Mindful Emotion Coaching, frailty and older age

Welcome to this Mindful Emotion Coaching e-learning, specially adapted for those working with people experiencing frailty.

This course brings together a set of practical, easy-to-use resources to help you – and the families you support – talk more openly and comfortably about feelings and emotions with older people and people experiencing frailty at any age.

Mindful Emotion Coaching was originally developed by Dr Sarah Temple to support children and families, but the core ideas are universal. They are just as relevant when working with adults who may be living with frailty, long-term conditions, loss, or increasing dependence on others. At this stage of life, emotional wellbeing, dignity, and a sense of being heard are just as important as physical care.

The approach draws on a wide range of thoughtful and compassionate work in health and care, including Atul Gawande’s reflections in Being Mortal, Victor Montori’s vision of careful and kind care, and the relational neuroscience of Dan Siegel, alongside the emotion coaching work of John Gottman and Sophie Havighurst, and research from the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. Together, these influences emphasise that good care is built on relationships, understanding, and shared meaning.

Whether you are a health or social care professional, a volunteer, or a family member, this course offers simple, practical tools to support calmer conversations, stronger connections, and emotionally attuned care. The aim is to support people feel understood and supported, and to help those around them feel more confident having honest, compassionate conversations about what really matters.

Copyright EHCAP Ltd 2026

‘ emotion coaching is about stretching out the conversation, describing and validating emotions however difficult that may be’ Dr Sarah Temple MRCGP

Advanced level e-learning

This is an Advanced Level CPD module for people who have graduated at EHCAP’s Level 3, Team Coaches and Practitioner Leads. Payment includes access to both the beginner and foundation level modules which you need to complete before starting this course. You will be invited to join a peer networking group and if you live in the UK you will receive a hard copy of the foundation level programme workbook plus 2 copies of ‘all emotions are OK’.

If you are wanting to qualify as a foundation level coach, receive an accredited certificate from the Personalised Care Institute or join team coaching supervision you will need to complete 3 on line one to one coaching sessions with your training provider which will incur additional costs. The best way to train for those of you who don’t yet have a coaching qualification is to complete the full foundation level training – this includes the necessary 3 on line one to one coaching sessions and one team coaching session. There is a fast track option available for those of you who are already working as a coach. Find out more about our courses and costs by clicking here.

Foundation Level Mindful Emotion Coaching Programme

This is a Foundation Level e-learning programme which can be accessed as a stand alone (accredited by the European Mentoring and Coaching Council as CPD only) or as part of an accredited coach training package. When you access this e-learning as a stand alone product the price includes access to the beginner e-learning. Once you have paid you will be contacted with a code for the beginner e-learning. You will also receive a hard copy of the programme manual and of ‘all emotions are OK’ by post if you reside in the UK. For those of you who wish to train as a Foundation Level Mindful Emotion Coach and access one to one online coaching mentoring click this link. For those of you registered to train with EHCAP you will be contacted by Sarah. If you are registered with HOPE you will be contacted by Rachel.

The approach in terms of connections with other people can be summarised with the acronym MEC:

M: Mindful preparation of self as the coach, tuning in, self care.
E: Engage emotionally, connect, pause to ‘be with’ a person in their thoughts and feelings as together you:
- formulate a coaching agreement that is motivating and helpful
- compassionately use psycho-education tools such as the biology of stress and EHCAP’s adaptation of The Hand Model to build skills in emotion literacy, executive function and self management
- normalise the science of why some people may be particularly sensitive to their environment and to stress in their environment.
C: Crunch time – asking questions that stimulate thinking, goal setting, problem solving together and, where necessary, limit setting. At this point you may want to look at other coaching models and begin to create your own way of asking questions – see lesson 7 in this module for some ideas.

Mindful Emotion Coaching Beginner Level

Welcome to Mindful Emotion Coaching

In this beginner level e-learning you will have access to lots of practical resources that support you understand the biology of stress and develop skills in talking about feelings and emotions. For those of you training with us as a coach, this e-learning will support building your understanding of how everything about us as adults is influenced by our genetics, relationships, environment and experience on a time line continuum from conception. Mindful Emotion Coaching draws on research by Daniel J. Siegel (Mindsight Institute), John Gottman (Gottman Institute), Sophie Havighurst (The Mindful Centre, Melbourne University ) and Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University. To find out about training with us as a health and wellness coach with a special interest in children, young people and families click here.

‘ an approach to wellness that is trauma-informed, neurodiversity inclusive and healing centred’

Extra Video Clips

A collection of video clips that have been tried and tested in learning groups and are well liked and used. These clips are streamed from You Tube and Vimeo- this module is an optional extra for coaches in training.