Sarah Bramall PCC, Senior Prac EMCC

From Vague to Actionable In my recent conversation in episode 5 of the In Confidence podcast with Vicky Reynal, psychotherapist and financial therapist, she shared a powerful way to build confidence especially when tackling things that feel overwhelming, like money. “A lot of people will come and make a general statement like, ‘I’m no good with money.’ Well, that’s not going to get you very far in terms of becoming more confident. So turn it into something concrete and specific... ‘Actually, I don’t know much about investing.’ Well, that already points you to something that you can very actively do to become more confident with that.” The key? Push the edge of your comfort zone. Get specific. Take action. Whether it’s money, leadership, or personal growth — clarity + small steps = confidence. Listen to the full conversation with Vicky Reynal:  https://lnkd.in/eS-W8dZ7 https://lnkd.in/ezkMQeRw #Confidence #GrowthMindset #FinancialTherapy #SelfDevelopment #MoneyMindset #VickyReynal #PsychologyOfMoney #Leadership

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Your mind generates thousands of thoughts every day — but many of them are automatic negative thoughts (ANTs) that shape how you see yourself and the world. In this episode of Change Your Mind, psychotherapist Judith Belmont explains a simple yet powerful tool used in cognitive behavioral therapy. Ask yourself one question: “Is this thought fact or fiction?” That single shift can help break the cycle of anxiety, self-doubt, and negative thinking. Full episode here: https://lnkd.in/gXYPbecz #krisashley #changeyourmindwithkris #psychology #CBT

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Emotional exhaustion can really impact productivity. Setting boundaries and sticking to a routine, especially around sleep, can make a big difference. A simple Sunday reset can also help remove that 'what should I do?' panic. Establishing routines and anchors can bring clarity and focus to the week ahead. #EmotionalIntelligence #Productivity #SelfCare #Boundaries

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Reflection on Group Relations Conference: Psychoanalysis in transition - Belonging to a body larger than your own In organisations, we often find ourselves in roles where we realise painfully that the system has placed us in a position that is much different to what we envisaged. More often than not, we only find this out when it is too late to change anything. At this conference, the training group I was in, was called the Leadership and Consultancy Training Group. Very potent and promising, isn't it? Just imagine the pressure to perform and the projections we received! We were seen as a special group, the chosen ones and envied by many. When we finally got to interact with others, we were asked three times whether we will be consultants or members of the group. For some reason, this was extremely important to members. There was an uncomfortable silence. This question reminded me when I was small and would visit my dad's workplace, where the ladies he worked with would ask me, just for fun, if I liked mum or dad more. I think that was my first existential crisis at the age of 5. I couldn’t choose then, and I couldn’t choose now. So I asked the group: “What is the difference if we are working on the same task?” There was no answer, again, only the silence. Our system seemed to be so polarised that one of my training group colleagues, eager to show that he wanted to be a member of the whole membership and not just of an isolated training group, led us into a blind alley towards a chosen trauma. Shall I add that we were the largest group at the institutional event of the conference and named ourselves “Owning our own shit”. I guess we were so eager to own it that we almost drowned in it and snapped out at the last moment, when lots of people expressed their discontent at feeling excluded from the group discussion. We, as a system, got stuck trying to untie the knot of historical trauma and couldn't progress any further - the time passed us by. So, in order not only to survive, but develop, grow and flourish, perhaps psychoanalytic organisations should make an effort to put aside their collective chosen traumas and think more about looking forward to how we can benefit the larger system instead of only looking in a rear mirror and making castles out of our own shit. In that sense, Jerry’s Gerard Fromm striking consultation “If we have to choose between the love for us and the love for the field, then psychoanalysis has a big problem!”, brought up a big issue to reflect on, for the whole psychoanalytic world. My dear friends in the training consultancy group, I think we were used well to the benefit of our temporary organisation, which is something every consultant would be proud of. Having thought it through, I do feel a sense of belonging to this conference as a whole and not just the training group after all. Sending my love to the best training group ever and all the wonderful people of this very special conference for me!

