The Essential Coaching Skills Podcast

Join 4k+ readers on the weekly newsletter https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com Most goal systems give you two choices: success or failure. Did the thing or didn't. Hit the goal or blew it. NLP Master Trainer Doug O'Brien has been developing something different for years — a four-level system he calls EASE that gives you four ways to win instead of one. EASE stands for: E — Easy: so small you can do it on your worst day A — Acceptable: not perfect but absolutely worthwhile S — Stretch: the original goal that challenges you E — Extraordinary: when everything comes together The real goal isn't the stretch level or the extraordinary level. The real goal is to stay in the game. Because consistency doesn't mean doing the same thing every day. It means keeping your relationship with the thing alive — even on the hard days when easy is the only win available. 0:00 Why we make change harder than it needs to be 1:00 The walking example — and where most goal systems fail 1:27 Introducing the EASE Method — four ways to succeed 1:45 E — The Easy level: what you can do on your worst day 2:04 A — The Acceptable level: perfectly respectable effort 2:28 S — The Stretch level: your original goal 2:50 E — The Extraordinary level: when everything clicks 3:40 The real goal — staying in the game 4:05 What consistency actually means 5:00 Your coaching assignment — pick one goal, set four levels 6:00 Why writing it down changes everything 7:15 Tomorrow — ask where am I on EASE, not did I succeed ----------------------------------- BECOME AN EXTRAORDINARY COACH!JOIN THE MEMBERSHIP NOW & Get My Six-Week Storytelling Course LIVE. https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/membership-aug2025 JOIN 3K+ READERS ON THE WEEKLY ESSENTIAL COACHING SKILLS NEWSLETTER: https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/newsletters/the-essential-coaching-skills-newsletter NEED DOUG AS YOUR COACH? BOOK HERE: https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/coaching CONNECT ON LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dougobrien/

Bob Vetter is a cultural anthropologist who has spent the past five decades sitting with Native American elders, medicine people, and traditional healers, learning what they can teach us about healing, resilience, and living a meaningful life. Today he combines those insights with narrative medicine and transformational practices to help people become wiser healers, coaches, and mentors through his teaching, writing, and retreats.

For more information visit his website www.bobvetter.com

0:00 What is sacred listening?

1:35 The sage ritual — and why it's just anchoring

5:20 The red bandana story — a dying healer transforms

19:00 Platika — the ancient heart-to-heart talk

27:00 Healing shrapnel — why stories heal the listener

32:00 The medicine man who slammed the door

44:30 How to use sacred listening as a coach today

53:00 Soul medicine — Bob's 12-week program

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Learn the origins of Havening Techniques with Dr. Steve Rudin. Discover how this approach supports mental well-being and emotional regulation.

In this episode, Doug O'Brien hosts a conversation with Dr. Steve Rudin, one of the co-creators of the Havening Techniques.Dr. Rudin shares his unique perspective, drawing from his background as a surgical dentist to explain how these specific methods function in practice.This discussion is designed for anyone interested in psychological wellness, coaching frameworks, and practical tools for managing emotional states.

The conversation highlights the development of these techniques and offers insights into why they are used by professionals today. Whether you are a practitioner or simply curious about the science behind stress relief methods, this episode provides a clear overview of the concepts Dr. Rudin developed. You will gain a better understanding of how these tools fit into modern coaching skills and therapeutic applications.

Subscribe for weekly Essential Coaching Skills breakdowns, and comment below with your questions about the Havening Techniques.

0:00 Why behavior is an expression of biology — not the problem itself

4:45 Participation and relationship — the two foundations of human life 9:00 How your biology filters reality — the four people in the forest

14:30 Why telling yourself to stop something never works

18:00 The nail-biting story — tracing behavior to its biological root

23:00 Fear of heights, a childhood slide, and what changed everything

29:00 Presence — why nothing happens in a session without it

34:00 Curiosity, listening and reflection — the coaching tools that work biologically

43:00 Touch, breathing and movement — accessing the body to create change

52:00 Future planning — why buying a new car changes what you see on the road

57:00 Wonder and biologic safety — how all communication becomes effortless

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Have you ever noticed that your inner voice sounds completely certain — even when it's completely wrong? That inner voice telling you there's no hope, no way out, no point in trying — Owen Fitzpatrick calls it something more accurate: inner propaganda. Owen is a social psychologist, author, and keynote speaker who has spent decades studying how the inner voice forms beliefs, why those beliefs resist change, and what it actually takes to shift them. He has conducted field research in North Korea, Rwanda, and Afghanistan — studying the inner voice and belief in places where it gets weaponized. He has worked with Google, LinkedIn, and Pfizer. And his new book Inner Propaganda makes the case that the most dangerous inner voice isn't the one other people plant in you. It's the one you've been running on yourself. In this conversation with NLP Master Trainer Doug O'Brien, Owen breaks down exactly how your inner voice decides what feels true, why your inner voice is addicted to certainty, and what coaches, therapists, and practitioners need to understand before they ever try to change someone's beliefs. 0:00 Why your inner voice might be lying to you 4:45 How your inner voice forms beliefs — feel right, fit in, make sense 10:20 Why your inner voice can't be changed with logic 16:00 When your inner voice is just a membership fee to belong 22:30 Field research in North Korea, Rwanda and Afghanistan 29:00 How to retrain your inner voice and believe better Whether you're a coach, NLP practitioner, therapist, or someone whose inner voice has been holding them back — this episode will change how you understand the voice in your head. 🔗 LINKS & RESOURCES 🌐 Inner Propaganda book + free masterclass: https://innerpropaganda.com 🌐 Owen Fitzpatrick: https://owenfitzpatrick.com 📘 The User's Guide to Storytelling: https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/users-guide-to-storytelling 🎓 Essential Coaching Skills Membership: https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/membership-aug2025 🌐 Website: https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com 📧 Newsletter: https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/newsletters/the-essential-coaching-skills-newsletter 🎙️ ABOUT DOUG O'BRIEN Doug O'Brien is an NLP Master Trainer, Ericksonian Hypnotherapist, and coach with over 35 years of experience. Certified by Tony Robbins and endorsed by Richard Bandler and Robert Dilts. He teaches coaches, therapists, and practitioners how to create lasting behavior change through NLP, Ericksonian hypnosis, storytelling, and nervous system-aligned coaching. 🎙️ ABOUT OWEN FITZPATRICK Owen Fitzpatrick is a social psychologist, author of nine books published in 21 languages, and one of the youngest NLP Master Trainers ever certified. He conducted field research in North Korea, Rwanda, and Afghanistan and has worked with Google, LinkedIn, and Pfizer. His new book Inner Propaganda is out August 4th, 2026. ---------------------------------- BECOME AN EXTRAORDINARY COACH!JOIN THE MEMBERSHIP NOW & Get My Six-Week Storytelling Course LIVE. https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/membership-aug2025 JOIN 3K+ READERS ON THE WEEKLY ESSENTIAL COACHING SKILLS NEWSLETTER: https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/newsletters/the-essential-coaching-skills-newsletter NEED DOUG AS YOUR COACH? BOOK HERE: https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/coaching CONNECT ON LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dougobrien/

Can you actually talk to your enemies? Learn conflict resolution strategies from Larry Rosen, the founder of The Enemies Project.

In this episode, we sit down with Larry Rosen to discuss his work mediating between people who view each other as political or personal enemies. After two decades of practice, he shares how to move from heated argument to genuine understanding. This conversation is for anyone who feels stuck in gridlock with family, friends, or colleagues and wants to learn how to keep the dialogue moving forward. We explore the practical side of how to mediate intense disagreements and navigate difficult conversations without escalating the tension.

You will hear how Larry applies these techniques to bridge divides, helping people actually listen to one another rather than just waiting for their turn to speak. By examining the methodology behind The Enemies Project, you can apply these communication tools to your own life when faced with deep ideological conflict.

FIND OUT MORE at https://www.enemiesproject.org/

Subscribe to this podcast for weekly breakdowns on navigating human connection, and let me know in the comments: what is the hardest conversation you have ever had to facilitate? -----------------------------------

BECOME AN EXTRAORDINARY COACH!JOIN THE MEMBERSHIP NOW & Get My Six-Week Storytelling Course LIVE. https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/membership-aug2025 JOIN 3K+ READERS ON THE WEEKLY ESSENTIAL COACHING SKILLS NEWSLETTER: https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/newsletters/the-essential-coaching-skills-newsletter NEED DOUG AS YOUR COACH? BOOK HERE: https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/coaching CONNECT ON LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dougobrien/

If you're a coach, NLP practitioner, or anyone who wants to access confidence, calm, or focus on demand — this short episode teaches you the Circle of Excellence, one of NLP's most practical and enduring tools for state control. JOIN 3K+ READERS ON THE WEEKLY ESSENTIAL COACHING SKILLS NEWSLETTER: https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/newsletters/the-essential-coaching-skills-newsletter In this episode you'll learn: What the Circle of Excellence is and why it's been a core NLP tool since the beginning Why spatial anchoring works differently from a physical touch anchor — and when to use each The 4-step process to anchor any emotional state to a circle you can take anywhere How to choose the right color for the state you want How to test whether the anchor has set before you need it How to use it before presentations, coaching sessions, difficult conversations, or any situation where you want to show up at your best Why you can borrow confidence from one area of your life and bring it into another 0:00 Some days you're on — and some days you're not 0:39 What the Circle of Excellence is and why it works 1:50 How Doug used it on stage with his rock band in the 80s 3:36 Red circle for anger, blue circle for love — switching states mid-concert 4:36 Step 1: Choose the state you want 5:02 Step 2: Find a time you felt it before 5:54 Step 3: Pick a color and step in 6:47 Step 4: Test it — let the circle do the work 8:01 How to take your circle anywhere you go 8:47 Using it before presentations, coaching sessions, or any high-stakes moment ----------------------------------- BECOME AN EXTRAORDINARY COACH!JOIN THE MEMBERSHIP NOW & Get My Six-Week Storytelling Course LIVE. https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/membership-aug2025 JOIN 3K+ READERS ON THE WEEKLY ESSENTIAL COACHING SKILLS NEWSLETTER: https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/newsletters/the-essential-coaching-skills-newsletter NEED DOUG AS YOUR COACH? BOOK HERE: https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/coaching CONNECT ON LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dougobrien/ --------------------- 🎙️ ABOUT DOUG O'BRIEN Doug O'Brien is an NLP Master Trainer, Ericksonian Hypnotherapist, and coach with over 35 years of experience. Certified by Tony Robbins and endorsed by Richard Bandler and Robert Dilts. He teaches coaches, therapists, and practitioners how to create lasting behavior change through NLP, Ericksonian hypnosis, storytelling, and nervous system-aligned coaching.

