108 - Marita Bolles: Ontological Coaching & the Power of Delight

In this conversation with Bonnitta Roy we explore the mentality of crisis, the ledger function of the mind, our cultural habit of categorizing by splitting, the shift to “lyric culture”, the art of disclosure and abstraction and wholeness. Bonnitta Roy teaches insight practices for individuals who are developing meta-cognitive skills, and hosts collective insight retreats for groups interested in breaking away from limiting patterns of thought. She teaches a masters course in consciousness studies and transpersonal psychology at the Graduate Institute. Her teaching highlights the embodied, affective and perceptual aspects of the core self, and the non-egoic potentials from which subtle sensing, intuition and insight emerge. Bonnitta is the author of the popular Medium publication Our Future at Work. She is an associate editor of Integral Review where you can also find her articles on process approaches to consciousness, perception, and metaphysics.

In this conversation with coach and consultant Chris Alder we explore the concept of practice, how we create practices that are developmentally intelligent, working with metaphor, integration and somatic development, hot and cold zone practices and role modelling for our clients. Chris Alder is a partner at Evolution and has been working globally with executives and senior leaders for the past 12 years across a whole wide range of industries. He is passionate about helping leaders move beyond their current perspective and reality and transform themselves and their leadership in order to better navigate the complexities of the ever-changing business world. He completed his coaching studies with Integral Coaching Canada in their Master Coaching program and went on to train as faculty for them in 2015 where he now teaches their ICF accredited program in Europe and Canada. 

In this conversation with Dr. Robert Biswas-Diener we explore how we evaluate and evolve our coaching, the art of positive provocation, challenging coaching culture, owning our sovereignty in our coaching styles and the role of self-reflection and supervision. Dr. Robert Biswas-Diener is widely known as the “Indiana Jones of Positive Psychology” because his research has taken him to such far-flung places as Greenland, India, Kenya, and Israel. He is a leading authority on strengths, culture, courage, and happiness and is known for his pioneering work in the application of positive psychology to coaching. Robert has authored more than 60 peer-reviewed academic articles and chapters, two of which are “citation classics” (cited more than 1,000 times each). Dr. Biswas-Diener has authored seven books, including his most recent published in 2023, Positive Provocation.

In this conversation with spiritual teacher Thomas Huebl we explore the transformational containers we create with our clients, the three core pillars of the wisdom traditions, attuning to our clients, the individuation loop, and working from our leading edge. Thomas Hübl is a renowned teacher, author, and international facilitator whose lifelong work integrates the core insights of the great wisdom traditions and mysticism with the discoveries of science. Since 2004, he has taught and facilitated programs with more than 100,000 people worldwide, including online courses which he began offering in 2008. The origin of his work and more than two decades of study and practice on healing collective trauma is detailed in his book Healing Collective Trauma: A Process for Integrating Our Intergenerational and Cultural Wounds and his latest book is Attuned: Practicing Interdependence to Heal Our Trauma - And Our World.

In this conversation with Yannick Jacob we explore positive psychology and existentialism, prioritizing presence over process, phenomenological inquiry in coaching, integrating an existential approach and the limits and boundaries of coaching. Yannick Jacob is an Existential Coach (MA), Positive Psychologist (MSc), Coach Trainer & Supervisor (DIP) and Mediator (SPCP Dispute Resolution). He is the Program Director of the Accredited Certificate in Integrative Coaching at the School of Positive Transformation and he’s the former Programme Leader of the MSc Coaching Psychology at the University of East London. Yannick is part of the teaching faculty at the School of Life, the Animas Centre for Coaching and the International Centre for Coaching Supervision. He also presents at conferences internationally and is the author of An Introduction to Existential Coaching.