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When coaching neurodivergent individuals, the way we communicate can either open doors or build barriers. At UACC, we are proud to be developing a new coaching and mentoring framework designed to make every session tailor-made, empathetic, and impactful, ensuring every individual is supported in the way that best suits their strengths and needs. Thank you Nancy Alhyari and for inviting me and discussing such an important conversation. 🎧 Listen to the full episode on our YouTube channel - UACC Channel. Don’t forget to subscribe, like, and share to join the conversation. #Neurodiversity #InclusiveLeadership #Coaching #UACC #EmpowerThroughUnderstanding

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Research and practical application in coaching. I recently attended the International Oxford Brookes Coaching and Mentoring Conference and then had the chance, with Oxford Brookes University coaching pool, to unpick some of the main themes together in our CPD session. It reminded me that coaching practice and research need each other. Research gives us new questions, language and perspectives. Practice shows us what actually holds up in real conversations, with real people. In a world shaped by AI, that matters even more because the value of a 'human' coach is not only in tools or technique. It is in the quality of connection, reflection, and thinking we help create.

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My latest “Coaching Capers” cartoon for the Association for Coaching’s “Coaching Perspectives” magazine is now out. This edition of the magazine focuses on the vital topic of neurodiversity in coaching. It’s full of great thinking and practical approaches related to working effectively with the vast array of clients we coaches and supervisors encounter. Neurodiversity is an essential consideration in the practice of all coaches - whatever our own, or our clients’, neurotypes. The magazine is always a great read so be sure to check it out here: bit.ly/CPShare. Joanna Williams James Bridgeman Association for Coaching (AC) #coaching #neurodiversity #artbasedcoaching #artincoaching #supervision

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Just attended an excellent webinar by Cian Mc Enroe from NeuroLeadership Institute on the neuroscience of how we learn. The AGES model was very useful. We try to incorporate these four principles into our online courses: ATTENTION: If we are flitting around or multi-tasking we can't learn. So we ensure people are focused up front by welcoming them individually and ensuring they have their cameras on. GENERATION: We need to do something with what we are learning. So we ask participants to think of real situations and share examples of how they have practised or experienced what we're discussing. EMOTION: Interestingly, we learn best when we experience slightly negative or positive emotions. We do this by inviting people to contribute to discussions and through quizzes. Note: This arousal should be slight - not too much! SPACING: We need to continuously come back and revisit important points. We do this at FRI by chunking courses into 2 hr sessions and revising key ideas at the start of each session. Thanks Cian for this. You guys do great work!

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🎙️ Episode 4 is live! - Series 2 of Work Truths: Off the Record continues with a reflective and truly insightful conversation with London-based Charlotte Allocca MBACP Integrative Psychotherapist. Ever wondered what therapists experience behind their closed doors that tell them feelings of being an imposter are present? Well, listen to find out. I was especially interested in speaking with Charlotte because her work focuses on self-doubt, low self-esteem, and the stories people tell themselves about who they are and what they’re capable of. That gives her a very particular lens on imposter feelings – both how it manifests in the therapy room and what she hears about how it manifests in the workplace. We talk about how imposter phenomenon often shows up as a disconnect between what someone is clearly capable of and what they believe about themselves. Charlotte shares what she looks out for with clients, from reassurance-seeking and hyper-vigilance to people minimising their own achievements and moving the goalposts every time they succeed. A big part of our conversation is about where those stories come from. We explore how childhood labels, family narratives, underrepresentation, and experiences of not quite ‘fitting in’ can shape the inner voice people carry into adult life. Charlotte also explains why she sees self-compassion not as a soft option, but as a practical and necessary way of challenging our harsh internal critic when it gets vocal. And for people managers and colleagues? You’ll find out about spotting the signs when someone is masking their struggle, and how to create space that feels safe enough for honest conversation. 🧡 If you’ve ever felt like you were doing fine on the outside while carrying a much louder story inside, this episode will resonate. What helps most when imposter thoughts show up, reassurance, evidence, or simply being listened to? Listen now to find out — https://lnkd.in/eyS446j7. #WorkTruths #ImposterPhenomenon #NotASyndrome #NewPodcast #ListenNow #TheTherapistsPerspective

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“The clearest exposition I have seen of how the two spaces intersect and overlap, while remaining distinct practices.” So says Prof. David Clutterbuck who has written the foreword in my book on behalf of EMCC Global. He’s referring to my first chapter which explores where therapy and coaching meet and diverge. Myths and taxonomies abound, many including the old trope of therapy being about the past and coaching the future. Both practices are more nuanced than that. Though some practitioners, particularly those only qualified in one field, may still fall in to that outdated framing. In my experience, the overlap is rich and the distinctions matter. Where do you see the similarities and where do you hold the differences? #coaching #therapy #training You can read more about the chapters and their authors on my training website: https://lnkd.in/euEDCrWP

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What if coaching could address organisational pain points and build healthier high performers at the same time? This brilliant article explores Schema Coaching – a cutting-edge approach to workplace coaching that improves team performance while developing healthier habits and behaviours in individuals