📩 JOIN 3K+ READERS ON THE WEEKLY ESSENTIAL COACHING SKILLS NEWSLETTER: https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/newsletters/the-essential-coaching-skills-newsletter Your phone buzzes and your hand moves before your brain does.You hear a song from ten years ago and something hits you in the chest before you've even named the feeling.You walk into your childhood home and suddenly you're twelve again.None of that is random. None of it is weakness. Your nervous system is doing exactly what it learned to do — linking experiences together so fast you never see it coming. The technical term is anchoring. But what it means is this: you are being triggered, constantly, by things you didn't choose, wired in by experiences you may not even remember. 0:00 You're already being anchored — without realizing it 0:37 What NLP anchoring actually is 1:36 Music, smells, voices — triggers are everywhere3:03 Nobody can make you feel anything without your permission 4:03 Pavlov's dogs — and why you're no different 5:28 Your phone is doing it to you right now 6:24 Advertisers use this on you every day 7:22 How to create your own anchor — step by step 9:18 The exercise: anchor a feeling of confidence right now 11:01 Carol Burnett and why some of you just felt something 13:24 Smells, sounds, touch — every sense can carry an anchor 14:24 The insulin study: anchoring that worked inside the body ----------------------------------- 🔗BECOME AN EXTRAORDINARY COACH! JOIN THE MEMBERSHIP NOW & Get My Six-Week Storytelling Course LIVE.https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/membership 🔗BECOME A MASTER AT STORYTELLING: https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/users-guide-to-storytelling 🔗JOIN 3K+ READERS ON THE WEEKLY ESSENTIAL COACHING SKILLS NEWSLETTER: https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/newsletters/the-essential-coaching-skills-newsletter 🔗NEED DOUG AS YOUR COACH? BOOK HERE: https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/coachingCONNECT ON 🔗LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dougobrien/

Most coaches who struggle to get clients aren't bad at coaching. They're just running their practice as if being good at coaching is enough. It isn't.

Michael Beale is a CEO coach, NLP trainer, and Marshall Goldsmith-certified coach who spent 30 years in corporate before building a coaching practice from scratch. He's put more systematic thought into what actually makes a coaching business work than almost anyone Doug has spoken with.

🎙️ ABOUT MICHAEL BEALE Director, Global Specialist in 1:1 NLP Training and Marshall Goldsmith Leadership Coaching. Business NLP Ltd 120 Porthcawl Green, Milton Keynes MK4 3AL, United Kingdom

* * michael@nlp-training.org +44 (0)1908 506563 Office +44 (0) 7944 388621 Mobile

Michael's LinkedIn profile; https://www.linkedin.com/in/beale/

Michael's Zoom link is: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/7845595607?pwd=RHdzK3djUDZPQVhZbW5rZklxaWNBdz09

And his most important insight might be the one that surprises you most: the biggest factor in your coaching success isn't your skills. It's who you choose to work with.

0:00 Good coach ≠ good business 1:22 Michael's background 3:47 Corporate teaches you the wrong things 6:14 Starting a business is a hero's journey 9:11 The three things every coaching business needs 13:25 Marshall Goldsmith: choose the right clients 14:19 What a bad client really costs you 19:41 Michael's 4 client criteria 22:49 Why 3 taster sessions beats 1 25:00 Hunting, attraction, nurturing, paid 34:14 "Everyone" is a marketing disaster 43:57 The feedforward exercise

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🎙️ ABOUT DOUG O'BRIEN Doug O'Brien is an NLP Master Trainer, Ericksonian Hypnotherapist, and coach with over 35 years of experience. Certified by Tony Robbins and endorsed by Richard Bandler and Robert Dilts. He teaches coaches, therapists, and practitioners how to create lasting behavior change through NLP, Ericksonian hypnosis, storytelling, and nervous system-aligned coaching.

BECOME AN EXTRAORDINARY COACH!JOIN THE MEMBERSHIP NOW & Get My Six-Week Storytelling Course LIVE. https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/membership

JOIN 3K+ READERS ON THE WEEKLY ESSENTIAL COACHING SKILLS NEWSLETTER: https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/newsletters/the-essential-coaching-skills-newsletter

NEED DOUG AS YOUR COACH? BOOK HERE: https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/coaching CONNECT ON LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dougobrien/

What do you do when you receive a diagnosis that has no cure? Dr. Harlan Kilstein — NLP practitioner, coach, and longtime student of Dave Dobson — was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. And instead of stopping, he did something remarkable. He built a 10-session hypnosis program — the Friday Harbor Method — to help himself and others living with Parkinson's manage symptoms, reduce stress, and reconnect with the body's own deep capacity for stillness and healing. Parkinson's has no cure. But stress makes symptoms significantly worse. And the body still knows things — how to relax, how to be still, how to sleep — that hypnosis can help it remember. In this episode, Doug O'Brien sits down with Harlan for an honest, moving, and often funny conversation about the diagnosis, the program, and what it means to apply everything you've learned when you need it most. 0:00 Dr. Harlan Kilstein and the Friday Harbor Method 1:37 The diagnosis: what Parkinson's actually feels like to live with 3:45 Michael J. Fox: 'The gift that keeps on taking' 5:13 What would Dave do? How Dave Dobson's teachings pointed the way 7:08 Why Harlan used AI to recreate his own voice for the recordings 9:10 A tour of the 10 sessions: beach, lake, master control room and more 18:55 The River of Light: gold, green, red, blue, and purple 19:55 The bonus tracks: Quiet Hands, sleep sessions, and the Spare Tire 22:49 How the 6-week program works — and how to use it out of order 25:09 Warning: the Parkinson's scam industry (what to watch out for) 28:33 Where to find the Friday Harbor Method The page for this project is https://fridayharbormethod.com/ ----------------------------------- ➡️ BECOME AN EXTRAORDINARY COACH!JOIN THE MEMBERSHIP NOW & Get My Six-Week Storytelling Course LIVE.https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/membership 📩 JOIN 3K+ READERS ON THE WEEKLY ESSENTIAL COACHING SKILLS NEWSLETTER: https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/newsletters/the-essential-coaching-skills-newsletter 📕Want to MASTER Storytelling? Get the book, USER'S GUIDE TO STORYTELLING on Amazon https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/users-guide-to-storytelling ➡️ NEED DOUG AS YOUR COACH? BOOK HERE: https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/coaching CONNECT ON LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dougobrien/➡️

Do you talk to yourself in ways that keep you stuck? Most people do. 'I should do that.' 'I can't.' 'I'll get to it someday.' These aren't just words — they're instructions to your unconscious mind. And your unconscious mind does exactly what it's told. In this solo episode, NLP Master Trainer and Ericksonian coach Doug O'Brien breaks down one of the most practical and underused tools in NLP: modal operators of necessity and possibility. These are the small words and phrases that silently run your motivation — and once you know which ones work for you, you can use them on purpose. 'I should do that.' 'I will do that.' 'I have to do that.' 'I'm doing that.' 'It's done.' Each one hits differently. One lights a fire. Another puts something on a to-do list it never leaves. Doug walks you through how to find the word that actually moves YOU — because it's different for everyone. 0:00 Why the way you talk to yourself changes everything 0:33 What NLP calls modal operators — and why they matter 1:33 Doug's own story: from 'I should' to 'I'm doing it' 3:34 The natural sequence: should → will → have to → doing it → done 5:00 You are the greatest hypnotist in the world — for yourself 6:00 The exercise: picture your goal and test each modal operator 8:32 We're in trances all the time — the question is which one 11:20 Dave Dobson: the unconscious mind is purposeful, not rational 13:13 Tony Robbins' string: if I can't, I must — if I must, I will 15:42 Words, tonality, and physiology — why 7% matters more than you think ----------------------------------- BECOME AN EXTRAORDINARY COACH!JOIN THE MEMBERSHIP NOW & Get My Six-Week Storytelling Course LIVE. https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/membership-aug2025 JOIN 3K+ READERS ON THE WEEKLY ESSENTIAL COACHING SKILLS NEWSLETTER: https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/newsletters/the-essential-coaching-skills-newsletter NEED DOUG AS YOUR COACH? BOOK HERE: https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/coaching CONNECT ON LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dougobrien/

Time is the one thing none of us have enough of — and yet it doesn't technically exist. So how do you use it well?

In this episode, NLP Master Trainer and Ericksonian coach Doug O'Brien explores the fascinating psychology of time — from astronauts orbiting the moon to a coal miner with a watch that changed everything — and lands on one of the most practical productivity insights he's ever shared: there is nothing as inspirational as a deadline.

You'll hear the story of the day a young Doug O'Brien sat in the front row of a composers' conference and asked Aaron Copland what inspired Appalachian Spring. The answer had nothing to do with nature walks or artistic reverie — and everything to do with Martha Graham, 200 dollars, and next Thursday.

You'll also go inside Henrik Ibsen's writing room in Oslo — with its grandfather clock, its mahogany desk, and a six-foot portrait of his mortal enemy hanging on the wall — and discover how one of history's greatest playwrights used resentment, routine, and a very deliberate stopping point to produce masterwork after masterwork.

0:00 It's about time we talked about time0:36 Why time seems to speed up as we age 1:06 Einstein, Erickson, and the relativity of a minute 1:36 Death as an advisor — Carlos Castaneda and Don Juan 2:32 What the Artemis astronauts taught us about time 3:02 Time is a measurement of change 3:31 Sundials, sand timers, and how we invented the clock 5:41 The coal mine story: time perception and survival 6:48 How time zones were invented by a random clerk in St. Louis 10:43 Using time wisely — the real goal 11:13 Aaron Copland and the phone call that changed everything 13:07 The question I asked Copland in the front row 14:37 "Nothing is as inspirational as a deadline" 15:51 Tax day and the scramble it creates every year 16:49 The kitchen timer: Doug's simplest productivity tool 18:47 How a student with 10 minutes invented a system 19:46 Setting the timer: one task, no distractions 21:12 Moving toward vs. moving away — what motivates you? 22:12 The propulsion system: using both at once 22:41 Henrik Ibsen's writing room in Oslo 24:00 Why Ibsen kept a portrait of his enemy at his desk 25:29 Ibsen's daily routine: 9am sharp, pen down at 11:30 26:38 Stopping mid-sentence — the trick that kept him going 27:09 Hemingway's bridge to the writing room 28:20 Where the EASE Method comes from

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What if poetry and hypnosis are the same thing? That's the question that opens this conversation — and the answer from Julie Flanders, award-winning lyricist and co-founder of the internationally acclaimed band October Project, might surprise you. Julie is also a transformational coach, poet, and producer whose work has reached millions worldwide. She's written three Amazon #1 bestselling poetry books, created the October Project International Poetry Contest (now in its 8th year), and built virtual choirs during COVID that drew singers from every continent. And she has a fascinating take on what makes human creativity — especially in the age of AI — so irreplaceable.

0:00 Is poetry the same as hypnosis? A lyricist's answer 1:47 Contemplation, the inner temple — and how language enters trance 3:44 Why algorithms don't write good poetry (yet) 4:44 Julie's influences: T.S. Eliot, Mary Oliver, Rumi — and why accessibility wins 8:32 Writing lyrics vs. writing poems: the surprising difference 10:02 October Project's Book of Rounds: 400 children and a mantra that loops 14:54 The COVID virtual choir: joy, bad singing, and hand-drawn missing faces 20:27 Make Music New York: 1,000 people walking and singing on the solstice 22:44 October Project Poetry Contest: how to enter (first poem is free) 31:21 From psychic to executive recruiter to coach — Julie's real origin story 35:07 Why change has to enter the body — not just the mind 43:48 The mythology of coaching (and music): what nobody tells you before you start Julie Flanders is an award-winning poet, lyricist, and producer, and the co-founder of the internationally acclaimed band October Project and the emergent new project Elle Dit Music. Her work has received Anthem, Telly, and ACDA honors, and reaches millions of listeners worldwide. Her 3 poetry books have been #1 bestsellers on Amazon. She is also the creator of the October Project International Poetry Contest, now in its eighth year, engaging poets from all over the world to celebrate April is Poetry Month by writing and submitting their own work for recognition.

