Unmuted at Work: Accent Bias, Belonging, and What We Think We Hear

In this episode of The Coaching Studio, I sit down with Heather Hansen to talk about something most of us don’t notice until it’s right in our face: how quickly we decide what someone “knows” or how competent they are, based on how they sound.

Heather shares her path into linguistics, starting with being a talker as a kid, competitive speech and debate, then studying language and society, and eventually building Global Speech Academy in Singapore. You can hear the through-line: she’s been tracking the power dynamics of English as a bridge language for a long time, who gets listened to, who gets dismissed, and what it costs people to constantly translate themselves into “acceptable.”

We dig into her book Unmuted and the framework behind it, because the ability to speak up is not just about confidence. Heather breaks it into three overlapping parts: conscious communication (reading the room, culture, timing), confident communication (skills and self-trust), and connected communication (belonging and psychological safety). When one piece is missing, people get too loud, go quiet, or start self-editing until they disappear.

Then we go deeper into accent bias, and Heather doesn’t sugarcoat it. “Perfect English” isn’t how global business actually works, and a lot of what we treat as “professional” is just power and familiarity dressed up as standards. She shares the real tension she lives with in her work: helping individuals succeed inside a biased system while also trying to change how the system listens.

We also talk about what this means for coaches and leaders. Heather points out that we’re listening to layers, pace, pitch, emphasis, tone, and then we assign meaning fast, often without realizing it. And in global workplaces, misunderstandings happen all the time because people assume understanding instead of checking for it. Her practical takeaway is simple and strong: don’t ask “Do you understand?” Ask people to reflect back what they’re taking away and what they’ll do next.

Finally, we touch on what’s coming fast: real-time translation and “accent translation” tech. Heather’s take is nuanced, yes, it can reduce harm and open access, but it also raises real questions about identity, inequality, and the cultural misunderstandings that don’t disappear just because everyone sounds the same in an earbud.

This was one of those conversations that changes how you listen the next time you’re in a meeting, on a Zoom call, or coaching someone who doesn’t sound like you. And it ends with a book recommendation I loved, and a big question about what we hope people remember about us when we’re gone.

Season 5

Host: Lyssa deHart, LICSW, MCC, BCC
Let's Connect on LinkedIn
Website Lyssa deHart

Producer: Michele Logan

Video Editor: Sebastian Crespo

Social Media: Lizana Guillen

Music: Frolic by Harrison Amer

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Scaling the Human Center: Tim Harrison on AI and the Future of Coaching

On this episode of the Coaching Studio, Tim Harrison, founder and CEO of the Coaching Innovation Lab, joins Lyssa deHart to explore what AI is changing in coaching, and what still requires a human being. Tim shares his path from Division I basketball into coaching and psychology, shaped by an early experience of being coached during a major identity shift. That origin story informs his focus on widening access to meaningful developmental support.

A core thread is scale without losing the human center. Tim describes building EPOG Academy and running into the practical limits of time and cost, then discovering how quickly AI could expand access when used thoughtfully. He argues that for many people the real comparison is not “AI vs. a human coach,” it’s “some support vs. none,” and he’s candid about the disruption that creates for the profession.

The conversation turns practical: how coaches can use AI without getting diluted. Tim shares what research suggests about AI’s “compression effect,” why authenticity matters (people want your voice, not generic polish), and why hybrid models are likely. He offers two frameworks coaches can apply immediately: his “Four A’s of Innovation” (automation, augmentation, amplification, adaptation) and a “Model T” mindset, rethinking the work rather than just bolting AI onto old workflows. The episode closes with Tim’s spoken word piece, “Final Slumber,” a reflection on mortality, meaning, and choosing a life that’s lived on purpose.

Season 5

Host: Lyssa deHart, LICSW, MCC, BCC
Let's Connect on LinkedIn
Website Lyssa deHart

Producer: Michele Logan

Video Editor: Sebastian Crespo

Social Media: Lizana Guillen

Music: Frolic by Harrison Amer

Subscribe, Rate, & Follow on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

In this episode, I sit down with Professor Jonathan Passmore for a grounded conversation about coaching as a profession, how it has evolved, and what it takes to do it well in the real world. We start with his path: the early roles, the consulting years, and the move into academia, all shaped by a consistent interest in what actually supports human change, not just what sounds good in theory.

From there we look at the way coaching has shifted over the last two decades. It’s no longer an executive perk tucked inside leadership development. It’s increasingly used at scale inside organizations navigating strategy shifts, mergers, and technology change. Jonathan offers a clear view of what has improved, what has gotten diluted, and why the coaching relationship still matters when everything is moving fast.