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The strongest coaching conversations often begin long before we speak. They start with a gentle turning toward ourselves and others, with curiosity first and then with compassion. In our latest podcast episode, we had the joy of speaking with Polly Walker, coach, mediator and valued member of our Supervision Collective. Polly shared about the power of the two C’s: curiosity and compassion, and how they shape not only the way we coach and supervise but the way we move through the world. Curiosity is something we come back to again and again. It is the anchor of reflective practice, the heartbeat of psychological safety and the reason coaching feels spacious rather than transactional. Curiosity helps us notice what sits just beneath the surface. It helps us stay open, rather than rush to meaning or resolution. And yet, we often forget that curiosity belongs just as much in supervision. Being curious about our own practice, our patterns, our assumptions and our edges is what helps us learn rather than repeat. Then there is compassion. Not a soft add-on but an essential skill. Compassion strengthens wellbeing, deepens trust and creates the honesty that real growth requires. So many coaches offer compassion so generously to others while rarely extending it to themselves. But compassion is what steadies us. It is what allows us to bring our full humanity to the work. It creates the conditions where clients and supervisees can show up as their whole selves. And it is what sustains us through the messiness and beauty of both practice and life. 🎧 Listen in, take a moment to pause with us, and reconnect with the practitioner and the person you are becoming. GENERAL LINK: https://lnkd.in/e4XAS7ai APPLE: https://lnkd.in/eHanK4tx SPOTIFY: https://lnkd.in/eRWzKysi #thecoachingcatalysts #thecoachingcatalystspodcast #newpodcastepisode #podcastforcoaches #coachingtips #curiouscoaching #coachingcompassion #coachsupervision

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Leaders and coaches, do you want to "𝗟𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲𝘀"? I’ve had the privilege of being trained, coached, mentored and supervised for several years by John Leary-Joyce, CEO of AoEC - The Academy of Executive Coaching. And it’s a joy to support him co-facilitate his Advanced Coaching Skills Gestalt Embodiment programme. Here are my personal notes from last week’s sessions that you might find useful: ✳️ Embodiment is to "𝗟𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲𝘀", said Fritz Pearls, a Gestalt founder. This means getting out of my head and into my 𝘄𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲. Aligning 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱, 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝘂𝘁. From here I invite clients into experiments to practice and embody this too. ✳️ Wisdom comes from slowing down and being mindful. Integrating 𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗰, 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵𝘆 and 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. This creates greater safety, deeper connection and confident action. ✳️ When clients get 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗰𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱 — caught by their busy 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗸𝗲𝘆 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱, 𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗰 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿, 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰 and 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝘆𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗲 — 𝘀𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻 and take a 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 to sense more. Widen the lens for more awareness and acceptance. ✳️ Awareness increases with a 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲 𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲/𝘆 — standing 𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝘆 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁 and the client's discomfort, to inspire them to stand their too. At the edge of complexity and chaos, holding manageable discomfort while knowing there is always a clear pathway back to safety. Like a sherpa who has walked the path many times before. ✳️ I share my own 𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗼𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲𝘀 — sensations or emotions that the client may not yet notice. Sometimes it resonates, sometimes not — but often it opens a deeper acceptance. Awareness leads to acceptance. With acceptance, integration. And then transformation. Hear how John and the current cohort describe their learning last week...

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THE SYSTEMS THAT SHAPE US Six focused, accessible free reports and videos exploring how happiness and well-being intersect with the key systems shaping our lives. Starting today with 1️⃣Business & Happiness. 💼 Can organisations be designed for people, not just profit? 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eXu22VeX Each day, look out for these free video and report links. 2️⃣ Education & Happiness 🎓 Are we preparing kids for the future — or for an economy that no longer exists? 3️⃣ Media & Happiness 📰 How do we balance headlines with hope? 4️⃣ Social Media & Happiness 📱 What’s the cost of constant connection? 5️⃣ Government & Happiness 🏛️ What if we tracked Gross National Happiness — not just GDP? 6️⃣ Technology & Happiness 🤖 Will the future of tech enhance us — or exploit us? Let’s start the conversation. Let’s shape systems that serve us all. #GlobalHappinessCrusade #TheSystemsThatShapeUs #PurposeDriven #WellbeingEconomy #HappinessResearch #SystemicChange