October Project - Return To Me - Worldwide Choir - GOLD TELLY & AMERICAN PRIZE WINNER 2023 https://youtu.be/wv9fbUHq6ks?si=qhTG1ZB4brOs9huI

October Project - Virtual Choir of Joy - ANTHEM AWARD 2022, TELLY AWARD 2021 https://youtu.be/ODFsQ45yVnI?si=0Nhnzfq6WJFRrdoG

October Project - Book of Rounds - Lyric Videos https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEI3F1h2TKvadz2PVQ8G86PklJ92sqs5I

http://www.octoberprojectmusic.com

http://www.Elleditmusic.com

www.julieflanders.com

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BECOME AN EXTRAORDINARY COACH!JOIN THE MEMBERSHIP NOW & Get My Six-Week Storytelling Course LIVE. https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/membership-aug2025 JOIN 3K+ READERS ON THE WEEKLY ESSENTIAL COACHING SKILLS NEWSLETTER: https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/newsletters/the-essential-coaching-skills-newsletter NEED DOUG AS YOUR COACH? BOOK HERE: https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/coaching CONNECT ON LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dougobrien/

Have you finished your NLP training, your coaching certification, your hypnotherapy course... and now you're staring at an empty calendar wondering when you became someone who actually does this for a living? In this episode, NLP Master Trainer and Ericksonian coach Doug O'Brien explores the real psychology of making that leap. He opens with a concept from Carl Jung — Temenos — a protected vessel for transformation. And he makes the case that great coaching is not a technique applied in a single session. It's a space created over time.

🎙️ ABOUT DOUG O'BRIEN Doug O'Brien is an NLP Master Trainer, Ericksonian Hypnotherapist, and coach with over 35 years of experience. Certified by Tony Robbins and endorsed by Richard Bandler and Robert Dilts. He teaches coaches, therapists, and practitioners how to create lasting behavior change through NLP, Ericksonian hypnosis, storytelling, and nervous system-aligned coaching. 0:00 The Jungian idea of Temenos — a protected space for transformation 0:29 Why coaching is an ongoing conversation, not a one-and-done event 0:58 The disservice of 'one session fixes everything' (NLP & hypnosis culture) 1:23 The moment spring training ends and real clients begin 1:52 The office, the debt, the Zoom room — and the terror that follows 2:48 Your first real client: they have a problem and they think you can fix it 3:16 A brief history: NLP came from therapy (Perls, Satir, Erickson) 4:16 The 'watch the watch' problem and the one-session my 6:16 Thomas Leonard: coaching is a conversation 6:45 Doug's minimum: four sessions. Here's why. 7:13 The ecological ripple effects of change (quit smoking example) 7:42 The doctor/therapist model vs. a pair of equals 8:40 If you're going to coach, you should be coached 11:07 Solution-oriented coaching: listen, then actually do something 12:04 Doug's personal story: he needed it too (musician turned coach) 13:04 Stop taking more trainings. You're ready. Just start. 13:34 Temenos revisited: Jung, alchemy, and the pressure cooker of change 15:00 Why time limits create therapeutic pressure — and make sessions better ----------------------------------- BECOME AN EXTRAORDINARY COACH! JOIN THE MEMBERSHIP NOW & Get My Six-Week Storytelling Course LIVE. https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/membership-aug2025 JOIN 3K+ READERS ON THE WEEKLY ESSENTIAL COACHING SKILLS NEWSLETTER: https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/newsletters/the-essential-coaching-skills-newsletter NEED DOUG AS YOUR COACH? BOOK HERE: https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/coaching CONNECT ON LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dougobrien/

The questions you ask determine what your mind focuses on—and that focus shapes your emotional state, your decisions, and ultimately your life. In this episode of the Essential Coaching Skills Podcast, Doug O’Brien explores the power of questions in coaching and personal transformation. Drawing from NLP, Tony Robbins’ work, and practical coaching experience, Doug explains how intentional questions can shift emotional states, improve problem solving, and help clients move from reactivity to empowerment. You’ll also learn Tony Robbins’ Morning Questions and Problem-Solving Questions, simple tools that can dramatically change how you approach challenges and opportunities. 00:01 – Introduction: The Power of Questions 00:29 – Questions in Coaching and NLP 01:28 – The “Imperative Question” Concept Leslie Cameron Bandler’s idea that each person carries a core question that influences their choices and behavior. 03:54 – Focus Determines State Why the questions we ask control our focus—and how focus directly affects our emotional state. 05:22 – Tony Robbins’ Morning Questions Doug introduces Tony Robbins’ structured morning questions for shaping mindset and emotional state. 07:14 – Why Questions Work Better Than Affirmations 08:50 – The Three-Step Happiness Question 18:11 – Better Questions for Difficult Situations 19:32 – The Five Problem-Solving Questions 24:09 – A Marathon Training Story 26:59 – Coaching Story: Shifting Depression with Questions A coaching story illustrating how powerful questions can shift emotional state quickly. ----------------------------------- BECOME AN EXTRAORDINARY COACH!JOIN THE MEMBERSHIP NOW & Get My Six-Week Storytelling Course LIVE. https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/membership-aug2025 JOIN 3K+ READERS ON THE WEEKLY ESSENTIAL COACHING SKILLS NEWSLETTER: https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/newsletters/the-essential-coaching-skills-newsletter NEED DOUG AS YOUR COACH? BOOK HERE: https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/coaching CONNECT ON LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dougobrien/

Have you ever walked into a situation completely 'on' — clear, connected, in control — and wondered why you can't access that every time? You can. And it's simpler than you think. In this episode, NLP Master Trainer and Ericksonian coach Doug O'Brien teaches one of the most essential and practical NLP tools in existence: the Circle of Excellence. It's a body-mind anchoring technique that lets you choose your emotional state — and access it on demand — for any situation. Because you are not at the mercy of your circumstances. That person who "makes you mad" doesn't make you anything. You do. And once you understand that, you can change everything. 🔗 LINKS & RESOURCES 📚 The User's Guide to Storytelling (book + bonus class): https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/users-guide-to-storytelling 🎓 Essential Coaching Skills Membership: https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/membership-aug2025 🌐 Website: https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com 📧 Newsletter: https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/newsletters/the-essential-coaching-skills-newsletter 🎙️ ABOUT DOUG O'BRIEN Doug O'Brien is an NLP Master Trainer, Ericksonian Hypnotherapist, and coach with over 35 years of experience. Certified by Tony Robbins and endorsed by Richard Bandler and Robert Dilts. He teaches coaches, therapists, and practitioners how to create lasting behavior change through NLP, Ericksonian hypnosis, storytelling, and nervous system-aligned coaching. 0:00 Why your state determines everything you do 0:34 The body-mind connection: we are one organism 1:04 Why circumstances don't control your emotions — you do 2:04 The traveling salesman and the fake lottery win 4:52 What Tony Robbins got right (and what to watch out for) 5:21 Peak state isn't always firewalk state 6:18 The Circle of Excellence: what it is and how it works 7:46 Body posture exercise: stand like you're depressed (then don't) 9:38 Motion equals emotion — the Tony Robbins principle 10:06 The Botox study: why you can't feel what your face can't mirror 12:24 How to anchor a state using color and memory 13:20 Real example: anchoring anger for punk rock, love for ballads 14:18 How to pick the right color and emotion for your circle 16:36 Step-by-step: entering, feeling, and breaking the state 17:06 Live demo: anchoring the coaching state (open and connected) 20:08 How to fire the anchor instantly without thinking 20:38 Choosing the right state for the right situation 21:37 You are in charge of your state 22:08 Closing: take control, stop letting circumstances lead ----------------------------------- BECOME AN EXTRAORDINARY COACH!JOIN THE MEMBERSHIP NOW & Get My Six-Week Storytelling Course LIVE. https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/membership-aug2025 JOIN 3K+ READERS ON THE WEEKLY ESSENTIAL COACHING SKILLS NEWSLETTER: https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/newsletters/the-essential-coaching-skills-newsletter NEED DOUG AS YOUR COACH? BOOK HERE: https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/coaching CONNECT ON LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dougobrien/

You're not broken. You're not lazy. You're probably using the wrong structure. In this episode, NLP Master Trainer and Ericksonian coach Doug O'Brien shares the EASE Method — a four-level system for building habits that actually stick without willpower, burnout, or shame spirals. EASE stands for: Easy → Acceptable → Stretch → Extraordinary You'll hear the story of a college violinist whose teacher gave him one simple instruction that changed everything: "If you can't practice, just take the violin out of its case and sit with it on your lap for five minutes."That's it. And it works — not just for music, but for fitness, writing, business-building, and any long-term goal that keeps falling apart. 0:00 Why massive action burns people out 0:21 Introducing the EASE Method 0:49 The pattern: start strong, then collapse 1:17 You're not broken — it's the structure 1:45 The story of the brilliant violinist 3:13 The teacher's secret: just 5 minutes 4:11 Newton's First Law and why you stay on the couch 5:10 Newton's Second Law: a body in motion 6:09 How to get a couch potato off the couch 6:39 The one-to-one ratio: practice and progress 8:20 What Tony Robbins taught Doug — and what was missing 9:18 Why firewalk motivation doesn't last at home 11:10 EASE explained: Easy, Acceptable, Stretch, Extraordinary 12:07 Real client example: the gym-door strategy 13:37 The extraordinary goal as your carrot 14:28 Doug's marathon story: running to Boston 17:50 The acceptable level: what to do on hard days 19:19 Meeting Stu Mittleman: the 1,000-mile world record holder 21:26 How daily action shifts your identity 22:23 When EASE is NOT the right tool 23:21 Taxes, deadlines, and when to light a fire 23:50 Closing: design change vs. forcing change 25:16 How to work with Doug ----------------------------------- BECOME AN EXTRAORDINARY COACH!JOIN THE MEMBERSHIP NOW & Get My Six-Week Storytelling Course LIVE. https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/membership-aug2025 JOIN 3K+ READERS ON THE WEEKLY ESSENTIAL COACHING SKILLS NEWSLETTER: https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/newsletters/the-essential-coaching-skills-newsletter NEED DOUG AS YOUR COACH? BOOK HERE: https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/coaching CONNECT ON LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dougobrien/

Storytelling is not a performance skill. It is a transformation skill. If you coach, practice NLP, hypnosis, or therapeutic conversation, this episode will deepen your craft. 00:01 – Storytelling Is Not a Soft Skill 00:54 – We Learn from Experience 02:48 – Common Human Struggles How universal themes make stories relatable and powerful. 03:17 – Isomorphic Metaphor Explained 04:46 – Identity-Level Coaching 06:12 – Changing the Inner Hero 06:40 – One Story, Many Meanings 08:02 – Coaching Without Templates 08:57 – The Harry Murphy Story 11:24 – Discovery Over Directive 12:51 – The Realization Pattern 15:32 – Storytelling as an Essential Coaching Skill Why this belongs at the center of coaching mastery. ----------------------------------- BECOME AN EXTRAORDINARY COACH! JOIN THE MEMBERSHIP NOW & Get My Six-Week Storytelling Course LIVE. https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/membership-aug2025 JOIN 3K+ READERS ON THE WEEKLY ESSENTIAL COACHING SKILLS NEWSLETTER: https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/newsletters/the-essential-coaching-skills-newsletter NEED DOUG AS YOUR COACH? BOOK HERE: https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/coaching -----------------------------------

 Most people try to change by trying harder. They use willpower, discipline, and effort to push themselves toward the life they want. It works for a while. Then something starts to resist. In this episode, I talk about why sustainable change rarely comes from effort, and why it works much better when your life is designed so you don’t have to fight yourself.

