Social Connection Coaching: "Overcoming Social Isolation"

by Dr Robert Muller

"Overcoming Social Isolation" is a 6 month program designed to eliminate social isolation for individuals. 

Social isolation is a rapidly growing phenomenon across the western world, as our social and political systems continue to destroy community and encourage us to be ever more individualistic. This program helps you to build your social connections, so that when you do "fall over", there will always be a supportive group of people to help you get back on your feet. 

FAQs

Q: How much does the program cost?

Overcoming Social Isolation is only available through membership of the Social Connection Community which costs less than AUD$25 per week (in Australian dollars)!

The program is offered as a 6 month set of modules. This is because it takes 6 months of dedicated commitment to overcome social isolation.

Overcoming Social Isolation is delivered on a global basis through Skype or Zoom teleconferencing technology, so there are no barriers to your participation.

The program includes a highly-focused 15 minute decision-making session every fortnight (by Skype or Zoom) in which targets are set to complete activities designed to overcome social isolation. Between the fortnightly decision-making and target-setting sessions, there will be a 15 minute check-in session by Skype or Zoom to see how you are coming along with the decisions you have made.

Q: What do I get for my enrolment in the Social Connection Community?

You are in for a treat because you now have access to a wide range of resources to assist you to overcome social isolation and to build your community. 

Your membership includes:

Full access to Dr Robert Muller's 6 month Social Connection Coaching program.

Full access to two of Dr Robert Muller's blogs on creating community:
- Community Building in the 21st Century
- Teleological  Resilience

Full access to Dr Robert Muller's "Build Your Community" Facebook group. This is an open group where articles can be posted and where you can have discussions with others who are interested in social connection and community building.

A preview of Dr Robert Muller's community-building program "The Diogenes Method: Develop your own community project". 

Q: What are Dr Robert's credentials/experience in this field?

Credentials

- PhD in Sociology (particularly important for resilience and social connection coaching)

- 3 years as a Research Fellow on a project on Resilience and Mental Health which mapped the lifepath (the ups and downs) of 120 people with schizophrenia, depression, or a combination of the two, in order to evaluate whether resilience played a part in their lives

- Developer of an interactive psychosocial model of resilience which establishes that resilience is built through the interaction between social and psychological factors, with the initial emphasis on the social environment. The model was developed as part of the 3 year project outlined above

- Developer of a 6 month resilience coaching program (Overcoming Social Isolation) which develops resilience through creating social connection, integrating people into a supportive social environment, and overcoming social isolation

- Developer of an "add-on" program to the above 6 month program to coach people in how to create, implement, and maintain small-scale community-building projects, but who don't know how to do so

Experience

12 years as a Lecturer/Senior Lecturer/Research Fellow in Sociology, Public Health, and Resilience at Flinders University

6 years as a Senior Lecturer in Professional Development at the University of South Australia and Flinders University

4 years as Master Coach for the Australian YB12 coaching program leading a team of 18 coaches, ranging from life coaches through to business and relationship coaches

Q: What are your clients saying about you?

"Three years ago, I was absolutely desperate. I'd just lost my wife in a car accident, I was grieving and recovering from the accident myself - most of my friends had abandoned me, which was especially hard as my wife and I had really treasured our friends. I thought I'd make a new start and move to Adelaide to start a new job in the Adelaide Hills, but I felt like I didn't belong at all. I felt like I wasn't welcomed by the locals and I just felt totally beaten. One day, I got talking to a guy at my local pub over a beer and this guy was Dr Robert. He told me about his program, which at that stage was only in the formative stages and he said he could coach me so I wouldn't be so lonely - and alone. The program was really challenging, even a bit confronting at times, but it was also fun and really got me back into living my life. After the 6 months, I had lots of local friends who are really supportive to this day and I really feel like an important part of my community. I can walk tall again knowing that if I run into trouble in my life, that my friends will give me a hand, just like I'll give them a hand if they have hard times. Robert's program is brilliant - just do it!" 

― Steven S (2017)