training or above, ensuring they are equipped with the theoretical knowledge, ethical grounding, and practical skills to work safely and effectively with vulnerable clients.

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Coaching, however, remains less regulated. While there are excellent training programmes at postgraduate level, many practitioners still enter the field through short courses or unaccredited pathways. This creates a wide variation in quality and such experiences undermine public trust. In the context of mental health, that variation is not just an inconvenience — it carries risk. Clients deserve to know that their coach has the depth of expertise needed to work responsibly.

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The PGROWTH Wellbeing Coaching Model was designed with this in mind. It assumes a coach who is highly trained in both wellbeing psychology and coaching psychology — at a level equivalent to counselling. Coaches using this model need to understand not just how to ask good questions, give feedback, paraphrase, and use silence... but also the science of resilience, motivation, and psychological growth. They must be able to recognise when coaching is appropriate and when referral to therapy or medical support is the safer option.

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The risk of underqualified practitioners attempting to apply mental health coaching or wellbeing coaching is significant. Without sufficient knowledge and nuanced learning, there is a danger of relying too heavily on subjective personal experiences and non-scientific generalisations. Just as the NHS would never employ a counsellor trained in only a weekend course, the same principle must apply here. Mental health coaching requires a depth of study and practice that matches its responsibility.

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By setting the standard at Level 7 and above, we can ensure that mental health or wellbeing coaching is delivered with the same professionalism and credibility as counselling. This not only protects clients but also elevates the reputation of coaching as a discipline. When coaching is seen as equal in rigour and value to counselling, both approaches can sit side by side — providing a more balanced and effective system of support.

 

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Evidence from Positive Psychological Interventions (PPIs)

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Another body of research that supports the PGROWTH model comes from positive psychological interventions (PPIs). These are structured activities, often simple in design, that have been shown to improve subjective wellbeing and psychological wellbeing.

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Examples of PPIs

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Some of the most widely researched PPIs include:

• The “What Went Well” exercise – writing down three good things that happened each day.

• The Gratitude Letter or Visit – expressing thanks to someone who made a difference in your life.

• Using Character Strengths in New Ways – identifying personal strengths and applying them in a fresh context.

 

Each of these exercises is designed to elicit positive emotions and shift attention toward constructive experiences.

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The Evidence Base

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Dozens of studies have demonstrated that PPIs can increase wellbeing and reduce symptoms of depression and stress, even in clinical populations. Coaching, as a learning enhancer, has the opportunity to add unique value. Coaching provides the increased reflection, and personalisation needed to turn these exercises into sustainable habits. Rather than being a one-off activity, a gratitude practice or strength-based approach can integrate into the person’s identity and daily life.

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PPIs in PGROWTH

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PGROWTH integrates PPIs into the very beginning of a session, during the Positive Priming stage. Taken alongside psychological learning, a short exercise can further spark curiosity, interest, or hope, setting the tone for the rest of the conversation. Importantly, the coach then works with the client to embed the insights into action. For example:

• A client inspired by the gratitude exercise have ideas around building stronger relationships.

• Someone energised by a strengths activity may decide to use their strengths to access more support.

 

In this way, PGROWTH turns brief interventions into gateways for broader change. The evidence from PPIs is clear: they can improve wellbeing. The innovation of PGROWTH is to combine them with structured coaching, ensuring that improvements are not only experienced in the moment but sustained over time.

 

 

The Vision for PGROWTH and Wellbeing Coaching

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The PGROWTH Wellbeing Coaching Model is more than just a new framework for coaching practice. It represents a vision for how mental health support can evolve to meet the challenges of the 21st century.

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A Balanced System

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Right now, our systems of care are weighted heavily toward dysfunction: identifying illness, reducing symptoms, and managing crisis. This is essential work, but it does not fully answer the question of how people can live well in the long term. A sustainable system must address both sides of the equation:

• Reducing dysfunction through therapy, counselling, and medical support.

• Building functioning through coaching, wellbeing science, and practical life application.

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PGROWTH delivered by MSc (level 7 - equal to counsellors) and above level practitioners is uniquely positioned to deliver the second side of this balance. In particular, the Masters in Applied Positive Psychology and Coaching Psychology is a great fit for this work. By focusing on functioning — the daily patterns of thinking, behaviour, and habits that help people stay well — it complements the work of therapy and creates a more rounded model of care.

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Role in the NHS

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My vision is for high quality wellbeing coaching to be offered alongside counselling and therapy in the NHS. Patients could access both forms of support: counselling to process trauma and reduce distress, and coaching to build resilience, develop new habits, and apply wellbeing science to everyday life. This dual approach could reduce relapse rates, shorten recovery times, and make the system more sustainable.

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Global Application

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The potential of PGROWTH is not limited to the UK. Around the world, healthcare systems are struggling with rising demand for mental health services. By training highly qualified coaches — with postgraduate-level expertise in wellbeing and coaching psychology — we can create a new category of professional support. This would not replace therapy, but work alongside it, creating a continuum of care that supports both recovery and resilience.

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Setting Standards

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For this vision to be realised, standards must be high. Mental health coaching must not become a diluted service offered by underqualified practitioners. It requires Level 7 training and a commitment to science, ethics, and professional practice. By establishing clear standards now, we can ensure that PGROWTH coaching earns the trust of policymakers, clinicians, and clients alike and flourishes into a role that can make a major contribution to ending the mental health crisis. 

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Ending the Mental Health Crisis

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The mental health crisis will not be solved by therapy alone. But by bringing high-level mental health coaching in to work alongside therapy — dysfunction and function, pain and potential, counselling and coaching — we can create a more balanced, sustainable, and hopeful system of care. PGROWTH is a step toward that future: a model of coaching that begins with learning in the face of learned helplessness, fosters behavioural change, builds resilience, and helps people function well even in the face of difficulty.

 

Conclusion

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The PGROWTH Wellbeing Coaching Model began with a simple question: what if we started coaching conversations differently? By introducing evidence-based wellbeing learning at the very beginning, PGROWTH creates the conditions for constructive energising conversations, and more sustainable outcomes.

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This approach does not ignore difficulty. Anxiety, low mood, and trauma still have space in the conversation. Professional well-trained coaches share some of the same skills as counsellors like the ability to hold space, listen at a high level, paraphrase, summarise, and offer feedback that's easy to receive.  But using PGROWTH, mental health illness isn't the main topic. Instead, the session is led by curiosity, interest, ideas, and the desire to function well.

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PGROWTH is both a framework and a philosophy. It blends wellbeing science with coaching psychology to provide practical, structured, and supportive sessions. It is designed for highly trained practitioners — professionals with the depth of expertise to work responsibly with mental health while empowering clients to build resilience and reduce relapse.

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The vision is clear: a future where counselling and mental health coaching sit side by side, each valued equally, each contributing what they do best. Counselling helps reduce dysfunction. Coaching helps build functioning. Together, they can create a more sustainable mental health system, not only in the UK but across the world.

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PGROWTH is a new model, but it is also a call to action. For those who hire practitioners to raise standards. For policymakers to expand the range of services available. And for clients to have access to the full spectrum of support they deserve.

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By starting with new learning and interest and grounding action in science, PGROWTH points toward a future where more people can recover steadily, live resiliently, and function well.

 

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