An exciting book launch at The Manchester Mindfulness Festival!   "Having twice run the Innovations in Mindfulness Awards to promote best practice in making mindfulness inclusive and accessible to new audiences, The Mindfulness Initiative is launching, at the MMF on 18 October, its new Innovations in Mindfulness Workbook - Sharing Your Treasure.   Structured around an Innovations Mandala, the workbook draws upon the learnings from working with the principles of innovation training in various settings. In the spirit of collaboration, the content of the workbook has been tested, discussed and iterated in a pilot online course attended by both experienced and developing mindfulness teachers. Our aim is to support teachers to safely work beyond the traditional delivery model of an 8-week course - taking an inside-out approach to innovation. ​ ​This session is led by Vin Harris of the Hart Knowe Trust and Menka Sanghvi, MI's Innovation Policy Lead. Vin is a successful entrepreneur who has studied and practiced meditation for over 45 years and worked with the MI to co-author the Workbook. Menka Sanghvi, a mindfulness researcher and writer, developed the MI's Fieldbook for Mindfulness Innovators and has recently released her new book entitled 'Your Best Digital Life'. The session will give a taster of the course and look at how the Workbook and Fieldbook, in tandem, support the developing field of mindfulness teaching." Tickets are available from the link below! #mindfulness #manchester #inclusion

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There is so much more to successful learning journeys than the workshops themselves. Building connections with each individual and the group beforehand. Establishing genuine needs and levels of motivation. Sharing of resources and programme schedules. Setting up of Practice groups, coaching opportunities and reflection sessions. Then there are all the opportunities to nudge them between workshops, accountability groups, feedback sessions, practical activities. And of course the transfer stage....they've finished your programme of workshops and are now embedding their new skills and performing for real. Coaching, deep reflection, feedback, continued real practice. Genuinely impactful learning journeys. Exactly what #GiraffePad was designed to host. To make it easy for facilitators to manage all the moving parts in one intuitive space. If you are facilitating longer learning journeys we'd love to have a chat about how GiraffePad could be right up your street!

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How does trauma actually rewire your brain? 🧠 And how do you heal quickly and painlessly after such experiences? In this intimate 15-minute conversation, Dr Paulette Ogun — EMDR Trauma Therapist & Wellbeing Specialist — shares how professional women can: ✨ Break free from toxic workplaces and relationships ✨Rebuild their unshakable confidence ✨Stop living in survival mode and start thriving Whether you’ve been micromanaged, undermined, or emotionally drained, this episode offers real strategies to reclaim your worth — and your life. 👉 Watch the full episode on YouTube here: https://lnkd.in/gHaCnmpk #EMDR #TheNowWhatPodcast #TraumaHealing #Podcast #WomenInBusiness #MentalHealthAwareness #ConfidenceBuilding #LeadershipDevelopment #ToxicWorkplaceRecovery #EmotionalFreedom #PersonalGrowth #NarcissisticAbuseRecovery #CareerSuccess #HealingJourney #PodcastEpisode

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🎧🎼🕊️ Introducing Jannine Gentle: Advisory Circle Member | Gallup Certified Strengths Coach | Parent Advocate | ADHD Charity Peer Support Facilitator | Halifax, UK Jannine is a parent advocate, Gallup Certified Strengths Coach, and leadership development consultant with over 20 years’ experience in designing and delivering programmes that unlock talent, confidence, authenticity, and inclusive leadership. She also volunteers as a Peer Support Facilitator with West Yorkshire ADHD Support Group. Her work combines professional expertise with personal lived experience as the parent of neurodiverse children, which has profoundly shaped her perspective on the importance of supportive, sensory-friendly environments. Jannine brings the dual lens of parent and facilitator to HushAway®, helping shape it into an experience that empowers children while reassuring families. She is excited about the potential of sound, science, and storytelling to connect with children in ways that go beyond words - sparking imagination, regulating emotions, and providing sensory comfort. Looking ahead, she sees the greatest opportunity in reshaping schools, communities, and family cultures so that neurodiversity is embraced from the start, not treated as an afterthought. 🎧 Jannine’s favourite sound:  Nature & bird songs. These sounds can really help children regulate their emotions as they: * Restore focus * Lower stress * Lift mood (less anxiety = better regulation) Check out the video ⬇️ Connect with Jannine: 🔗 LinkedIn #ThePeacePath #CircleOfExperts #HushAway #SoundTherapy #ASMRforKids #NeurodiversityInclusive #BirdsInNature #BirdSongs Sources: Restorative Effects of Classroom Soundscapes on Children’s Cognitive Performance - National Library of Medicine Restorative effects of urban park soundscapes on children’s psychophysiological stress - Science Direct Birdsongs alleviate anxiety - www.nature.com

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