Every time I sit down to write this update, I hope to be telling you I've submitted the paper. Yet here I am again, saying "nearly there".

The progress: the full draft is written. That IS progress since my last update. The number of revisions? I don't even know, and it's probably best not to count. Maybe I'll run a competition at the end.

What's getting in the way? Honestly, the pace my brain can work at. You can sit and write all day, but with a project like this, when your brain is done, it's done, and what comes out after that isn't useful.

Over the summer I set aside a few weeks just for the research. Not switching between work and research helped, and I probably ended up less tired, but I didn't actually get more done. I remember saying in supervision, "I can't make my brain go any faster with this." So for me it's about balancing patience and persistence: being patient with the process, and persistent in bursts of effort.

The real challenge is the writing style. I could write in this newsletter style all day. You've probably noticed I write as I speak. Academic writing is a whole different game, and it seems no one is that keen to play it. But needs must if we want to get published. One small win: I can now see what's "wrong" with my writing much more easily. There's still plenty of skill to build in turning knowing into doing though.

I'm keeping this one short on purpose. My time is better spent getting the paper finished, so I can actually share the results with those of you who are eager to hear them.

In the meantime, a few highlights from the rest of my world, in case you missed them:

• First publication: a chapter in The Coaching Supervision Casebook by Jeremy Lewis – Supervision: check your mirrors before you check your clients​
• Speaking at ICF Converge, Berlin, May 2027: "Being Well: Supervision as a Resilience Practice" – details on LinkedIn​
• Hosting a Street Wisdom walk: a unique way to get out of stuckness – What do you do when you don't know what to do? Look up​

And if you missed the last edition, which was chunkier with lots of reflection, you can read the September update here.

Thank you for continuing with me on this journey.

Sheela Hobden

www.bluegreencoaching.com

November 2026

I share musings and monthly updates from my research into coaching, resilience, and wellbeing. If you’re a coach, a psychologist, or just curious about what doctoral research actually looks like from the inside — I’d love for you to follow along.

For organisations

For organisations considering coaching as a wellbeing support, my current reflection is simple: do not separate the person from the conditions in which they are working. For an organisation commissioning coaching, have a better conversation at the beginning...

For coaches

For coaches looking for innovative perspectives, the research process has made me think about decision trails in coaching. Coaches are all research assistants, supporting clients to explore themselves...

For individuals

For someone facing workplace difficulties or moving through a life transition, coaching can provide a place to hear your own thinking more clearly. In change we have choice, yet we do not always see it...

Looking for more research based inspiration?

Check out this podcast series I recorded for the Association for Coaching:

Image: Photo by Hayley Murray on Unsplash​