Get coached by Doug: https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/coaching

**00:01 – Sustainable change vs. effort-based change** Why lasting change is a design issue, not a discipline issue. **00:18 – What willpower-based change looks like** New Year’s resolutions, late-night habits, and short-lived control. **00:48 – Why effort feels like progress** How culture rewards pushing harder while people quietly burn out. **01:15 – Peak states and short-term success** Firewalks, motivation spikes, and why intensity doesn’t scale. **01:44 – The problem with relying on peak performance** Why success usually takes longer than a burst of motivation. **02:13 – Why you need better design, not more drive** How systems reduce friction and remove the need for force. **02:42 – Willpower is a finite resource** Why suppression and self-monitoring aren’t sustainable strategies. **03:11 – The system eventually rebels** Burnout, self-criticism, and fatigue disguised as laziness. **03:41 – Dan Millman’s three selves** The basic self, conscious self, and higher self explained. **04:10 – The seven-year-old inside you** Why parts of us don’t understand delayed gratification. **04:38 – What happens when suppression fails** Tantrums, binges, and biological rebellion. **05:07 – The real cost of willpower** Loss of trust, joy, creativity, and nervous system safety. **05:41 – Designing systems that remove friction** Why consistency should feel easier, not harder. **06:09 – Life as a night owl musician** A personal story about rhythm, identity, and transition. **07:07 – Becoming a morning runner** Why change was hard until the system changed. **08:03 – Nighttime guy vs. morning guy** Internal conflict and how Doug resolved it. **08:32 – Removing decision-making entirely** Laying out running gear as a behavioral system. **09:02 – The firehouse metaphor** Why systems must run without thinking. **09:32 – The E-Myth explained simply** Entrepreneurs vs. overworked technicians. **10:52 – Joe’s Garage and system failure** Why talent alone creates exhaustion without structure. **11:20 – What real entrepreneurship actually is** Designing repeatable systems that work without willpower. **12:49 – McDonald’s as a systems model** Why consistency beats motivation. **13:03 – Why systems replace willpower** How ease creates momentum. **13:31 – Identity replaces discipline** “I’m a runner” vs. “I should run.” **13:59 – Easy, acceptable, and extraordinary** A compassionate framework for consistency. **14:57 – Showing up counts** Why even 100 yards reinforces identity. **15:27 – Who you are determines what you do** Behavior follows identity, not effort. **15:56 – The invitation to reflect** Where are you forcing what could be redesigned? **16:25 – Willpower as wisdom** Why needing willpower is a signal, not a failure. **17:05 – Sustainable change requires alignment** Doug’s core coaching philosophy in practice. **17:35 – Closing and invitation** Why better design makes life easier.

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Your nervous system is always checking to make sure things are safe. It's number one job is to keep you alive. Sometimes new patterns that are needed for success can feel scary or unsafe. You may find that subconscious sabotage takes place. A good coach is able to deal with this and find a remedy. Here I give you some options.

https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/coaching **00:07 – Why good plans still fail** Great roadmaps break down when energy and follow-through disappear. **01:03 – Dopamine and the planning trap** Why planning feels rewarding and execution feels like a slog. **01:33 – The marathon metaphor** Why long-term goals lose momentum without emotional reward. **02:32 – Why coaching matters** Coaching helps people stay plugged in when motivation fades. **02:45 – The nervous system always votes** Safety determines whether action continues or stops. **03:01 – Why change triggers avoidance** New goals feel unsafe to the body, even when they feel exciting mentally. **04:58 – Regulation through physical practice** Running, movement, and daily routines as nervous system regulation. **05:56 – Meditation, hypnosis, and self-regulation** Daily practices that stabilize emotional and mental state. **06:21 – Entering coach state intentionally** Why Doug prepares his nervous system before every session. **07:20 – Hypnosis and performance anxiety** Early exposure to hypnosis through music performance training. **08:18 – Gradual exposure and safety training** How visualization retrains the nervous system step by step. **09:37 – Safety as the foundation of success** Why the body must feel safe before progress can happen. **10:35 – NLP and the Circle of Excellence** Using anchoring to access optimal emotional states. **11:59 – Choosing the right peak state** Peak calm can be more powerful than peak intensity. **12:27 – The Cloud Technique** Releasing emotional overwhelm and choosing a better state. **13:53 – Plans without state alignment fail** Why cognition alone cannot sustain change. **14:52 – Accessing internal resources** Coaching helps clients reconnect with what they already have. **15:22 – Beliefs, meaning, and emotional response** How reframing meaning restores safety and confidence. **16:19 – Benjamin Franklin’s virtue practice** A weekly method for living values consistently. **17:07 – Integration and closing thoughts** Congruence creates momentum across all systems. If you want to deepen your coaching skills and learn how to work with state, nervous system alignment, NLP, and hypnosis in real conversations, explore Doug’s training programs at: https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/coaching

 Essential Coaching Skills Podcast

👉 Explore Doug’s coaching and training programs -https://www.essentialcoachingskills.c...👉 Or work with Doug directly to get unstuck and move forward -https://www.essentialcoachingskills.c... 00:00— Why smart people get stuck Doug explains why capable and intelligent people still struggle to take action.*01:01*— The perfection trap Many people wait until they feel “ready” or “expert” before starting.*01:52*— Being stuck is not a motivation problem Being stuck is not laziness, not lack of discipline, and not lack of intelligence.*02:21*— Insight does not equal change Understanding something does not mean you can do it.*03:13*— The three requirements for real change Cognitive understanding. Behavioral capacity. Emotional readiness.*04:11*— Why willpower fails Willpower works for short bursts. It does not create lasting change.*04:40*— The Chuck Close story How a paralyzed artist kept painting by changing the system instead of relying on inspiration.*09:30*— “Inspiration is for amateurs” Professionals design systems that make action automatic.*10:13*— How to remove thinking from action Doug shares how he made running automatic by laying out his clothes.*11:07*— The firehouse principle When systems are right, action happens without debate.*12:04*— Why knowledge becomes avoidance Some people collect books, seminars, and information instead of taking action.*13:32*— Practice rewires behavior Understanding without practice does nothing.*14:01*— Intrinsic vs extrinsic motivation External accountability can help until habits become automatic.*15:02*— The habit myth It does not take 21 days. It often takes much longer.*15:59*— How habits really form Repetition removes resistance.*16:28*— The flossing example What starts as effort becomes identity.*16:59*— Why accountability works Deadlines and reporting create action.*17:58*— Emotional safety and the nervous system If change does not feel safe, the system resists.*18:28*— NLP and integrating conflicting parts Change happens when inner conflicts are resolved.*19:44*— Old patterns are not broken They exist to protect you.*20:13*— Why willpower collapses Willpower cannot create identity change.*20:43*— Identity is the real goal You become a runner. You become a writer. You become a coach.*21:13*— The EASE process Small wins create momentum.*22:10*— Why “all or nothing” keeps people stuck Tiny actions build real change.*23:38*— There is no failure There is only feedback.*24:03*— Why coaching accelerates change Coaching removes blocks and creates alignment.*24:32*— Doug’s invitation Get coached. Help others get unstuck. If this episode describes you, you do not need more information. Doug works with coaches and individuals to:

👉 Learn more athttps://www.essentialcoachingskills.c...👉 Explore Doug’s coaching and training programs -https://www.essentialcoachingskills.c...👉 Or work with Doug directly to get unstuck and move forward -https://www.essentialcoachingskills.c...    

How do you know if coaching is actually working? What should a good coaching session feel like? And how can you tell the difference between helpful coaching and coaching that just creates pressure, hype, or dependence? In this episode, Doug O’Brien explains what good coaching really feels like from the client’s side. This is not about techniques, certifications, or motivation. It is about the lived experience of being well-coached. 00:00 – Introduction Doug explains why this episode is about the experience of coaching, not techniques or credentials. 01:30 – What coaching is not Why people confuse coaching with therapy, advice, or motivation. 02:50 – Why most people don’t know what good coaching feels like How the field began and why expectations are often wrong. 03:45 – The core feeling of good coaching Why good coaching feels safe, calm, and unrushed. 04:30 – “You feel met, not managed” Why great coaching feels like being on the same team. 05:00 – Bad coaching vs good coaching (basketball story) The difference between pressure, fear, and real support. 05:50 – Your nervous system should relax in coaching Why good coaching does not feel performative or stressful. 06:00 – How a good coach understands you before you understand yourself Why clarity emerges naturally in great sessions. 06:40 – The running coach story How great coaches adapt to different personalities. 07:50 – What real support feels like Why good coaching gives you what you need, not what’s scripted. 08:20 – Pressure vs healthy structure The difference between stress and supportive accountability. 09:20 – The EASE approach to progress Why success should feel sustainable, not punishing. 10:20 – One quiet benefit of good coaching: less self-judgment How compassion replaces criticism. 11:00 – You should leave coaching with more energy Why good coaching feels light and organizing. 11:40 – Flow state and effortless progress Why coaching should feel natural, not forced. 12:45 – Coaching should increase agency, not dependence Why you should not become reliant on your coach. 14:00 – The real goal of coaching Why eventually, you should not need your coach anymore. 15:20 – How to know if coaching is working for you What to notice in your own experience. 16:00 – Final invitation Why good coaching creates conditions where change feels natural. Good coaching does not push you forward. It creates the conditions where moving forward feels natural. Learn more about Doug’s work at EssentialCoachingSkills.com