We also spend time on the craft: what coaches need to notice, what gets missed when coaching becomes overly procedural, and why presence includes more than good questions. We talk about the role of the body in sense-making, and the importance of humor, not as performance, but as relational timing that builds trust.

AI comes in as one part of the bigger picture. We touch on what it can offer, where it falls short, and why ethics, governance, and discernment matter if coaching is going to expand responsibly. We close with a personal reflection: how this work has shaped Jonathan over time, and what he’s still practicing, especially the ongoing discipline of listening well. 

Season 5

Host: Lyssa deHart, LICSW, MCC, BCC
Let's Connect on LinkedIn
Website Lyssa deHart

Producer: Michele Logan

Video Editor: Sebastian Crespo

Social Media: Lizana Guillen

Music: Frolic by Harrison Amer

Subscribe, Rate, & Follow on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

The Wonder of Words: Haesun Moon on Dialogue, Meaning, and the Power of “Languaging”

Haesun shares how her lifelong fascination with language began in childhood, shaped by a mother who taught her the power of “languaging” and a father who instilled a love of linguistic beauty. She traces how this early awareness, coupled with learning multiple languages, shaped her ability to hear nuance, intention, and the life logic embedded in how people speak.

The conversation moves into her groundbreaking work on the Dialogic Orientation Quadrant, born from microanalysis research and refined into an accessible framework for leaders, clinicians, and coaches. Haesun illustrates how conversations move between past and future, resources and struggles, and how what we listen for influences what grows in a dialogue. She offers vivid examples, from her misplaced phone and surprising sense of peace to a handbag in a Korean market that taught her about how we might want to listen like a salesperson, all the while, discussing how perspective can shift everything.

Throughout the episode, Haesun and Lyssa explore curiosity, relational fluency, respectful engagement with metaphors, and the difference between acknowledging someone’s difficulty and diving unnecessarily into it. Their conversation reveals how subtle word choices, like asking “something else” instead of “anything else,” can dramatically increase clarity, reduce unmet needs, and make people feel truly valued.

Rich with practical insights for anyone who wants to become more intentional in communication. We are reminded that dialogue is co-created, meaning emerges moment by moment, and even small linguistic shifts can open pathways to connection, trust, and genuine change.

This is an episode for coaches, clinicians, leaders, and anyone fascinated by the lived poetry of conversation. Haesun doesn’t just teach about dialogue, she embodies it. Her insights linger long after the interview ends, reminding us that our words are tools for shaping meaning, connection, and possibility.

Season 5

Host: Lyssa deHart, LICSW, MCC, BCC
Let's Connect on LinkedIn
Website Lyssa deHart

Producer: Michele Logan

Video Editor: Sebastian Crespo

Social Media: Lizana Guillen

Music: Frolic by Harrison Amer

Subscribe, Rate, & Follow on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Beyond the Individual: Professor Peter Hawkins on Consciousness, Systems, and the Future of Coaching

In this powerful conversation, Lyssa deHart sits down with Professor Peter Hawkins, one of the most influential thinkers in systemic coaching and organizational transformation. Together, they explore the deeper shifts required for leaders, teams and coaches to meet the complexity of our world, moving beyond individual performance toward collective purpose, ecological awareness and relational intelligence.

Peter traces the arc of his remarkable journey, from literature and drama therapy to mental health, psychotherapy and global systems consulting, revealing how each chapter shaped his understanding of human consciousness. He shares the story of his granddaughter’s sudden paralysis, illustrating how his five-step practice of “grumble to gratitude” became not just theory but a profound lived discipline. The conversation expands into the urgency of unlearning individualistic paradigms, the role of beauty in transforming consciousness, the interdependence of all systems we inhabit and why coaching must evolve to serve life itself, not just the person in the room.

This episode is a meditation on purpose, service and the great work of our time: shifting human consciousness so we can respond wisely to the interconnected crises we face. Peter’s humility, clarity and grounded wisdom offer a rare glimpse into what systemic leadership looks like when practiced from deep authenticity.
Listeners will walk away with a richer sense of what it means to coach relationally, lead ecologically and live with radical responsibility for the future we are shaping.

