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Impactful Coach
Episode 57Interview1 h 4 min

The Work / Inquiry-Based Stress Reduction with Sandra Megahed

with Sandra Megahed, Coach and facilitator for entrepreneurs and leaders

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Show notes

A coaching podcast with Sandra Megahed and Tobias Weghorn, where we unpack a The Work (Byron Katie) coaching demo and why “presence comes first” even when you’re following a clear method. Sandra introduces Inquiry-Based Stress Reduction (IBSR), walks through the four questions and turnarounds, and shares how she integrates embodied coaching (body and breath) to make inquiry more effective. You’ll also hear a live mini-session on limiting beliefs about belonging and inclusion, and how a small everyday trigger can open up a big shift. If you want to learn coaching tools you can use on yourself first, this episode is a practical starting point.


Key Learnings:

  • Use The Work (Byron Katie) coaching demo structure to turn a stressful moment into a clear inquiry: pick one specific situation, write the thought, then go through the four questions and turnarounds without over-explaining.
  • When applying Inquiry-Based Stress Reduction (IBSR), slow down question 3 (“How do you react?”) and add embodied coaching prompts (body and breath) to access sensations, images, and impulses before trying to “solve” anything.
  • For limiting beliefs about belonging and inclusion, test turnarounds with real examples (to self, to the other, and opposite) to create options beyond the original story and reconnect to the state you actually want (lightness, connection).


Resources:


Episode Chapters:

00:00 Presence Comes First (Even With A Method)

01:07 What Is The Work (Byron Katie) / IBSR?

02:00 The Four Questions And Turnarounds Overview

06:00 Sandra’s Path: Research Mindset, Health Challenge, Daily Practice

11:20 How IBSR Works: Self-Inquiry, Yes/No, And The Body

19:00 How To Choose A Thought (Lists, Feelings, Pictures, Breath)

24:00 Coaching Demo: Belonging, Inclusion, And A Small Real-Life Trigger

31:00 Question 3: Reactions, Body Sensations, And What It Costs

37:00 Turnarounds Practice (To Self, To Other, Opposite)

52:00 Using IBSR In Business Coaching (And Staying In Scope)

58:00 Start By Practicing On Yourself + Recommended Resources

Further resources

Sandra recommends these. Most of them are in German.

Transcript

Full transcript, edited for readability. Every timestamp jumps the video to that moment.

Sandra Megahed: Like in any other coaching situation, I always say presence comes first. It's a method, but especially with The Work, my experience is: presence stands over the method. Really stay very connected in this process and don't go into giving advice or trying to push someone in a certain direction. Really trust the answers, the feelings or whatever is coming up. I think this is the most important thing. And I think the questions themselves also work in another coaching setting. But more and more I experience that the more we include the body and the breath, the more effective it is for reframing, for finding new ways and for letting go with time, to watch what is really bothering us or stressing us. And, as you also experienced, to even look at it with a sense of humor. Tobi: Is this true? And can you absolutely know that this is true? These two questions may almost sound insulting if somebody asks them to you about a problem you have. And they are also the start of a method that I have been curious about for years. The method is called The Work by Byron Katie, and it's also known as Inquiry-Based Stress Reduction, or for short, IBSR. And today, I learn and also experience The Work with Sandra Megahed, a coach and facilitator working with entrepreneurs and leaders, and the creator and founder of changeyourbrain.de. On today's episode, we unpack The Work, the four seemingly simple questions that form the foundation of the method. Sandra walks us through these questions and also the three so-called turnarounds. She shows us how she finds a thought that's suitable for working on with this method, and then she actually coaches me using The Work. We go into one of my long-term themes of belonging, of feeling included, and she helps me defuse my thoughts and understand who I am without that thought. So let's get to work with The Work, AKA IBSR. Tobi: I'm quite excited for this conversation, and to dive into one of your working methods today, which I've been interested in for a long time. In fact, when I discovered you, or when we met, I found all three methods that you work with super interesting. Those are positive neuroplasticity, and The Work of Byron Katie, or, as you call it, I think, Inquiry-Based Stress Reduction.

Read the full transcript

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