Death is one of the most universal experiences—and one of the least discussed. In this powerful conversation, Doug O’Brien speaks with storyteller and end-of-life doula Jim Brulé about what it means to support someone through their final transition. You’ll discover: • what an end-of-life doula actually does • how this work supports families, caregivers, and clients • how coaches can approach mortality with clarity, compassion, and confidence • why listening without agenda is the most powerful skill in end-of-life care • the surprising connection between birth doulas and death doulas • the questions people wish someone would ask them • how to reduce fear by understanding the stages of dying • how Jim’s near-death experience shaped his path • how stories create healing at the end of life If you’re a coach, therapist, chaplain, caregiver, or someone navigating a loved one’s final chapter, this episode offers deep wisdom and grounded guidance. 🔗 Jim’s book: Stories of the Heart 🔗 Doug’s resources: EssentialCoachingSkills.com 00:00 – Introduction Doug introduces storyteller and end-of-life doula Jim Brulé. 00:30 – What Is an End-of-Life Doula? Jim explains the role, the parallels to birth doulas, and how this work supports families and caregivers. 02:41 – How Death Doulas Help Regulatory guidance, emotional support, grief work, and preparation for end-of-life decisions. 04:38 – Pre- and Post-Grief Work Why grief starts long before the moment of death. 05:35 – Is Certification Required? Why end-of-life doula work isn’t regulated and how people enter the profession. 06:33 – Who Chooses This Work? How personal experience with loss inspires many doulas to begin this path. 07:02 – Jim’s Near-Death Experience at Age 10 A powerful moment that shaped his awareness of mortality. 09:01 – Chaplaincy, Trauma, and Spiritual Care Jim’s work in hospitals and how he learned about death doulas. 10:00 – A Day in the Life of an End-of-Life Doula Client types, Zoom work, medical aid in dying, and daily support. 11:27 – The Omega Home Model Caring for dying individuals in small community homes with volunteers. 12:25 – How Doulas and Hospice Work Together Understanding the limitations of hospice and how doulas fill the gaps. 14:19 – Doug’s Personal Hospice Story A candid moment about Doug’s brother’s hospice experience. 15:44 – How End-of-Life Doulas Are Paid How pricing works and why the intention behind compensation matters. 17:14 – Storytelling as a Tool for End-of-Life Work Using stories to open difficult conversations. 20:43 – The Most Important Skill: Deep Listening What people really want to talk about at the end of life. 22:37 – What People Fear Most About Dying Not death itself—but the process of dying. 24:33 – Doug’s Family Story and “Not Talking About Death” How avoidance increases fear. 26:01 – A Story of Meaningful Impact How Jim supported a mother, sister, and young child during a devastating loss. 28:55 – When Should You Bring in a Death Doula? Ideal timing and early conversations. 30:08 – Preparing for a Planned Death A moving story from New Mexico. 32:06 – Why Some People Wait Until They’re Alone to Die The deeper emotional patterns behind “timing.” 33:45 – How This Work Changes Your View of Mortality Time becomes precious. Relationships become central. 35:12 – The Most Important Truth About Dying Death is natural—and understanding it reduces fear. 36:32 – How to Start End-of-Life Conversations With Loved Ones Practical openings to meaningful dialogue. 38:15 – Doug’s Own Journey With Death Anxiety Panic, fear, and finding peace through wisdom traditions. 40:13 – The Odds of Being Alive A reflection on the miracle of existence. 40:43 – Jim’s Book: Stories of the Heart Stories about mortality from cultures around the world. 41:48 – Closing and Links https://storiesoftheheartbook.com https://transformationalstorytelling.org #EndOfLifeDoula #DeathDoula #HospiceCare #GriefSupport #CoachingSkills #StorytellingForHealing #Mortality #EndOfLifeCare #DyingWithDignity #EssentialCoachingSkills

Storytelling is not a talent. Storytelling is a skill anyone can learn and master. In this presentation from the Woodstock Story Festival, Doug O’Brien breaks down the craft of storytelling using music, performance, and real teaching examples. This video shows how stories work, why structure matters, and how great storytellers keep audiences listening. You will learn what makes a story powerful, why conflict is essential, how voice and timing change impact, and how stories connect people. Doug also demonstrates how music reveals the same structure that lives inside great narrative storytelling. This session also includes a special bonus. Doug created a six-week online storytelling course that comes free when you purchase his book. Any format applies. Hardcover. Kindle. PDF. The access code is included at the back of the book. 00:27 – Why This Training Exists Doug explains his background in teaching hypnosis, NLP, Havening, Sleight of Mouth, and piano, and how it led to building a six-week storytelling course (available free with the book). 01:26 – How to Access the Complete Storytelling Course Details on how purchasing the book unlocks the full six-session online course. 01:39 – Opening of the Live Woodstock Presentation Doug begins the live session by showing how everyone is a storyteller and why storytelling is a universal human skill. 02:26 – Not All Storytellers Start Skilled Doug demonstrates that storytelling, like music, can be learned with practice—not talent alone. 03:33 – Storytelling Through Music Doug uses piano to show how performance and storytelling follow similar development paths. 05:01 – What Makes a Story a Story Doug defines key elements of storytelling: events, goals, challenge, and transformation. 07:06 – The Hero’s Journey & Emotional Transformation Doug explains how separation, struggle, trials, and return shape compelling stories, referencing Joseph Campbell. 08:42 – Music Theory as Story Theory Mozart’s sonata becomes a metaphor for building tension, leaving “home,” and returning transformed. 10:14 – Discomfort Creates Movement Why dissonance in music is the same as conflict in narrative—and why both are needed to keep audiences engaged. 13:05 – Freytag’s Pyramid Introduction to classical story structure: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. 15:10 – The Universal Story Form A structure used by modern storytellers and Broadway performers: setup, long rising action, irreversible dilemma, sharp climax, and fast resolution. 16:28 – Example: The Wizard of Oz Doug breaks down why The Wizard of Oz is a perfect example of the Universal Story structure. 19:18 – Why Stories Need Conflict The emotional and structural necessity of challenges, tension, and stakes. 21:06 – The Big Mistake New Storytellers Make Beginners overexplain everything—Doug shows how brevity and rhythm keep stories moving. 22:53 – Why Tonality and Delivery Matter In communication, tone and body language carry more meaning than words alone. 26:01 – How Humans Read Emotion Doug shares research showing how people subconsciously mirror facial expressions—essential for live storytelling. 27:38 – Two Ways Music Teachers Communicate Emotion Doug shares contrasting lessons from two piano professors—one rigid and one expressive—and why true mastery blends both. 30:28 – Rhythm, Timing, and the Pause How pacing, silence, and emphasis shape comedic timing and narrative emotional power. 35:01 – How Musicians Create Emphasis Without Volume Doug demonstrates rhythmic accents and timing applied to both piano and spoken storytelling. 37:11 – The John Cage Lesson: Listening to Silence Doug recounts the history of Cage’s 4’33" and the insight that emotional presence matters. 39:01 – Storytelling Has No Fourth Wall Live storytelling is not scripting—it is connection, vulnerability, and shared emotional space. 41:34 – What Chopin Teaches About Momentum Doug performs Chopin to demonstrate emotional pacing, phrasing, and narrative flow without words. 49:57 – Full Performance Live performance of Chopin with human connection, emotion, and storytelling at the instrument. 52:19 – Final Thoughts & Call to Action Doug closes the episode with thanks and encouragement to explore more at EssentialCoachingSkills.com. ### 🎁 Free Course Get Doug’s complete six-week online storytelling course free with the purchase of “The User’s Guide to Storytelling.” Details and enrollment instructions are inside the book. https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/users-guide-to-storytelling ### 👇 If you enjoyed this video Like the video. Subscribe to the channel. Share it with a fellow speaker, coach, trainer, musician, or storyteller. #Storytelling #PublicSpeaking #DougOBrien #CoachingSkills #CommunicationSkills #HeroJourney #StoryStructure #PresentationSkills #WoodstockStoryFestival #Havening #PodcastHost #PersonalDevelopment #SkillBuilding

Tony Burgess could be accurately described in many ways. He is a trainer, coach, therapist and firewalk instructor. He's an author and a professional speaker. He is a husband and a parent. And the description he likes best, which applies to all of these roles, is that he is a 'human treasure hunter'. He sees the unique treasure in everyone he meets and, when invited, helps unearth these priceless gifts with all the tools at his disposal.

What if changing your thoughts could change your life? In this episode of *The Essential Coaching Skills Podcast*, Doug O’Brien sits down with **Tony Burgess** — trainer, coach, therapist, and author of *Beliefs: And How to Change Them for Good* and *Pink Bucket Thinking.*

Tony shares the story behind his “Pink Bucket Thinking” model — a simple yet powerful framework for separating helpful from unhelpful thoughts — and explores how *belief change*, *informational havening*, and *self-awareness* can transform both personal and professional growth.

Together, Doug and Tony dive into the neuroscience of thought, how to use curiosity and language to reframe limiting beliefs, and why sometimes the best change work starts with giving yourself permission to *do it imperfectly*.

*** You can feel free to download free pdf versions of the two books Tony mentions! ****

Beliefs and How to Change Them … For Good! https://www.aha-success.co.uk/beliefs-book/

Pink Bucket Thinking https://www.pinkbucketthinking.co.uk/the-book/

0:00 – Introduction: Doug welcomes Tony Burgess 0:30 – Who is Tony Burgess? “The Human Treasure Hunter” 2:10 – How Doug met Tony through Havening 4:00 – Finding balance in life and work 5:00 – DISC Profiling explained: understanding people through behavioral filters 8:30 – Keeping things simple in coaching and writing 9:40 – The origin of Informational Havening 11:00 – The What-If Pattern for belief change 13:00 – Turning “What if it goes wrong?” into “What if it goes right?” 15:15 – Combining Havening with NLP and Sleight of Mouth 17:00 – The birth of *Pink Bucket Thinking* 18:30 – Sorting helpful vs unhelpful thoughts 21:00 – Using buckets as a tool for awareness 23:20 – How to shift thoughts between “unhelpful” and “helpful” 25:00 – The power of neutrality: “It just is.” 27:50 – Why awareness precedes transformation 29:40 – Practicing Pink Bucket Thinking in daily life 33:30 – Using it in families, teams, and organizations 35:30 – The art of self-responsibility: response-ability 38:30 – Ownership vs blame in change work 40:00 – Pink Bucket Thinking in action: community and Uganda project 43:00 – Co-authoring with Julie French

**Tony Burgess** Trainer, Coach, Therapist, Author

📘 *Beliefs and How to Change Them for Good*

📗 *Pink Bucket Thinking*

🌐 [aha-success.co.uk](https://aha-success.co.uk)

Listen to more episodes**Visit [EssentialCoachingSkills.com](https://essentialcoachingskills.com) coaching skills, NLP techniques, belief change, havening techniques, informational havening, sleight of mouth, Tony Burgess, Doug O’Brien podcast, pink bucket thinking, mindset shift, personal development, self awareness, coaching psychology, disc profiling, nlp coaching, emotional intelligence, cognitive reframing, the essential coaching skills podcast, nlp for coaches, healing through belief change, nlp practitioner #EssentialCoachingSkills #DougOBrien #TonyBurgess #PinkBucketThinking #BeliefChange #NLP #Havening #MindsetShift #LifeCoaching #PersonalDevelopment #SleightOfMouth #NeuroscienceOfChange #SelfAwareness

What if basketball was reimagined to include everyone — not just the tall? In this thought-provoking and hilarious conversation, Doug O’Brien sits down with his brother Tim O’Brien to explore an unconventional idea: creating a height budget for basketball.

They dive into:

🏀 How height bias shapes sports and opportunity ⚖️ The “total height budget” concept that could make basketball more inclusive

🧠 What this says about how we structure competition and fairness in life 💡 How this parallels modeling excellence in NLP — and what coaches can learn from it It’s a light-hearted yet deeply insightful talk on innovation, fairness, and thinking differently.

0:00 Introduction – Basketball and brotherly rivalry

1:00 Why height matters more than skill in modern basketball

3:00 The idea: integrating basketball by height 5:00 Explaining the “total height budget”

7:00 How teams could balance tall and short players

9:00 Real-world examples from the NBA and high school sports

11:00 What coaches can learn about fairness and innovation

13:00 Modeling athletic excellence – the NLP connection

15:00 The value of diversity in skill and size

17:00 Closing thoughts – opening up the game to everyone

To read an artilce on this subject by Dr. Tim O'Brien, go here: https://ericksonian.com/height-budget-for-bball-by-e-timothy-obrien-phd

👉 essentialcoachingskills.com #NBA #BasketballPodcast #DougOBrien #EssentialCoachingSkills #BasketballInnovation #HeightBudget #SportsMindset #NLPForCoaches #PerformanceCoaching #MindsetMatters

Kevin Allison is the creator and host of the hit podcast, RISK!, which has been where people tell true stories they never thought they’d dare to share for 16 years. Kevin is also the founder and lead instructor of The Story Studio, a storytelling school which offers classes and corporate workshops around the world and online.

