319: Psychological Mindedness, Psychology and the Work of Self-Awareness with Julia Carden

In episode 3 of our Psychology in Coaching series, Julia Carden, coach, researcher and author of You're Not as Self-Aware as You Think You Are, admits that one of her regrets is not studying psychology. Yet her coaching work has taken her deep into questions of how people think, change and relate. In this conversation with host Lucy Whitehall, she explores the difference between studying psychology and being "psychologically minded": staying curious about why we behave as we do and reflecting on what we bring into the coaching room. For Julia, that curiosity is part of ethical practice, because a seemingly harmless question can prompt far deeper reflection than the coach anticipated. Knowledge alone isn't enough, though. Julia argues that you can only take your coaching as far as you've taken yourself. A coach may know the theory inside out and still struggle to sit with uncertainty, resist the urge to fix, or hold space when a conversation becomes difficult. That capacity comes from doing the work on ourselves, supported by supervision, continuing professional development and ongoing reflection, rather than simply learning more models. They also discuss the subtle risks of introducing psychological tools without understanding their roots. Julia also reflects on what psychological mindedness offers coaches personally: the freedom to admit that we are not all sorted, to get comfortable being messy human beings, and to let go of the pressure to perform in the coaching room. For Julia, the standout message is the value of getting clear on psychological mindedness over psychology itself, and how this connects to work on self, CPPD (Continuing Personal and Professional Development) and the wider coaching profession. You will learn: · Psychological mindedness matters as much as formal theory. Curiosity about our own behaviour and what we bring into the room is part of ethical, competent practice. · Self-awareness is never finished and ever evolving. · Use psychological tools with care and ensure you understand them. "I fundamentally believe you can only take the coaching as far as you've taken yourself, and that we should always be doing the deep work on self." Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and leave us a review! Your feedback helps us bring you more valuable content. For the episode resources and guest bio, please visit: https://www.associationforcoaching.com/page/dl-hub_podcast-channel-psychology-in-coaching-psychological-mindedness-self-awareness