In this conversation with psychiatrist and author Dan Siegel we dive into the concept of self, exploring the lie of the solo self, other constructs of selfhood, psychological adaptations for seeking wholeness, verb versus noun-like personality and the center of belonging. Daniel J. Siegel, M.D., is an internationally acclaimed author, award-winning educator, and child psychiatrist. He is currently a clinical professor of psychiatry at the UCLA School of Medicine where he also serves as a co-investigator at the Center for Culture, Brain, and Development and co-director of the Mindful Awareness Research Center. He is also the Executive Director of the Mindsight Institute, an educational center devoted to promoting insight, compassion, and empathy in individuals, families, institutions and communities. His latest book is Personality and wholeness in therapy.

In this conversation with Dana Carman and Joel Yanowitz we explore the methodology of Wayfinding in which leaders encounter the mirror of nature, the power of threshold and ritual, nature as facilitator, and translating and integrating insights. Dana Carman is an expert in human and organizational transformation. Since 1984 he has worked as a senior advisor, consultant and executive coach to leaders of more than 200 visionary organizations on 5 five continents. Dana has co-founded two pioneering consultancies and trained and certified more than 500 consultant’s, coaches and change agents worldwide. In the last several years, Dana has co-founded the Action Inquiry Associates, and is an owner, board member and core faculty of MetaIntegral Academy which offers next generation leader development programs for executives and change agents from five continents. Joel Yanowitz is a leading consultant, executive coach and senior advisor renowned for his ability to help leaders accelerate progress on critical business challenges through leveraging the human side of their organization. Joel has hands-on experience launching and running companies, having served as co-founder and managing director of Innovation Associates and currently as Vice President of Arthur D. Little. Over the past thirty years, he has helped countless business leaders drive growth, improve innovation, and build cultures capable of extraordinary performance.

In this conversation with Saniel Bonder and Linda Groves Bonder we explore the spirit/matter split, an integrative approach to spiritual inquiry, inner polarization, the core/heart wound, “second birth awakening” and the breadth of experience post awakening. Saniel Bonder is the co-founder of the Human Sun HEART Work. He has devoted his adult life first to a 20+ year spiritual quest and then to "democratizing enlightenment" by transmitting and teaching this work for more than three decades. As a prolific author, teacher, and coach, Saniel has helped high-performing teams and hundreds of individuals achieve their greatest potential. His books include Waking Down, Healing the Spirit/Matter Split, Great Relief, and The White-Hot Yoga of the Heart. Linda Groves-Bonder is the co-founder of the Human Sun HEART Work and has personally assisted many individuals into stable whole-being awakeness. A former professional artist, singer/songwriter, and actress, Linda holds a B.S. in Art Education from Ball State University.

In this conversation with choreographer and performer Arawana Hayashi we explore the dynamic transformational possibilities of social presencing theater; bringing experience into expression, moving as a social body, harnessing social presence and speaking in shapes. Arawana Hayashi’s pioneering work as a choreographer, performer and educator is deeply sourced in collaborative improvisation. She currently heads the creation of Social Presencing Theater (SPT) for the Presencing Institute. Working with Otto Scharmer and colleagues at the Presencing Institute, she brings her background in the arts, meditation and social justice to creating “social presencing” that makes visible both current reality and emerging future possibilities. Her recent book, Social Presencing Theatre is available now.

In this conversation with coaching psychologist Wendy-Ann Smith we explore common ethical issues that arise in the coaching container, the foundations of ethical practice, personal development and integrity, and navigating ethics and AI. Wendy-Ann Smith, is a coaching psychologist, co-founder of the Coaching Ethics Forum and Visiting Fellow, Centre for Positive Psychology, Buckinghamshire New University, UK. Wendy-Ann runs virtual groups for coaches who wish to nourish themselves and their coaching. Wendy-Ann regularly coaches a small number of one-to-one clients. She designs and delivers lectures, trainings and workshops internationally in a variety of settings, including universities. Her two recent books are Positive Psychology Coaching in the Workplace (2021) and The Ethical Coaches' Handbook (2023).