He is the editor of the book adaptation of RISK!, published by Hachette Books in 2018. As an actor, writer and comedian, Kevin began his career as a founding member of the legendary sketch comedy group, The State, whose cult classic show aired on MTV from 1993-96. More recently, Kevin has appeared in shows such as Flight of the Conchords, High Maintenance, Cobra Kai, and the films Alma and the Wolf and I'll Take the Hamm.

On Twitter and Instagram, I'm at TheKevinAllison and RISK! is at RISKshow.

Denise Manning Keyes Page began storytelling when a dear friend in her last months of living with ALS urged her to do so. Denise excavated a story she had written about her mother’s family, edited it and shared it at a community story event. She did so to honor two people she loved. Her mother deceased at the time and her friend. Her friend delighted in the feedback and encouraged Denise to keep telling. Ms. Page is convinced this entry into the art of storytelling ignited a passion within her because it began in so much love. That was 2019. She tells stories to heal, challenge, inspire, inform and connect.

She is also founder of Ubuntu Storytellers and “Women Tell by the Decades” with Jen Munro. She is currently working on a trilogy “Legacy of A Wealthy Slave” … a headline from the New York Times that references her great – great- grandfather. He patented an invention in 1866, and with its resultant revenue sent two sons to Yale University.

www.ubuntustorytellers.com

www.denisekeyestells.com

Lewis Mehl-Madrona, MD, graduated from Stanford University School of Medicine and trained in family medicine, psychiatry, and clinical psychology. He completed his residencies at the University of Vermont College of Medicine. He has been on the faculties of several medical schools, most recently as associate clinical professor of family medicine at the University of New England. He has worked with Indigenous communities to explore how to bring their culture and healing traditions into health care. He is interested in what Indigenous cultures and practices can bring to contemporary medicine and psychology. Barbara Mainguy holds multiple degrees, including a Master’s in Creative Arts Psychotherapy and an M.S.W. from the University of Maine. She is a psychotherapist at Cornerstone Behavioral Health in Bangor, Maine. With a strong background as an artist and a psychotherapist, she specializes in working with individuals diagnosed with psychosis, chronic pain, and exploring the connection between art and healing. Barbara is certified in hypnosis and has taught for several organizations, including the American Psychiatric Association. She has authored numerous papers and co-wrote the book Remapping Your Mind. Currently, she is finishing her M.F.A. in documentary filmmaking. Discover more at https://www.coyote-institute.org/ COME to the Woodstock Story Festival 2025 October 24, 25, 26 @‌woodstockstoryfestival and #woodstockstoryfestival

Shelley Stockwell-Nicholas, PhD., is a renowned hypnotherapist, author of over 25 books, and President of the International Hypnosis Federation. A member of the International Hypnosis Hall of Fame, she has dedicated her life to helping individuals master their own mindset for greater health, happiness, and success. As a trainer and dynamic media personality, Dr. Stockwell-Nicholas brings decades of experience and wisdom to every conversation. www.hypnosisfederation.com

WOODSTOCK STORY FESTIVAL #woodstockstoryfestival

Full Festival (3 days): $195 general / $125 seniors & students

Single day tickets: Friday $45 | Saturday $105 | Sunday $75

Get tickets here:https://woodstockstoryfestival.com/tickets/

Mountain View Studio
20 Mountainview Ave, Woodstock, NY 12498

Source:: https://woodstockstoryfestival.com/

In this week’s episode of the *Essential Coaching Skills Podcast*, Doug O’Brien sits down with transformational storyteller **Jim Brulé**, whose life’s work weaves stories from around the world into paths for healing, spiritual growth, and transformation.

@woodstockstoryfestival and #woodstockstoryfestival

From Ericksonian hypnosis to AI, healthcare, and his role as a **death doula**, Jim has lived many stories of his own—and now teaches others how to tell stories that awaken, heal, and connect.

Together, Doug and Jim explore: * Why transformational storytelling is about **questions, not answers**. * The difference between *telling a story* and *writing one down*. * How Jim’s work as a **death doula** uses story to help people and families navigate grief. * Ancient tales like **Madam Whitesnake**, Jewish folktales, and myths of healing monsters. * The importance of lineage, source, and permission in storytelling.

* What to expect at the upcoming **Woodstock Storytelling Festival** (October 2025).

Plus, Jim shares a powerful Jewish folktale about a thief-turned-fake-rabbi who discovers the transformative power of authentic prayer. This is a conversation about the heart of storytelling—not just performance, but presence, healing, and compassion. 00:00 – Welcome & intro to Jim Brulé, transformational storyteller 02:06 – Woodstock Storytelling Festival & global storytelling traditions 04:57 – From therapist & AI pioneer to spiritual storyteller 07:16 – Ordained as a Jewish storyteller & teaching worldwide 08:15 – Why transformational storytelling opens questions, not answers 11:01 – Death doula work & using stories at end of life 16:19 – Strong women & “healing monsters” as storytelling themes 22:05 – Ghost story: a gift from a dead sister 23:29 – The story of Yitzhak, the incompetent thief turned rabbi 42:02 – How to connect with Jim + Woodstock Storytelling Festival details **Resources & Links:** *

Jim Brulé: [TransformationalStorytelling.org](https://transformationalstorytelling.org) | [jimbrule@gmail.com](mailto:jimbrule@gmail.com) *

His book *Stories of the Heart* (with colleague in Spain) * Woodstock Storytelling Festival: [woodstockstoryfestival.com](https://woodstockstoryfestival.com) * Essential Coaching Skills Podcast: [essentialcoachingskills.com](http://essentialcoachingskills.com) Jim Brulé is a transformational storyteller, death doula, teacher, and mentor, drawing on a unique background that encompasses advanced degrees in both clinical psychology and artificial intelligence. For the past seven years, he has directed Transformational Storytelling, an online school accredited by the National Storytelling Network. This global community trains spiritual storytellers from diverse traditions to craft narratives that inspire healing and foster spiritual growth. Co-authored with Rebecca Lemaire, his book 'Stories of the Heart' presents 18 global tales for navigating life and death. https://StoriesOfTheHeartBook.com/ He is the founder of Transformational Storytelling Community, a 501(c)(3) devoted to using storytelling with communities to heal wounds and build new resilience - and resistance. You can learn more about his current project at https://transformationalstorycommunity.org/a-new-story-for-syracuse/ Jim is the recipient of the 2025 Oracle Regional Service & Leadership Award (Northeast Region), and participated in setting the Guinness World Record for the longest continuous oral storytelling at the 2025 Marrakech International Storytelling Festival. Jim's classes, workshops, and communities embody his dedication to multicultural wisdom, grounded in the belief that true abundance arises from interconnected generosity and gratitude. You can learn more here: https://TransformationalStorytelling.org/

LAURA SIMMS is an internationally acclaimed storyteller, writer, and educator, advocating engaged storytelling as compassionate action for personal and community transformation. In these unprecedented times of Covid, climate change and increased aggression, she offers in-depth classes coaching, and powerful performances of stories that address the most pressing issues of our times with dignity, and joy. https://www.laurasimms.com/

This week on the Essential Coaching Skills Podcast, I sit down with Jamie Smart, the Sunday Times bestselling author of Clarity and Results. Jamie has an extraordinary gift for cutting through the noise and helping people access the peace of mind, resilience, and insight that are already within them. In our conversation, we explore: Why clarity isn’t something you achieve — it’s already built into you The difference between clarity, mindfulness, and mindset training How “inside-out” understanding changes the way you coach (and live) Why most problems dissolve once you see how your perception really works What the psychological immune system is — and how it helps us heal The difference between toxic goals and authentic desires If you’ve ever found yourself saying “I’ll be happy when…,” this conversation will shift the way you see yourself and your clients. Jamie doesn’t just talk about concepts—he brings them alive with stories, metaphors, and insights you can apply right away. 📘 Learn more about Jamie’s work at jamiesmart.com Timestamps / Episode Highlights 0:02 – Welcome & introduction to Jamie Smart 2:10 – From NLP trainer to discovering clarity 4:03 – Realizing everything you’re seeking is already within 6:23 – Flow states and innate clarity 9:26 – Why mindfulness and mindset aren’t the same as clarity 13:41 – How experience is created (controlled hallucination) 16:38 – Feelings as signals about perception, not reality 20:25 – Public speaking anxiety & the teddy bear factor 23:45 – The psychological immune system explained 27:52 – Trauma, resilience, and the power of thought 29:46 – Self-image vs. who we really are 30:40 – “One spiritual being, eight billion human experiences” 36:25 – Jamie’s three-step process for clarity 38:19 – Germ theory as a metaphor for psychology 41:42 – Why clarity matters now more than ever 42:09 – Where to find Jamie’s books, podcasts, and resources 43:38 – One step you can take today to access more clarity Jamie Smart is a Sunday Times bestselling author, educator, speaker and coach who presents regularly at major conferences worldwide. He shows individuals and organisations the unexpected keys to clarity, the ultimate leverage point for creating profound transformation and meaningful results. Jamie’s primary focus is in showing business leaders, entrepreneurs, coaches, therapists and other transformation professionals how to bring subtractive psychology and the principles behind clarity into their work with clients, into their own businesses and into every aspect of their lives. In addition, he works with a handful of 1:1 coaching clients and leads selected corporate programmes. Jamie has keynoted conferences for organisations ranging from the NATO Defense College to the mental health charity, Rethink Mental Illness and the Council of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries. His corporate clients range from household names like Hewlett Packard and Dun & Bradstreet to The Specialist Works, an SME ranked as one of the Sunday Times’s 100 Best Small Companies to Work For. He has appeared on Sky TV and on the BBC, as well as in numerous publications including The Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Huffington Post and Psychologies Magazine. As well as CLARITY he is also the author of the books RESULTS: Think Less, Achieve More, The Little Book of Clarity and The Little Book of Results. Jamie lives in the UK. When he’s not working, he loves spending time with his family, travelling, walking, drinking coffee and exploring. You can connect with Jamie on the following social media sites: Instagram: @‌JamieSmartCom Twitter: @‌JamieSmartCom Facebook: Jamie Smart YouTube: Jamie Smart LinkedIn: / jamiesmartclarity You can read Jamie’s blog, get full contact details and find his podcasts at the link below or wherever you get your podcasts. Jamie Smart | CLARITY

Adam Cerra, Author and CEO of Done For You closing agency and Conversation to Client academy. Sales Expert & Trainer in the High ticket Coaching, Consulting, & Personal Development Industries since 2004. Has helped close over 40 million dollars in high ticket sales. Creator of the revolutionary Inverse Closing System™. Trained Hundreds of Remote closers & commission only High-ticket closers. Author of Conversation to Client: The Coach’s Playbook For Selling High-Ticket Offers

