"Whether they are raised in indigenous or modern culture, there are two things that people crave: the full realization of their innate gifts, and to have these gifts acknowledged. There are countless people in the West whose efforts are sadly wasted because they have no means of expressing their unique genius. In the psyches of such people there is an inner power and authority that fails to shine because the world around them is blind to it." ― Malidoma Some
DEVELOPMENTAL COACHING
Our coaching work is based on an integration of developmental coaching, performance coaching, and embodiment research and practice.
The developmentally attuned aspect of our approach is based on the research of Jane Loevinger, Robert Kegan, Susanne Cook-Greuter and William Torbert, among many others who have studied how adults can potentially (but do not necessarily) continue developing through increasingly complex and mature bio-psycho-social stages long after their physical growth into adulthood is finished.
Our approach is to appreciate people as complex systems: continually doing our best to apprehend what is going on on the level of the nervous system and the physical body more generally, on the level of emotions, in the mental process and in each individual's unique patterns of attention.
Accordingly in one moment our approach may be body-based and in the next it might be observing and reflecting on thoughts and thought processes.
When working on the level of thoughts and attention we model and help clients build in themselves increased capacity for reframing and taking new and more diverse and creative perspectives. This helps freshen up stuck or otherwise obsolete thinking.
We also frequently weave in emotional work, helping clients increase their emotional awareness and capacity to be with all of the emotions that come up within their self in a healthy life affirming way.
Unless expert consulting is specifically requested, we generally avoid giving advice to solve problems. We prefer to support clients in the development
of new psychobiological capacities, including new inner systems of problem
creation and problem solving.
Often with inner shifts and the emergence of new capabilities, engagement with life drops to a deeper frequency and more fundamental concerns. When this happens it is common that the original presenting problem or problems are dissolved or otherwise rendered obsolete.
A key principle of our approach is to continually bring attention to how whatever is being talked about is showing up in the present moment; noticing and bringing attention to connections between thoughts, emotions and somatic reactions in real time.
The focus of our work is whatever is most important to our clients.
When we work in a business context we integrate best practices from performance coaching into our process as we strive to find synergies between supporting inner growth for the individual and achievement of outer results for the business.