663. Change Contagion - with Richard Boyatzis PHD
The Embodiment Coaching Podcast
Release Date: 01/02/2025
The Embodiment Coaching Podcast
In this episode I’m joined again by Dr Helen Machen-Pearce, psychiatrist and long-time autism specialist, to explore what autism really means and how it shows up in coaching, teaching, parenting, and relationships. We talk about the autism spectrum, neurodiversity, and why diagnosis has changed so much over the years. Helen shares how sensory processing, predictability, communication style, and nervous system regulation shape autistic experience, and what coaches can do to work more skillfully with autistic clients. We look at practical coaching adaptations, clear language, structure,...
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Dr Helen joins me again this week to unpack what well-being coaching really looks like in practice, and why it matters so much right now. We talk about burnout, ageing, energy, motivation, and how staying mentally healthy can feel like a part-time job in today’s world. We explore why health is always multifactorial, the dangers of one-size-fits-all advice, and how easy it is to get lost in supplements, trauma theories, or wellness clichés. We also look at what coaches can offer that AI and medicine often can’t: accountability, motivation, lived experience, and a bit of firm, caring...
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In this back-to-basics episode, I'm joined again by Dr Helen Machen-Pearce to explore what it really means to work with the body in coaching. We unpack common misunderstandings, and explore how embodiment offers real-time information, deeper presence, and a way out of endless storytelling. The conversation covers regulation, insight, action, and why so many coaching challenges come down to stress and capacity rather than mindset. We also reflect on the rise of nervous system coaching, the limits of learning through social media, and why embodied skills require practice over time. A grounded...
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Rod Francis joins me to explore what coaches need to learn as AI becomes more present in our work. We talk about embodiment as lived experience rather than technique, and why presence, unpredictability and felt sense are things machines struggle to replicate. We also get into transhumanism, Western culture’s tendency to objectify the body, and the deeper question of what it actually means to be human. We cover learning through practice, beginner’s mind, working responsibly with trauma, and the challenges of training coaches in a world where people arrive over-informed but under-practiced....
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In this year-in-review episode, I'm joined by Dr Helen Machen-Pearce to reflect on what’s changed over the past year in the embodiment world, the business, and my own life and work. We discuss the growth of the podcast and training programs, burnout and sustainability, the impact of AI on coaching and therapy, and why embodiment and human presence matter more than ever. The conversation also explores evolving thinking around meaning, community, tradition, and what might be missing in modern psychology and culture. Plus I'll fill you in on a new direction for embodiment unlimited in 2026. See...
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I sat down with two highly experienced breathwork facilitators, Emily Ray Henderson and Simona Dvorackova, to explore what breathwork actually does beneath the hype. We talk about why breath has become so central right now, from nervous system regulation and everyday stress, through to trauma release and altered states of consciousness. We explore how breathwork helps complete unfinished stress responses, why the body holds tension and memory, and how conscious connected breathing can release things without needing to analyse or relive the past. We also get into safety, facilitation quality,...
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Dr Helen Machen-Pearce and I explore what real confidence actually is and why so much of what we call confidence collapses the moment it meets reality. We talk about the difference between confidence and competence, and why untested confidence often looks loud, brittle, or performative. We look at how confidence lives in the nervous system, not just the mind, and how embodiment practices like centering, grounding, strength, movement, and relaxation shape how we show up. We explore gender, class, culture, and age, and how confidence looks different across life stages. We also touch on...
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I sit down with Flouer Evelyn - one of the most skilled dance teachers I know and a long-time member of our Embodiment Unlimited faculty. We dive into what actually makes a great teacher: classroom management, clarity, time-efficiency, group regulation, and how to hold a room without killing the vibe. Flouer shares how she weaves embodiment models into her partner-dance work — from centering and co-regulation to elements, U-curves, and even sneaky ETK poses. We also explore follower/leader dynamics, nervous-system awareness in dance, working across cultures, and the real art of improvising...
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In this episode I chat with Ranko Cerić in Zagreb to explore how economics, trauma and identity shape the Balkans and the rest of Europe today. We look at how Yugoslavia fell apart, why ordinary people can be pushed into fear and extremism, and how current migration and cost-of-living pressures are creating similar tensions in the West. We also get into land, belonging and the dysregulation that comes with cultural dislocation. A grounded, honest conversation about what really drives division - and what might help us move beyond it. Find out more about Ranko's work here: ...
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I sat down again with Dr Helen Machen-Pearce for a dive into transformational learning. We look at what actually creates real change, and why transformation has less to do with collecting ideas and more to do with how we experience ourselves in the moment. Helen explains how the nervous system, emotional safety and embodied presence shape the way people learn and grow. We talk about the difference between insight and integration, why some people stay stuck even with the right knowledge, and what helps learning go from conceptual to genuinely transformational. See more of Helen's work here: ...
info_outlineAuthor and professor Richard Boyatzis joins me on the Embodiment Coaching Podcast to discuss the deeper aspects of leadership, including why management isn't just about IQ or competencies. We dive into topics like emotional contagion, the work of Daniel Goleman, why traditional leadership training often fails, and the role of neuroscience in leadership. Richard shares insights on stress, renewal movements, play, hope, and what truly drives lasting change—whether in sobriety, weight loss, or overcoming narcissism. With his wealth of experience, this conversation is filled with wisdom and practical advice for anyone interested in leadership and personal transformation.
We’re resharing this episode because it’s one of our best, and packed with timeless insights on embodiment that are still relevant today. If you missed it the first time, we think you’ll love it.
Learn more about Richard & connect with him here: https://www.facebook.com/richard.boyatzis
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Richard E. Boyatzis is Distinguished University Professor of Case Western Reserve University, Departments of Organizational Behavior, Psychology, and Cognitive Science. He graduated from MIT and Harvard. He has authored more than 200 articles and 9 books on leadership, competencies, emotional intelligence, competency development, coaching, neuroscience and management education, including the international best-seller, Primal Leadership with Daniel Goleman and Annie McKee and the recent Helping People Change with Melvin Smith and Ellen Van Oosten. His Coursera MOOCs have over a million enrolled.
To access a free copy of his recent paper on quality of relationships: Boyatzis, R.E., & Rochford, K. (2020). Relational climate in the workplace: Dimensions, measurement and validation. Frontiers in Psychology. 11(article 85). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00085
Check out his FREE online course, Inspiring Leadership through Emotional Intelligence
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