The Art of Somatic Coaching: Unlocking Sustainable Transformation

Explore the revolutionary approach to coaching that combines body awareness, bodywork, and mindfulness to achieve profound, lasting change. In “The Art of Somatic Coaching,” renowned coach and expert Richard Strozzi-Heckler, PhD, reveals the secrets to unlocking sustainable transformation in individuals, teams, and organizations.

Strozzi-Heckler argues that true transformation can only be achieved by integrating body-oriented somatic practices into the coaching process. By doing so, we can dissolve outdated habits, behaviors, and interpretations of the world that are embedded in our bodies – at the level of our musculature, organs, and nervous system. This somatic approach enables us to shift these patterns, paving the way for genuine transformation.

The Roots of Somatic Coaching: A Philosophy of Embodiment

The book opens with a thought-provoking discussion on the roots of Somatic Coaching, highlighting the emotional and physical costs of living disconnected from our bodies. This sense of disconnection stems from the rationalistic idea that the mind and body are separate, leading to the emergence of the field of somatics. Somatics views the body as the center of our lived experience, and Somatic Coaching was developed as a way to cultivate the self through the body.

Methods for Transformation: Cultivating Awareness, Opening, and Presence

The book outlines several key methods for achieving transformation, including:

• Somatic awareness: becoming aware of sensations in the body
• Somatic opening: using bodywork to release held patterns in the body
• Somatic practices: incorporating meditation, movement, and presence into everyday life

In addition to these methods, the book also explores the importance of social context, the healing power of nature, and the role of spirit in the coaching process.

The Arc of Transformation: A Journey to Embodied Living

Through these practices, a rhythm of unfolding occurs, moving individuals through stages of transformation from conditioned tendencies to a new, fully embodied way of being. Strozzi-Heckler describes this journey as the Arc of Transformation, a path that leads to a more satisfying, fulfilling, and embodied life.

Book Contents

The book is divided into six chapters, including:

• Introduction
• Chapter One: A Short Distance but a Big Cost
• Chapter Two: Coaching
• Chapter Three: Somatics and Somatic Coaching
• Chapter Four: The Methodology
• Chapter Five: The Rhythm of Action
• Chapter Six: The Somatic Arc of Transformation

Published by North Atlantic Books in 2014, “The Art of Somatic Coaching” is a must-read for coaches, individuals, and organizations seeking to unlock the full potential of somatic coaching.

Language: English

ISBN: 9781583946732 (paperback), 9781583946749 (ebook)