Coaches Rising

We are facing the shifting of an age. Humanity can and must radically transform - what individual and collective actions are constructive to facilitate this process? In this conversation with entrepreneur Thomas Björkman we take a meta view of the current times of social and political upheaval and explore lessons from deep history to deep psychology, considerations in transforming complex systems, the fragility and transformation of social constructs and the individual shifts we can make. Tomas Björkman is a social entrepreneur, thinker, writer, and philanthropist. Formerly a serial entrepreneur in banking, real estate, media and IT, Tomas has since shifted his efforts toward catalyzing a human culture of consciousness development that can drive societal change. He is the co-founder of the Ekskäret Foundation in Stockholm, which aims to catalyze higher levels of individual and societal consciousness by supporting social entrepreneurs and operating arenas that bring change agents together. He is also the author of The Market Myth, The Nordic Secret and The World We Create.

As coaches, we understand the need to meet our clients where they’re at and instinctively tune into their nervous systems. Polyvagal theory helps us refine this capacity and provides a framework to help our clients understand their nervous systems better. In this conversation with consultant Dab Dana we explore the three organising principles of polyvagal theory, coregulation, methods of self-regulation, how to adapt to your client’s nervous system and how to approach trauma. Deb Dana, LCSW, is a clinician, consultant, author and speaker specializing in complex trauma. Her work is focused on using the lens of Polyvagal Theory to understand and resolve the impact of trauma in our lives. She is well known for translating Polyvagal Theory into a language and application that is both understandable and accessible - for clinicians and curious people alike. Deb is a consultant to the Traumatic Stress Research Consortium in the Kinsey Institute at Indiana University and the author of several books, including the upcoming book, “Anchored: How to Befriend Your Nervous System Using Polyvagal Theory”.

The way we engage with the world is largely rooted in learned habits that are deeply embodied. How can neuroscience and embodied coaching inform how we help our clients change? In this conversation with leadership coach Amanda Blake we dive into the neuroscience of change, ways of knowing, how to work with embodied habits and the deep philosophical waters of transformation. 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.

Purpose is often spoken about as an elusive thing that requires a certain amount of luck to locate it. But what if purpose was something that was woven throughout our lives, leaving hints at every turn? In this conversation with master coach Holly Woods we explore purpose as a golden thread throughout our lives, how to recognise it, how purpose manifests through stages of development and the magic and struggle around purpose that manifest in the later stages of development. Holly Woods PhD is a master coach, mentor and the founder of Purpose Launch Lab who works with individuals, organizations and businesses to align their lives and work with soul purpose. She brings 30 years of consulting and coaching in human and organizational development and two decades of experience building and scaling business and products to help entrepreneurs, visionaries and innovators create impact. Holly helps clients uncover their nuanced purpose, gain the capacities and mindset to attain their unreasonable goals, and align decisions, products and systems around what matters most. She is the author of The Golden Thread: Finding Purpose in the Stages of Your Life.

Ram Ramanathan, a master coach and founder of Coacharya, delves into the unique challenges and opportunities in the coaching industry. He discusses the importance of democratizing coaching to make it accessible while emphasizing ethical practices. The conversation highlights the transformation of groups into cohesive teams through emotional bonding and the role of diverse stakeholders in systemic coaching. Ram also explores the integration of spirituality with coaching to foster deeper connections and enhance team dynamics, making for a thought-provoking discussion.

Organisations are increasingly aware of the extent to which their efficacy and success depends upon their teamwork. In this conversation with executive and team coach Kimberley Parsons we explore the scope and process of team coaching, decoding norms in the ecosystem, key issues that teams struggle with, and harnessing collective intelligence. Kimberley Lewis Parsons is an executive and team coach, master facilitator and speaker who partners with teams and leaders to help them reach higher levels of performance and results. With over nineteen years serving in Fortune 500 and not-for-profit companies, her experiences position her to bring pragmatism and a results focus, as well as an emphasis on the heart and humanity to her clients. Kimberley is the founder of Created For Greatness, llc - a leadership effectiveness company dedicated to helping leaders and teams achieve more meaningful outcomes and increased effectiveness in their workplace, communities, and relationships.

In this conversation with executive coach Amiel Handelsman we dive into the diversity within the anti-racism movement, how coaches can help, the Omni-American vision, working with white shame and embodied racism. Amiel Handelsman is an executive coach and change consultant, helping leaders and teams rise to the challenge of complexity. He is passionate about navigating cultural waters as an anti-race anti-racist. Amiel has been developing leaders since 1993 and previously directed business development for New Ventures West. He’s the author of Practice Greatness: Escape Small Thinking, Listen Like A Master, And Lead With Your Best.

We live in times where information is rife but wisdom is in short supply, where ideologies abound but meaning is scarce, and the time for taking mediating actions on the abundant crises we face is limited. In this conversation with cognitive psychologist John Vervaeke we explore the symptomology of the meaning crisis, how we create meaning and lie to ourselves, the “religion of me”, the potential of wisdom practices and solving the meaning crisis. 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.

The responsibility we have as people working in a helping profession means it’s important for us to know when we’ve reached the limits of our expertise, but working out where that line is can be tricky. In this conversation with Executive Coach and Mental Health Researcher Verity Symcox we explore the distinctions between coaching and therapy, how to know when to refer, and methods of safeguarding ourselves as coaches as well as our clients. Verity Symcox is an Executive Coach, Behavioural Change Specialist, Mental Health Researcher and Head Coach at fifty50 Coaching. She has an MSc in Coaching and Behavioural Change from Henley Business School, certificates in Positive Psychiatry for Mental Health and Awareness of Mental Health Problems and BACP therapeutic foundation training. Verity has been working, training and researching in the field of mental health for over 7 years and brings to the table a wealth of expertise in coaching clients during periods of poor mental health, stress and burnout.

What becomes possible when we include a much wider context? And what can the relationships between things and people teach us about what is occurring? In this conversation with coach and CEO Marita Fridjhon we dive into systemic coaching, the three phases of emergence, how systems speak and how to engage with them and the current challenges for coaches. Marita Fridjhon is the co-owner and CEO of CRR Global and mentor to an ever-growing community of practitioners in the field of Relationship Systems work. She designs curriculum and operates training programs in Relationship Systems Work for coaches, executives and teams. Her primary focus in coaching is on systemic change, leveraging diversity, creative communication, deep democracy in conflict management and the development of Learning Organizations.