Talking Mats can be used as a coaching tool to provide an alternative to traditional questionnaires. It uses pictures and symbols on a mat to structure information for clients in an easy to understand visual way. The Wheel of Life model breaks life down into key areas like career, health, relationships, and uses supplementary symbols under each to explore topics in more detail. Coaches facilitate clients in completing a Talking Mat to assess areas of life and identify topics for further discussion.

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Using Talking Mats®
as a coaching tool
Eileen Abbess
me !

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Contents
• Talking Mats – background
• Wheel of life – overview
• Approach
• Symbols
• Further information

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What is a Talking Mat?
• A low tech communication
framework originally developed by
speech therapists to support people
with communication impairment.
• Now an established, award winning
communication tool which uses a
mat with pictures as the basis for
communication.

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How can a Talking Mat work with
coaching?
• It can provides an alternative to the traditional
questionnaire for assessment/ diagnosis
• It provides a structure where information is
presented in small chunks supported by
symbols.
• It gives your client time and space to think about
information and work out what it means in a
visual way that can be easily recorded.
• People using Talking Mats find it enjoyable and
easy to use, as it provides a simple and
effective, non-threatening way of expressing
themselves.

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Wheel of life
Personal
growth
Fun
Physical
environment
Money
Career
Health
Romance
People
The
Wheel
Of
Life

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Approach
• Break down wheel of life ‘segments’
into more detail (mind mapping is a
useful technique)
• Build picture/ symbol set
• Facilitate client in mat completion
(note for very quick analysis mat
can be completed with ‘top level’ 8
segments)

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Symbols – personal growth
• Supplementary
symbols might
include:
– Spirituality
– My contribution
– My development
– My growth
personal
growth
Possible top
level symbol

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Symbols - fun
• Supplementary
symbols might
include:
– Hobbies
– Energy levels
fun
Possible top
level symbol

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Symbols – physical environment
• Supplementary
symbols might
include:
– My house
– My town
– Neighbours
physical
environment
Possible top
level symbol

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Symbols - money
• Supplementary
symbols might
include:
– Income
– Spending
– Savings
money
Possible top
level symbol

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Symbols - career
• Supplementary
symbols might
include:
– My job
– My company
– Colleagues
– Work life balance
business/
career
Possible top
level symbol

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Symbols - health
• Supplementary
symbols might
include:
– Health
– Diet
– Fitness
– Exercise
health
Possible top
level symbol

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Symbols – people
• Supplementary
symbols might
include:
– Friends
– Family
– Neighbours
– Colleagues
Possible top
level symbol
people

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Symbols - relationships
relationships
• Supplementary
symbols might
include:
– Relationships
– Romance
– Partner
Possible top
level symbol

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Further information
• On Talking Mats at
www.talkingmats.com
• And all sorts of further reading (click
here)