NLP That Works: Josh Davis on Science-Backed Change Tools for Coaches & Everyday Life In this episode of the Essential Coaching Skills Podcast, Doug O’Brien sits down with neuroscientist, author, and Master NLP Trainer Josh Davis, PhD. They dive deep into the heart of NLP—what works, what doesn’t, and why the field is overdue for a science-backed revival. Josh is the co-author of The Difference That Makes a Difference, a groundbreaking new book that blends practical NLP tools with modern research. If you’ve ever wondered whether NLP is more than just clever language tricks—or you’ve struggled to explain it to skeptics—this episode is for you. 👉 Topics we cover: ✔ The #1 NLP book Doug recommends now (goodbye, Unlimited Power?) ✔ Scientific evidence behind classic NLP techniques like disassociation ✔ The ethics of influence—how to use NLP responsibly ✔ Why Josh believes NLP is ready for a new generation ✔ Quick coaching prompts you can use right now ✔ Why the Meta Model still matters—and how to teach it better ✔ NLP for relationships, public speaking, and confidence 🧠 Whether you're a coach, therapist, speaker, or just NLP-curious—get ready to rethink how you think. 🔗 Resources: Get the book: https://nlpdifference.com Doug’s book: The User’s Guide to Sleight of Mouth Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review! 00:00 – Intro: Meet Josh Davis, PhD 01:55 – Why NLP needed a new book 05:15 – Is there real science behind NLP techniques? 08:44 – How Josh and his co-author made NLP practical 13:30 – What “The Difference That Makes a Difference” really means 17:55 – Why NLP can’t be a one-size-fits-all approach 21:30 – The ethics of influence and manipulation 28:40 – Coaching prompt: Reframing with positive intent 32:15 – NLP for confidence and public speaking 36:10 – Doug’s take on anchoring vs. authenticity 39:00 – NLP for relationships and emotional triggers 43:20 – How the Meta Model is taught differently in this book 48:00 – Who this book is really for 52:10 – Why storytelling is still a secret coaching superpower 55:30 – Final thoughts + where to find Josh online

What do coaching, martial arts, and leadership training at the Grand Ole Opry have in common? In this unforgettable episode, Doug O’Brien sits down with international keynote speaker and master coach Brad Waldron. From breaking his neck at 43 playing rugby, to coaching for Tony Robbins, to building a powerhouse training business across Europe, Brad shares the real stories—and hard-won lessons—that shaped his remarkable career. 🔑 Inside this episode: The #1 skill most coaches skip (but shouldn’t) Why hardship is often the greatest teacher The difference between “motivational speaker” and real coaching What Brad learned from Stephen Covey & Tony Robbins How to coach when you don’t have the answer This conversation is part masterclass, part memoir, and all heart. If you’re a coach, speaker, or leader ready to deepen your practice and move people—not just motivate them—this episode is for you. 🔗 Connect with Brad Waldron: https://this-is-brad.com 📖 Get Present Naked: https://www.presentnaked.com/ 🎧 Subscribe to the Essential Coaching Skills Podcast for weekly episodes. https://www.this-is-brad.com/ 00:00 – Intro: Meet Brad Waldron 01:43 – Living in a 1760s Schoolhouse with Tunnels to a Pub 05:02 – How Doug & Brad Met (Dan Millman, Tony Robbins, NLP Days) 07:26 – Breaking His Neck at 43 Playing Rugby 09:16 – From Dysfunctional Family to Global Coach 12:22 – Using NLP to Win Martial Arts Tournaments 16:12 – Why NLP Techniques Aren’t Enough 17:36 – Working with Stephen Covey & Launching Leadership Centers 20:29 – Why Every Coach Needs to Slay Their Inner Dragons 23:24 – The Real Goal: Self-Learning, Self-Leadership 24:48 – Coaching Teens (and Executives) with Covey’s Habits 28:24 – A Paradigm Shift You Can Use in Any Tough Conversation 36:47 – The Most Underrated Coaching Skill: Confirmation 43:03 – Labeling Emotions = Opening Doors 47:18 – Brad’s Most Memorable Coaching Moment 53:06 – From White Belt to Black Belt: Skill vs. Art in Coaching 54:28 – Presenting Naked: Brad’s Take on Speaking with Impact 56:27 – Why His Website is Called “This is Brad” 59:19 – How Doug Changed Brad’s Life (Back in 1990)

What if your to-do list wasn’t a source of stress… but a strategy for success? In this episode of the Essential Coaching Skills Podcast, Doug O’Brien sits down with leadership coach and longtime Tony Robbins trainer, Deborah Russell, to unpack one of the most underestimated coaching tools: how you manage your day. Deborah shares her journey from coaching for Robbins Research to creating her own leadership programs—and why mastering your mindset around time is the real key to peak performance. Whether you're a coach, leader, or solopreneur juggling 1,000 things, this episode will help you work smarter, not harder. 🧠 Learn: • How to structure your day for real results • Why time management is really self-management • How constraints unlock creativity • Why most people resist delegation—and how to fix it • Behind-the-scenes stories from Tony Robbins’ world 📚 Join Debra's amazing 90-minute game-changing, virtual workshop Wednesday, June 18, 2025 2:00 PM EDT for FREE by clicking here: https://www.debrarussell.com/structure-your-day-for-peak-performance-VIP 📚 Download her “52 Secrets” at: https://debrarussell.com 🎙 Subscribe to the podcast for weekly insights. 00:00 – Intro: Meet Deborah Russell 02:45 – Coaching for Tony Robbins (36 years of insights) 07:40 – Structuring your day for peak performance 13:10 – Why most people resist time management 19:35 – Shifting mindsets around time = more freedom 25:50 – How Deborah’s beliefs about structure evolved 30:15 – The surprising power of constraints 36:00 – Delegation: why most people do it wrong 42:20 – Strategic planning lessons from McDonald’s & the military

Are you a coach, hypnotist, or course creator trying to do everything yourself? Doug O’Brien sits down with his longtime virtual assistant and content manager, Linah Macharia, to talk about what a VA really does—and how the right support can help you grow your business without burning out. In this episode: Why every coach should consider hiring a virtual assistant What to delegate first (and what to keep) How Doug's content strategy transformed when he handed off key tasks Tips for finding a reliable VA who understands the coaching world How AI and assistants can work together to make your business more powerful Whether you're still doing your own emails and YouTube thumbnails or wondering how to find someone you can trust, this episode is packed with practical advice and stories from behind the scenes of Doug’s business.

Connect with Linah on LinkedIn:  www.linkedin.com/in/linah-macharia/

Book a call with Linah: linahmacharia.bloom.io/schedule

Submit your project request/support here: linahmacharia.bloom.io/lead-capture

00:00 – Introduction: Meet Doug’s virtual assistant, Linah 
02:40 – What a virtual assistant actually does 
06:35 – Doug's story: building his first website & realizing the value of outsourcing 
11:58 – What to outsource and when to do it 
16:15 – How Doug and Linah work together (newsletters, YouTube, podcast) 
20:01 – Why outsourcing content tasks grows your business faster 
24:14 – Common fears about hiring a VA—and how to overcome them 
27:22 – Key questions to ask when hiring your first VA 
30:40 – Examples of what coaches can delegate to a VA

Doug O’Brien sits down with NLP expert and copywriting master Harlan Kilstein to explore a fascinating hypnotic tool from Dave Dobson: The Subjective Reversal.

Learn how to shift a client’s limiting belief by reversing their own anchors. Harlan unpacks the deep psychology behind Dobson's process, how to change internal associations, and how this technique can rewire the subconscious for powerful transformation.

Whether you’re a coach, hypnotist, or language nerd, this episode will expand your toolkit and shift how you understand change.

🎧 Listen now and discover:

Want learn more about the Subjective Reversal Project? Click here: https://kilstein.com/subjectivereversal/

Learn more about Harlan Kilstein at: https://kilstein.com/

Follow Doug O'Brien's work at: https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/

Is Poetry really Hypnosis?

Why Poetry and Hypnotic Language are so very much the same thing.

In today's episode we look at and listen closely to video-taped Hypnosis as done by one of the greatest ever, Milton Erickson AND we at some Poetry as done by some of the greats, includingpoetry readings by Robert Frost, e.e. cummings, David Whyte, Mary Oliver and Julie Flanders.

Also - April is Poetry month and our friends at October Project Music are holding theirAnnual Poetry Contest!

You can enter up to three poems! But hurry - you only have ti the end of the month.

https://www.octoberprojectmusic.com/poetry-contest/annual-poetry-contest

Surgery with no Anesthesia?

Yes! And with no pain either, by the way. (Something we have in common - except she can teach you how to do it.) Founder and director of the Academy for Hypnosis and co-founder of the renowned Institute of Hypnotherapy for Medical and Dental Practice (IHMDP), Sharon Waxkirsh is one of the few trainers licenced to teach the works of Gil Boyne's Transforming Therapy™.

Sharon is highly regarded for her training of hundreds of dentists, doctors, surgeons and hypnotherapists around the world, in the use of hypnosis in medical and dental settings.

For more information on Sharon and her offerings, go to: www.academyforhypnosis.com info@academyforhypnosis.com

🚀 How does your self-concept shape your success? In this episode of The Essential Coaching Skills Podcast, Doug O’Brien sits down with Damon Cart, one of the few people personally certified by NLP legend Steve Andreas to teach the Self-Concept Model. Damon shares how self-beliefs influence confidence, mindset, and personal transformation—and how you can rewire yours for lasting success. 🔹 Topics Covered: ✔️ What is self-concept & why does it matter? ✔️ How self-beliefs impact all areas of life ✔️ The connection between self-concept & self-esteem ✔️ Damon Cart’s insights on NLP, identity, and transformation ✔️ Practical strategies to reshape your self-perception & success mindset

In this episode, my colleague, Feather Windwalker, asks me about the use of The Havening Techniques® in my coaching practice. 

What is Havening anyway? Why bother? Why did I feel a need to add it to my NLP and Hypnosis practice 10 years ago?

She also asked me about whether Havening, like Sleight of Mouth, NLP, and Neo-Ericksonian Hypnosis, can be considered an Essential Coaching Skill.

Tolearn more about being trained in The Havening Techniques®, go to www.Ericksonian.com/Training

Meet Feather Sunday 23 March in Warwick RIRI Holistic Healing Association EXPO
DIY Workshop Experience: Havening for Emotional First-Aid and Self-Care LIVE Online

NeurosensoryMentalHealth.com

FeatherWindWisdom.org

The latest episode of the Essential Coaching Skills Podcast features the incredible Stephen Gilligan, a pioneer in Ericksonian hypnosis and a mentor to many. You can find out more about him and his work at www.stephengilligan.com #Coaching #Hypnosis #trance [

00:04:26-00:04:37] Evolution of Stephen Gilligan's work.

[00:09:19] Connection to living consciousness.

[00:11:31] Dissociation and persistent suffering.

[00:15:35] Differentiation in therapeutic trance.

[00:22:49] Overcoming suicidal thoughts.

[00:25:23] Political economy of the United States.

[00:30:21] Creative unconscious and perspective.

[00:38:11] Therapeutic conversation dynamics.

[00:42:01] Life changes and personal growth.

[00:48:15] Aikido and energy flow.

[00:54:01] True nature of yourself.

[00:59:20] Irish culture's beauty and pain.

[01:00:10] Magical realism in life.

William Deihl has a Master’s in Nutritional Science and a Ph.D. in Psychology and Metaphysics. He’d traveled around the country for two years as the nutrition expert for O.H. magazine and was a special guest teacher for continuing education for Doctors and Nurses for bariatric at Princeton University. He has a background in T.C.M. Traditional Chinese medicine.

Find out what makes him ranked #1 in Phoenix 3 years in a row!

