In these particularly challenging times, how can we as coaches help people foster resilience, embodied decision-making and the fundamental needs of safety, belonging and dignity? In this conversation with somatic coach Staci Haines we dive into coaching across social boundaries, addressing conditioned tendencies, fostering resilience, living from past commitments and expanding our somatic capacity. Staci Haines is a national leader in the field of Somatics specializing in social leadership. She is a senior teacher at Strozzi Institute and the founder of generative somatics, bringing Somatics to social and environmental change leaders, and generationFIVE, a community leadership organization whose mission is to end the sexual abuse of children. Her most recent book is “The politics of trauma; Somatics, healing and social justice”.

Our understanding of how our brains work continues to evolve, as well as our understanding of how we create meaning. How can we use advances in cognitive science to help our coaching clients? In this conversation with Amanda Blake and John Vervaeke we dive into cognitive science and how it can help us understand meaning-making, how cognition is not in your head, different forms of knowing, reciprocal opening and narrowing and how cognitive science translates to practical tools for coaches. Amanda Blake is a Leadership Coach, creator of the popular Body = BrainⓇ course on the neurobiology of experiential learning and author of the forthcoming book Your Body Is Your Brain. In addition to teaching about the art and science of embodiment, she works with leaders worldwide to help them become their best self, enjoy life more, and make a bigger contribution. She is a Master Somatic Leadership Coach and holds a degree in Human Biology from Stanford University. John Vervaeke, PhD is an award-winning lecturer at the University of Toronto in the departments of psychology, cognitive science and Buddhist psychology. He teaches courses in the Psychology department on thinking and reasoning, cognitive development, and higher cognitive processes. He also teaches a course in the Buddhism, Psychology and Mental Health program on Buddhism and Cognitive Science. He has a popular YouTube channel where he shares his insights and research on these topics. His abiding passion is to address the meaning crisis that besets western culture.

As coaches, it’s important that we are clear on the level of care we are able to provide and when we need to refer a client to another mental health professional. In this conversation with trauma professional David Treleaven we explore the ubiquity of trauma, encountering trauma in a coaching session, resilience practices, dysregulation and nuance and working with the “window of tolerance”. David Treleaven, PhD, is a writer, educator, and trauma professional whose work focuses on the intersection of trauma, mindfulness, and social justice. Born in Toronto, Canada, he trained in counseling psychology at the University of British Columbia and received his doctorate in psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco. He is author of the book Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness: Practices for Safe and Transformative Healing.

There are many avenues of exploration into the psyche; Inquiry is one that brings an aliveness and immediacy that can give rise to a sense of wonder, possibility and radical awareness. In this conversation with Diamond Approach teacher Dom Liber we explore the practice of Inquiry, how it differs from analysis, the role of somatic sensing and language, applying Inquiry in coaching practice and potential pitfalls for coaches. Dominic C. Liber is an explorer, writer and teacher of the inner world. He follows a lifelong fascination with both magic and mystery, science and sense. He has been on the inner journey teaching meditation for over thirty years, a Diamond Approach student for over twenty years, and a Diamond Approach teacher since 2015. A former actuary and one of the founding partners of LeapFrog Investments, a global leader in impact investment, Dominic now works entirely with the Diamond Approach. He leads groups and works with students mostly in the UK and South Africa.

We can only move forwards if we start where we are; a powerful approach we can adopt as coaches is to cultivate deep presence and from there allow a forward movement to emerge organically. In this conversation with Focusing expert and innovator Ann Weiser Cornell we dive into the practice of focusing, how it works, why it’s so effective, working with emotions and parts, the wisdom of the body and the foundations of our inner world. Ann Weiser Cornell is internationally recognized as one of the leading innovators and theoreticians of Focusing. She has taught Focusing in eighteen countries and her Focusing books and manuals have been translated into seven other languages. Ann is well-known in the Focusing world for her attention to the language that facilitates Focusing, her popular manuals, and her co-creation with Barbara McGavin of Treasure Maps to the Soul, a body of work applying Focusing to difficult areas such as addiction, depression, action blocks, self-criticism, and unfulfilled desire.