Season 5

Host: Lyssa deHart, LICSW, MCC, BCC
Let's Connect on LinkedIn
Website Lyssa deHart

Producer: Michele Logan

Video Editor: Sebastian Crespo

Social Media: Lizana Guillen

Music: Frolic by Harrison Amer

Subscribe, Rate, & Follow on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Coaching the Person in a Changing World: Marcia Reynolds on Connection, Identity, and the Power of Reflective Inquiry

In this full-circle conversation, Lyssa welcomes back Dr. Marcia Reynolds, Psy.D., MCC, the very first guest ever on The Coaching Studio and one of the most influential voices in modern coaching. Marcia has spent four decades exploring what actually transforms the human mind, and in this episode, she pulls back the curtain on the deeper mechanics of reflective inquiry, emotional co-regulation, and why authentic human connection remains irreplaceable even in an AI-saturated world.

The conversation ranges from neuroscience to identity to the simple, courageous act of being fully present with another person. Marcia shares the evolving insights behind the upcoming second edition of Coach the Person, Not the Problem, including new work on identity-based coaching and the expanding research on how our emotional state shapes a client’s capacity for insight. She and Lyssa explore the stories people live inside, how coaches can learn to listen for context instead of details, and why a real coaching partnership helps us bypass the brain’s built-in resistance to self-examination.

They also laugh about turning seventy by skydiving, reflect on the gift of being challenged with compassion, and talk candidly about the places where even seasoned coaches still hide parts of themselves. It’s a rich, warm, deeply human episode that will leave coaches more attuned to presence, more curious about identity, and more committed to creating the kind of space where people can finally hear themselves think.

Check out her website

And follow her on LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.

Season 5

Host: Lyssa deHart, LICSW, MCC, BCC
Let's Connect on LinkedIn
Website Lyssa deHart

Producer: Michele Logan

Video Editor: Sebastian Crespo

Social Media: Lizana Guillen

Music: Frolic by Harrison Amer

Subscribe, Rate, & Follow on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

From Survival to Thriving: Reclaiming Agency and Meaning with Jon Rosemberg, ACC

In this episode of The Coaching Studio podcast, Lyssa deHart sits down with Jon Rosemberg, ACC, author of A Guide to Thriving: The Science Behind Breaking Old Patterns, Reclaiming Your Agency, and Finding Meaning. Jon’s journey from Caracas to corporate boardrooms to coaching offers a deeply human lens on what it means to move from survival mode into a truly thriving life.

Together, they explore the neuroscience and psychology of agency, why our brains cling to old patterns, and how awareness, inquiry, and reframing—the AIR Method—help us reconnect to possibility. Jon shares his own transformation from chasing success to discovering meaning, illustrating how moments of connection, curiosity, and courage can rewire not only our thinking but our entire relationship to life.

From the importance of psychological safety in organizations to the quiet power of social connection, this conversation reveals how thriving isn’t a destination but a daily practice. Jon and Lyssa unpack the messy beauty of evolution over revolution, the systems that keep us in survival mode, and the small acts of agency that start powerful ripples of change.

If you’ve ever wondered how to find meaning in chaos or how to lead with both heart and clarity, this episode will remind you: thriving begins the moment you choose to see the full spectrum of possibility.

You can connect with Jon on LinkedIn
Check out his website
Follow him on Facebook and Instagram
Jon's Book: A Guide to Thriving: The Science Behind Breaking Old Patterns, Reclaiming Your Agency, and Finding Meaning - https://amzn.to/4onvu2b 

Jon Rosemberg empowers leaders and organizations to break free from survival mode and step boldly into thriving. He has spent over two decades coaching Fortune 500 executives and global teams through deep transformations, demonstrating that positive change begins by courageously reclaiming our agency. Drawing on his experiences of personal and professional reinvention, Jon combines real-world business insight with cutting-edge research to help others find meaning and thrive. 

Jon’s belief in human potential led him to found Anther, a firm dedicated to helping individuals and teams transform uncertainty into possibility. Previously, he held senior leadership roles at Walmart, Procter & Gamble, Indigo, and served as Chief Operating Officer at scale-up GoBolt.

He holds an MBA from Cornell University, a Master of Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) from the University of Pennsylvania, and advanced certifications in leadership, coaching, and complex negotiations. Growing up in Caracas, Venezuela, Jon experienced adversity and loss on a journey that took him from New York and Montreal to Toronto, where he now lives with his wife, Adriana, and their two sons. 

Today, as co-founder of Anther and CEO of Strongpoint Group, he continues to champion growth and well-being, serving as a judge for the Canadian Workplace Well-Being Awards and as an assistant instructor in Penn’s MAPP program.

Season 5

Host: Lyssa deHart, LICSW, MCC, BCC
Let's Connect on LinkedIn
Website Lyssa deHart

Producer: Michele Logan

Video Editor: Sebastian Crespo

Social Media: Lizana Guillen

Music: Frolic by Harrison Amer

Subscribe, Rate, & Follow on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Humans, What's Normal? And the Essence of Brilliance.

