The Embodiment Coaching Podcast

In this episode, I speak with entrepreneur, author, and coach John Spencer Williams about one of the biggest mistakes coaches make when building their businesses: trying to appeal to everyone. Drawing on his new book Crazy Successful, John explains why being broad, vague, and bland makes it harder to stand out, and why coaches are far more likely to succeed when they lean into what makes them different.
Together, we explore the idea of becoming a "category of one" by finding a niche within a niche and creating something that only you can offer. John argues that the things we often try to hide—our quirks, unconventional interests, personal experiences, neurodiversity, and even our perceived weaknesses—can become powerful sources of differentiation when understood and used well. We discuss why coaches shouldn't be afraid of being too specific, how to know whether a niche is viable, and why the goal isn't to appeal to everyone but to become deeply relevant to the right people.
The conversation also explores perfectionism, self-sabotage, comparison, marketing, social media, and the importance of taking action rather than endlessly preparing. Mark and John discuss why coaches need to get real experience, test their ideas, pay attention to what clients respond to, and gradually double down on what they're good at and what people value. Whether you're starting a coaching business or looking to make an established practice more distinctive, this episode offers practical advice on finding your niche, embracing your personality, and turning your differences into a genuine competitive advantage.
-----------------------------------------------
Become a certified embodiment coach. Coach beyond mere words and support clients to transform their lives:
https://embodimentunlimited.com/cec/
-----------------------------------------------

Check out our YouTube channel for more coaching tips and our Podcast channel for full episode videos
-----------------------------------------------
Become a certified embodiment coach. Coach beyond mere words and support clients to transform their lives:
https://embodimentunlimited.com/cec/
-----------------------------------------------

Check out our YouTube channel for more coaching tips and our Podcast channel for full episode videos
-----------------------------------------------
Become a certified embodiment coach. Coach beyond mere words and support clients to transform their lives:
https://embodimentunlimited.com/cec/
-----------------------------------------------

Check out our YouTube channel for more coaching tips and our Podcast channel for full episode videos

I believe a high-quality coaching certification needs to offer much more than coaching models, scripted questions and theoretical knowledge. It should develop practical coaching skills through live practice, feedback, ethical awareness, deep listening, strong relationships, appropriate challenge and an understanding of the person as a whole.
In this episode of The Embodiment Coaching Podcast, I talk with Dr Helen Machen-Pearce about 12 essential elements of great coach training, and we explore how the Certification of Embodiment Coaching measures up.
We discuss:
what coaching is and how it differs from therapy, mentoring and consulting

contracting, confidentiality, ethics and consent

building strong coaching relationships

deep listening and skilful communication

working with goals without worshipping them

why my own embodiment as a coach matters

how to bring the body into coaching safely and practically

nervous system literacy without oversimplification

trauma awareness without pretending to provide trauma therapy

neurodiversity and adapting coaching to the individual

culture, identity, power and context

why practice, feedback and peer learning are essential

The Certification of Embodiment Coaching, or CEC, is a six-month live online embodiment coaching certification for coaches, facilitators, therapists who coach and body-based practitioners.
In CEC, I teach practical ways to work with posture, breath, movement, attention, boundaries and nervous system state within coaching. Students experience the practices in their own bodies, learn how to bring them into real coaching conversations, practise with peers and receive direct feedback.
Because understanding embodiment is not the same as being able to coach with it.
The next CEC begins on 15 September 2026 and includes 37 ICF Continuing Coach Education hours.
Learn more about the Certification of Embodiment Coaching:
https://embodimentunlimited.com/cec/
-----------------------------------------
Our Ceritficate of Embodiment coaching course is starting, don't miss out! 
Click here to find out more: https://embodimentunlimited.com/cec/

Our Ceritficate of Embodiment coaching course is starting, don't miss out! 
Click here to find out more: https://embodimentunlimited.com/cec/

In this episode, I speak with executive coach Lise Bruynooghe about what coaching really is, why the profession is often misunderstood, and how coaches can thrive in a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence. Drawing on her work across leadership, organisational development, and cross-cultural coaching, Lise argues that coaching is far more than a collection of techniques—it's a uniquely human way of helping people think, learn, and grow.
Together, we explore what distinguishes skilful coaching from simply asking good questions, discussing the importance of presence, curiosity, and genuine partnership in creating meaningful change. Lise challenges the tendency for coaches to become attached to particular methods or identities, suggesting that the most effective practitioners adapt to the person in front of them rather than relying on a fixed model. Mark also raises the question of whether coaching itself needs a new language, reflecting on why the profession is still so difficult for many people to understand.
The conversation also explores the opportunities and challenges of AI, asking what technology can already do well, what remains uniquely human, and how coaches can continue to offer value as intelligent systems become more capable. Rather than seeing AI as a threat, Lise invites coaches to focus on the qualities that cannot easily be automated: deep listening, authentic connection, and the ability to navigate the complexity of being human.
----------------------------------------------
Become a certified embodiment coach. Coach beyond mere words and support clients to transform their lives:
https://embodimentunlimited.com/cec/
-----------------------------------------------

Check out our YouTube channel for more coaching tips and our Podcast channel for full episode videos

In this episode, I speak with Dr Dick Schwartz, founder of Internal Family Systems (IFS), about the remarkable rise of one of the world's fastest-growing therapeutic approaches and the questions that come with its growing influence. Drawing on decades of clinical work and recent developments in the model, Dick reflects on how IFS has evolved beyond psychotherapy to embrace spirituality, leadership, and personal transformation.
Together, we explore the foundations of IFS, the nature of the Self, and why relating compassionately to our inner parts can create profound psychological change. Dick discusses the spiritual dimensions of the work that he kept largely private for many years, explaining why he now feels it's important to speak openly about them. Mark brings his trademark curiosity and scepticism to the conversation, asking whether the growing popularity of IFS risks creating dogma, where healthy leadership ends and cult dynamics begin, and how practitioners can stay grounded as the model continues to expand.
The conversation also explores trauma, parenting, psychedelics, embodiment, and the future of mental health, examining how IFS is being applied far beyond the therapy room. Whether you're a coach, therapist, or simply interested in understanding yourself more deeply, this episode offers a thoughtful look at one of the most influential psychological models of our time, and the opportunities and challenges that come with its rapid growth.
-----------------------------------------------
Become a certified embodiment coach. Coach beyond mere words and support clients to transform their lives:
https://embodimentunlimited.com/cec/
-----------------------------------------------

Check out our YouTube channel for more coaching tips and our Podcast channel for full episode videos