In these uncertain times of global upheaval it is more important than ever to cultivate resilience; both in ourselves, our clients, and our communities. In this conversation with psychotherapist Linda Graham we explore transfering lessons from individual to collective resilience, the power of hope, cultivating resilient emotions, calming the nervous system, fostering positivity and working with the unsure part. Linda Graham, MFT, is an experienced psychotherapist, bestselling author and international speaker. She integrates modern neuroscience, mindfulness practices, and relational psychology in her worldwide trainings. She is the author of Bouncing Back: Rewiring Your Brain for Maximum Resilience and Well-Being, winner of the 2013 Books for a Better Life award and the 2014 Better Books for a Better World award.

Attuning to different levels of perception through our quality of listening is something we do naturally as coaches, but learning to navigate this skill with even greater nuance is a limitless endeavour that is endlessly rich. In this conversation with CEO and facilitator Veronica Love we dive into the crisis of listening, the limitations of obvious realities, dynamic coherency, the power of pausing and non-conceptual modes of perception. Veronica Love is the Global CEO of The Newfield Network and an international facilitator who trains leaders and coaches who change the world. Veronica has lead Newfield's signature coach training and leadership programs internationally in 8 countries and in two languages. She has trained everyone from individuals, to coaches, to entrepreneurs, to leaders in top organization such as NASA, Google, Fortune 50 Consulting Firms, Niki, IBM, The World Bank and more. Veronica’s unique light and playful demeanor compliment her capacity for depth and impact. She powerfully integrates language and emotions, and how they show up in our bodies to encourage learning and new awareness that helps us create new results in the world.

As we collectively question the foundations of our global culture, its systems, and our individual lifestyles, we are in great need of guidance around human identity, values and how we create meaningful and life-honouring lives. In this conversation with author Jeremy Lent we dive into the methods and impact of meaning-making, the history and cultural differences of the human identity, mirror neurons and group coherence, hedonia and eudaimonia, and the possibility of fractal flourishing. Jeremy Lent is an author whose writings investigate the patterns of thought that have led our civilization to its current crisis of sustainability. His award-winning book, The Patterning Instinct: A Cultural History of Humanity's Search for Meaning, explores the way humans have made meaning from the cosmos from hunter-gatherer times to the present day. He is founder of the non-profit Liology Institute, dedicated to fostering an integrated, life-affirming worldview that could enable humanity to thrive sustainably on Earth.

The emerging edge of leadership and innovation lies in the realm of the intangible. How can we become more comfortable with moving into not-knowing, given that our transformation as a culture depends on it? In this conversation with Nicholas Janni and Bob Anderson we explore the subtle capacities that are necessary for creating fields of innovation, the psychological threshold of not knowing, working with shadow, integral consciousness and the power of group amplification. Nicholas Janni has spent 30 years researching ‘the zone’ of peak performance and studying multiple mind/body disciplines. Over the last 15 years he has gained an international reputation for his transformational coaching and leadership development seminars. He works with CEO’s and senior leadership teams worldwide, is a former Associate Fellow at The University of Oxford Said Business School and teaches regularly at the IMD in Lausanne. Bob Anderson is the founder, Chairman and Chief Development Officer of The Leadership Circle and the Full Circle Group. Over the past 35 years, Bob has dedicated his career to exploring the intersections between leadership and mastery, competence and consciousness, spirituality and business. He works with CEOs and leadership teams to help them improve their leadership effectiveness and is the co-author of the book, Mastering Leadership, described as the next seminal work in the leadership field.

As coaches it’s our job to map the internal world of our clients; understanding their unique paradigm from which they view and engage with the world is fundamental to deep transformation. In this conversation with organizational consultant Keith Merron we explore what paradigms are and how they are formed and transformed, the change process, mapping the client’s paradigm, meeting the paradigm’s needs and unlocking the pain body. Keith Merron is an organizational consultant and leadership developer and the founder and Managing Partner of Leadership Pathways as well as a partner at Barbara Annis and Associates. Keith’s early research on the relationships between human development, managerial effectiveness and high performance played a profound role in helping shape a whole new field of study called Integral Theory. Keith has designed and led over 100 seminars and workshops for leaders. In partnership with his clients, he has successfully conducted over 25 large-system strategic, cultural, and technical change efforts.