The Perceived Impact of Somatic Coaching on Coach Effectiveness
The Perceived Impact of Somatic Coaching on Coach Effectiveness
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Issue Date
2025-06-25
Authors
Caswell, Christina
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Abstract
Traditional leadership development programs focused predominantly on reflective practices and cognitive skills are no longer sufficient for meeting contemporary leadership demands. Somatic coaching is a holistic approach in which the individual’s way of being is used as the ground to coach and develop leaders. The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of coaches certified in the Strozzi Institute of Somatics' Somatic Coaching (SISC) training program. A qualitative research study was conducted to provide an in-depth understanding of the experiences of the SISC-certified coaches. A phenomenological research design was used to gain insights from the study participants. Intentional change theory and a human performance improvement model were used to frame the study. The research population consisted of coaches practicing as executive, business, corporate, or leadership coaches who graduated from the SISC training program since 2001. Semistructured interviews were conducted with eight SISC-certified coaches selected through purposeful sampling. The two research questions answered for the study were: What are the somatic change experiences of coaches certified in the somatic coaching methodology by the Strozzi Institute? What is the perceived impact of the somatic coaching methodological intervention on the coaching effectiveness of experienced coaches who become certified graduates of the Strozzi Institute Somatic Coaching training program? A purposeful six-phased approach to thematic analysis was used to analyze the interview responses. Four themes emerged. First, embodiment is a catalyst for somatics in coaching transformation. Second was, coaches experience enhanced embodied presence in their way of being through somatic coaching practices. The third theme was using the body in coaching improves effectiveness in the coaching relationship. The last theme was somatic coaching enhances coaches' effectiveness in facilitating client change. The findings indicate by addressing the being of leaders through somatic coaching, leaders can be prepared to lead effectively in the face of modern-day leadership complexities. The significance of the study is expanded knowledge about the role of the body in coaching as an intervention to develop and prepare leaders and to facilitate change. The research informs coaching practitioners, organizational stakeholders, and scholars about the importance of embodied approaches in leadership development.
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Keywords
somatic coaching , leadership development , embodied change , six-phased planning and evaluation framework , Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity (VUCA) , coaching effectiveness
License
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States , openAccess