On this episode of the Coaching Studio, host Lyssa deHart, MCC, sits down with Michael Stratford, MCC — the self-proclaimed Provocateur of Transformation — who, by the end of the conversation, reframes himself as something even more powerful: an Evocateur of Transformation.

Michael’s story is raw, humorous, and deeply human. From 56 different careers and a near brush with suicide to becoming one of the pioneers of modern coaching, he shares how discovering his own uniqueness became the foundation for his life’s work. Together, Lyssa and Michael explore what it means to coach humans, not “clients,” to let go of labels like “normal,” and to see difference not as a flaw but as the essence of brilliance.

Their conversation dives into the philosophy behind Michael’s immersive MillionQuest™ adventure. A gamified journey in self-mastery designed to help people positively impact one million sentient beings. They also unpack his book The Game of Coaching, exploring how play, curiosity, and presence can transform both coaches and the people they serve.

Witty, wise, and provocative, Michael reminds us that coaching is not about fixing anyone, it’s about evoking the singular human being who’s been there all along.

Check out his website.

Follow him on LinkedIn and Facebook.

Season 5

Host: Lyssa deHart, LICSW, MCC, BCC
Let's Connect on LinkedIn
Website Lyssa deHart

Producer: Michele Logan

Video Editor: Sebastian Crespo

Social Media: Lizana Guillen

Music: Frolic by Harrison Amer

Subscribe, Rate, & Follow on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Resilience, Beauty, and the Generous Exchange with Dr. Maria Sirois

What if the hardest moments in life, loss, grief, upheaval, could become the fertile ground for resilience and even beauty?

In this moving conversation, host Lyssa deHart sits down with Dr. Maria Sirois, psychologist, resilience expert, and author of The Generous Exchange: How Attention to Beauty, Goodness, and Excellence Restores Us and Our World.

 Together, they explore the science of post-traumatic growth, the truth about resilience as a practice, and the profound ways we can heal through connection, beauty, and compassion.

Maria shares wisdom drawn from her decades of work in pediatric oncology and positive psychology, revealing the “moves” resilient people make, facing reality, choosing what sustains them, and “borrowing better brains” when life feels too heavy. She offers a fresh understanding of grief as integration rather than completion and introduces the Japanese art of Kintsugi as a metaphor for holding both brokenness and wholeness at once.

From leadership to love, from burnout to beauty, this episode invites listeners to rediscover grounded optimism and the grace to grow through challenge.

Check out her website.


Follow her on LinkedIn and YouTube.

Season 5

Host: Lyssa deHart, LICSW, MCC, BCC
Let's Connect on LinkedIn
Website Lyssa deHart

Producer: Michele Logan

Video Editor: Sebastian Crespo

Social Media: Lizana Guillen

Music: Frolic by Harrison Amer

Subscribe, Rate, & Follow on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

On this episode of The Coaching Studio, host Lyssa deHart welcomes Jille Bartolome, MCC, a coach who has been shaping the profession since 1996. Known by colleagues and clients as “The Velvet Hammer,” Jille embodies a rare blend of compassion and candor, inviting people into courageous self-discovery while asking the questions that strike at the heart of what matters. In their conversation, Jille shares her personal journey into coaching, including the pivotal moment she discovered the field through a magazine article featuring Thomas Leonard. 

She reflects on how coaching first transformed her own sense of authenticity and continues to evolve as the profession matures. Together, Lyssa and Jille explore why true coaching begins with self-awareness, how unresolved personal work shows up in sessions, and why coaching the person rather than the problem is the cornerstone of sustainable growth. 

Jille also offers insights from decades as a mentor coach, faculty member, and ICF assessor. She highlights the growth edges many coaches face, particularly around creating clear agreements and facilitating lasting learning at the close of a session. Her stories underscore the importance of boundaries, transparency, and cultivating safe, empowering spaces for clients. 

Looking ahead, Jille emphasizes the role of human connection as coaching’s most irreplaceable asset in a world increasingly shaped by AI. At the heart of her work, she hopes people leave with a deep trust in themselves and the courage to make decisions rooted in their own wisdom. 

Check out her website.


Follow her on LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube.

Season 5

Host: Lyssa deHart, LICSW, MCC, BCC
Let's Connect on LinkedIn
Website Lyssa deHart

Producer: Michele Logan

Video Editor: Sebastian Crespo

Social Media: Lizana Guillen

Music: Frolic by Harrison Amer

Subscribe, Rate, & Follow on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.