The Benefits of Somatic Coaching for Aspiring Leaders

What is somatic coaching?

This is something I get asked all the time!

I completed my first coaching certification back in 2022. It was focused on transformational coaching, and it was mainly emphasised on setting goals, action plans, and then exploring cognitive strategies for overcoming obstacles.

While I do think these elements are essential in coaching sessions, and I experienced some results from this type of coaching, I felt something was missing, both as a coach and a client.

Then I discovered somatic coaching, which focuses on integrating the body and mind to facilitate personal growth, self-awareness, and behavioural change.

As a yoga teacher, integrating body and mind is something that I practice and teach my students. So I was excited to discover somatic coaching!

I truly feel that somatic coaching is the missing ingredient that can really enhance your coaching experience, achieve your desired outcome, and ultimately help you embody your authentic self.

Firstly, what is Soma?

‘Soma’ means ‘the body’ in Greek.

In somatic coaching, we define ‘soma’ as a conscious and aware organism that has innate wisdom and inner knowing through its felt experience.

‘Somatic’ in the context of coaching, means body-focused. So essentially, somatic coaching means ‘body-focused’ coaching.

What’s the difference between traditional coaching and somatic coaching?

Traditional coaching focuses on cognitive and emotional aspects and it often focuses on fixing problems by setting goals, action plans, and cognitive strategies for overcoming obstacles.

It emphasises primarily on behaviour modification and skill-building to achieve a desired outcome.

Somatic coaching focuses on integrating the body and mind to facilitate personal growth, self-awareness, and behavioural change.

It recognises connections between the physical body, emotions, and cognitive processes, and emphasises the role of physical sensations, movements, and posture in shaping our experiences and behaviours.

By including the body, somatic coaching offers a more holistic and embodied approach to personal development and growth.

A somatic coach can guide you to develop a deeper sense of body awareness and help you learn to pay attention to your physical sensations, such as tension, relaxation, discomfort, or ease, in order to gain insights into your emotional states and thought patterns.

What are the benefits of somatic coaching as an aspiring leader?

Somatic coaching offers essential benefits that can greatly enhance your leadership development and personal growth journey:

1. Holistic Approach to Healing

Somatic coaching integrates body-focused practices such as guided gentle movements, breathwork and meditation with traditional coaching methods, emphasising the connection between mind and body. This holistic approach allows you to address trauma and stress stored in the body, promoting deeper healing beyond surface level outcome.

2. Deeper Mind-Body Connection

Somatic coaching emphasises the importance of the mind-body connection in leadership. Aspiring leaders learn to listen to the signals their bodies send, helping them stay in tune with their instincts and intuition. This connection enhances their ability to make decisions that are not only rational but also aligned with their deeper values and goals.

3. Embodied Awareness and Sensation

One of the core benefits of somatic coaching is that it deepens self-awareness by developing awareness of physical sensations and signals. By tuning into the physical sensations, you can better understand your emotional responses, triggers and behavioural patterns. This awareness will empower you to respond to stressors from a place of grounded presence rather than reactive patterns, allows you to make more informed, aligned decisions, and build stronger, more authentic relationships with your team and colleagues.

4. Regulation of the Nervous System

Stress can be a common part of leadership, but unmanaged stress can lead to burnout and poor decision-making. Somatic coaching and practices such as breathwork, grounding exercises, and gentle movement can help leaders regulate their nervous systems and manage stress more effectively. This regulation will support you in managing stress responses and restoring a sense of safety and calm.

5. Increased Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence is crucial for effective leadership. Through somatic coaching, you can develop greater empathy, self-regulation, and social awareness. This allows you to connect with your teams and colleagues on a deeper level, resolve conflicts more effectively, and create a positive and inclusive working culture.

6. Stronger Leadership Presence

A leader’s presence – their ability to inspire and command attention, is greatly influenced by their body language and non-verbal communication. Somatic coaching helps you cultivate a stronger presence by aligning your physical posture, breathing, and movement with your intentions. This leads to more impactful communication and a greater ability to influence others.

If you are an introverted aspiring leader and want to discover your authentic voice, reconnect with your inner-wisdom and lead authentically, but you want someone to support, challenge and guide you, I invite you to check out my 1:1 Somatic Coaching Programme!