Find out More at www.dochypnosis.com

Ep. 176 - Charles Faulkner, NLP Co-Developer, on "What I learned from Dave Dobson." I ask Charles about his experiences with Dr. Dave Dobson and his efforts to model him the way Bandler and Grinder modeled exemplars like Milton Erickson and others. I ask particularly about Dobson's "Subjective Reversal" and get a remarkably thorough answer. Not surprising coming from a man who has authored at least a dozen books and tapes on NLP ad related subjects. Enjoy this far-ranging and in-depth conversation. (Part 1 of 2) Learn more about Charles at www.charlesfaulkner.com

Ep. 176 - Charles Faulkner, NLP Co-Developer, on "What I learned from Dave Dobson." I ask Charles about his experiences with Dr. Dave Dobson and his efforts to model him the way Bandler and Grinder modeled exemplars like Milton Erickson and others. I ask particularly about Dobson's "Subjective Reversal" and get a remarkably thorough answer. Not surprising coming from a man who has authored at least a dozen books and tapes on NLP ad related subjects. Enjoy this far-ranging and in-depth conversation. (Part 1 of 2)

Learn more about Charles at www.charlesfaulkner.com

In this episode, Doug reveals five story telling secrets that will make any story more successful. These cardinal rules of storytelling can be applied to short form or longform stories equally well. This is an exclusive look between the covers of the pages of Doug's new book, "The Users Guide to Storytelling."

The book is currently available exclusively at Amazon

Discover why Peter Blum is considered “the hypnotist’s hypnotist!”

      Peter Blum, C.I., C.Ht., M.S.C., has had a practice in Ericksonian hypnosis since 1987. He was awarded Instructor of the Year by the Nat’l Guild of Hypnosis in 2004, and in 2009 inducted into the Order of Braid - a lifetime achievement recognition. In 2015 he was recognized as Hypnotist of the Year by IACT (The Int’l Assoc. of Counselors and Therapists), and in 2018 Peter was awarded “Life Fellow in Hypnotherapy” by the International Medical and Dental Hypnosis Association. In 2021, Peter was inducted into the Hypnosis Hall of Fame.
      Peter has trained hundreds of healers, health professionals, and counselors, in the spiritual art of hypnosis. During the 90’s he served as Director of Stress Management for the Rhinebeck Health Center, under the supervision of Dr. Kenneth Bock and Dr. Steven Bock. He is currently President of the Board of Directors of Health Care Is A Human Right, a 501c3 dedicated to providing free access to holistic health to local communities.
      Since the 80’s he has also been involved in the fields of Indigenous shamanic ceremony, and sound as a vehicle for consciousness and healing. In 2018, he published “TranceSonics - The Vital Link Between Sound Healing and Hypnosis,”, and now, in 2024, “What Is Your B.S.? - Exploring Belief Systems, Hypnosis, and Neurolinguistics.” This collection of essays and case histories covers Blum’s 40 years in the field. If you are curious about the “spiritual art form of hypnosis,” as well as practical applications for personal growth, you will enjoy every page of this highly entertaining compendium. The advance praise for What’s Your B.S.? provides an excellent preview of the book!

      Doug O’Brien, NLP and Ericksonian teacher, said, “At first, I just gobbled Peter's book up like a delicious dessert. Then I went back and reread it slowly and deliberately because I wanted to savor every morsel of this delightful and fascinating tale. The book is both a personal memoir of one man's journey to a deep understanding of the human condition through the lens of hypnosis, and an extended teaching tale rich with lessons everyone can learn from.”

     Noted author and psychiatrist Dr. Lewis Mehl-Madrona, said: “Peter has written a delightfully playful book that reveals what hypnosis is and how it's done. Don't be fooled—beneath the silliness and the humor are pearls of wisdom worthy of the reader's contemplation and reflection. I particularly liked his stories about how to find enlightenment and about the difference between healing and curing. Peter also provides some excellent transcripts of his work, which will aid practitioner-readers in improving their techniques for eliciting belief systems during hypnosis. He includes helpful exercises such as the values hierarchy, and his play on words has always delighted me.”

     Find Peter at www.trancesonics.com and get a signed copy of his book there as well.

What are THE Essential Coaching Skills? Enquiring minds want to know. Listen to Lucie Brissaud ask some probing questions in order to clear up some confusion and gain clarity on what's being offered in the new membership and classes www.essentialcoachingskills.com/essential-coaching-skills-membership

Mark Schall is a Certified Master Coach who helps leaders, managers and execs overcome their fear of difficult conversations so that they can increase engagement, reduce turnover, and blow their business results out of the water in 6 months or less. We discuss how he does all that in this fascinating episode of the Essential Coaching Skills Podcast. To contact Mark or find out more about what he has to offer, go to www.markschall.com.

We are discussing the importance of getting a solid education in coaching and the significance of becoming certified. Dave shared his insights on why coaching is a natural human skill but emphasized the need to unlearn certain societal conditioning to become an effective coach.

We discussed the different levels of certification offered by the International Coach Federation (ICF) and why striving for the Master Certified Coach (MCC) level can elevate a coach's ability to engage with clients on a deeper, more energetic level. Dave also highlighted the distinction between skills and techniques in coaching, suggesting that while natural skills are essential, advanced techniques require education and practice.

I shared my plans to offer longer, more in-depth courses in NLP, Neo-Ericksonian hypnosis, and Sleight of Mouth, focusing on essential coaching skills. Dave and I also talked about our upcoming collaboration, which aims to combine my expertise in these techniques with CoachVille's accredited coaching programs to provide a comprehensive learning experience for aspiring coaches.

Towards the end, we touched on the future of coaching in the age of AI and the importance of human connection in coaching. Dave emphasized that while AI can handle transactional aspects, it cannot replicate the empathy and intimacy that human coaches provide. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in elevating their coaching practice and understanding the evolving landscape of the coaching profession.

[00:02:28] Importance of coaching certification.

[00:05:34] Master Certified Coach benefits.

[00:10:47] Mastery in music and coaching.

[00:15:53] Guided practice for coaching skills.

[00:19:47] ICF accreditation changes.

[00:22:03] Certification in coaching importance.

[00:28:32] Guided journey vs. transactional coaching.

[00:30:38] Grow the good through practice.

[00:33:30] Two coaching models' origins.

[00:40:50] Human potential movement's resurgence.

[00:41:25] AI and human connection.

It's not enough to be a great coach, you need to get clients who will pay you money for your services. Coaches need to wear multiple hats. You need to sell them on your services.

Kenrick Cleveland is widely acknowledged as a master of persuasion. In my experience, he is THE GUY who started the use of NLP for other-than-therapeutic purposes. He's the first person that I know who used NLP for sales.

I ask him about his latest innovation in this field in today's episode. He calls it DreamState Selling

If you want to learn more about Kenrick's latest innovations, you can do so here: https://www.thepowerark.com/dsss

Are you a coach looking to scale your business and attract more clients?

In this episode, we dive deep into the world of digital advertising with the expert guidance of Michael Nadalin, CEO of Market Lead. Michael shares his proven strategies for leveraging Google Ads and Facebook Ads to grow your coaching business, boost your online presence, and generate a steady stream of leads and sales.

Whether you're just starting out or you're an experienced coach looking to take your business to the next level, this episode is packed with actionable insights you can implement right away. Michael's company, Market Lead, specializes in helping coaches like you achieve tangible results with advanced Google Ads techniques, powerful paid ad strategies, and high-converting landing pages.

But that's not all—we also explore how to enhance your website's effectiveness with tools like Quantumastudio.com and their ready-made website templates, ensuring that your online presence is as strong as your ad campaigns.

Tune in to learn:

- How to create ad campaigns that attract your ideal clients

- The secrets behind high-converting landing pages

- The do's and don'ts of Google Ads and Facebook Ads for coaches

- Tips on optimizing your website to maximize lead generation

👉 Find Michael Nadalin and learn more about his services at [www.marketlead.com.au](http://www.marketlead.com.au)

👉 Connect with Michael Nadalin on LinkedIn: [Michael Nadalin](https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-nadalin)

If you’re serious about growing your coaching business, this episode is a must-watch!

Don't forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell so you never miss an episode. #CoachingBusiness #GoogleAds #FacebookAds #LeadGeneration #MichaelNadalin #MarketLead #BusinessGrowth #HighConvertingLandingPages #CoachingSuccess #DigitalMarketingForCoaches #OnlineCoaching

Bruce Teall, clinical social worker, who uses what he calls "Clinical NLP" in his practice, explains how Memory Reconsolidation is behind what seems to be the magical effectiveness of NLP.

Going from "Age-ing to Sage-ing" is our topic today with the every youthful, 88 year of age, Gunther Weil. How can you and your clients engage in Conscious Aging and discover the joys of living into the golden years.

Weil earned his doctorate from Harvard University in 1965, with Timothy Leary as his faculty advisor, and served as a Fulbright Scholar in Oslo, Norway. His early professional mentors included Carl Rogers, the creator of Client Centered Psychotherapy, Arne Naess, the founder of Deep Ecology, and Abraham Maslow, the father of Humanistic Psychology.

Dr. Weil has also conducted personal growth seminars in leadership, creativity, emotional intelligence and wellness for executives and their organizations throughout the world. He is a 30 year practitioner of Tai Chi Chuan and an internationally recognized master teacher of Qigong – the oriental art of internal energy cultivation. He was the founding Chairman of the National Qigong Association (NQA) from 1994-1998 and continues to serve on the NQA’s National Advisory Council.

Dr. Weil is a licensed Psychologist, and is certified in the HeartMath® Inner Quality Management Program; Cultural Transformation Tools (CTT); and as a Master Values Mentor by the Minessence Group. He is also certified as a Master Trainer of Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP). In 2001 he was personally invited by Eckhart Tolle, best selling author of The Power of Now, and A New Earth to teach The Practice of Presence.

You can contact Gunther via his company, Value Mentors.  https://valuementors.com/about-us-2/gunther-weil/

Pattern Interrupts are a vital part of both Ericksonian Hypnotherapy and Dave Dobson's "Other-Than-Conscious-Communication."

In today's episode I again interview John Morgan about his book "Inter-ruption" and why this principle is so important in human change work.

You can download his book for free here: https://grasshoppernotes.com/Grasshop...

John's Podcast is here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1628038

John's YouTube Channel here: / @grasshoppernotes

And if you want to know more about him, here's a fascinating short video:

• Who Is John Morgan? | Brief Bio of th...

In our continuing series of what I learned from Dave Dobson, my guest today is Michael Halbfish. Michael is not a coach or a hypnotist, he is an attorney, but he learned a lot from Dave during his visit to the Island and has a lot to say about the subject.

Ulf Sandstrom and I discuss "Clean Language" and "Clean Communication" in coaching. In this enlightening and far reaching discussion, Ulf makes the case that clean language is truly an essential coaching skill, and also talks about the dangers of what can happen without it. Ulf Sandstrom is a humanitarian working in the Peaceful Heart Network using tapping and Havening to relieve trauma in post-conflict areas like Rwanda, Congo and other vulnerable populations. He is a colleague hypnotist, NLPer and musician, and good friend. Reach Ulf or find out more at www.ulfsandstrom.com www.peacefulheart.se www.Havening.se

April is Poetry Month and today we explore the connections between poetry and a hypnotic therapy script - and how YOU can use BOTH in Coaching.

I share several poems in this episode and read some sample Trance Scripts to illustrate the similarities.

One poem I read is by David Whyte who's website is www.davidwhyte.com.

Another is by E. E. Cummings (1894–1962)

Another poem I read comes to us courtesy of the poet Julie Flanders. Julie is also a founding member of the band "October Project" and writes all of their lyrics and sings in the band.

Julie is posting a new poem everyday this month on the October Project's Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/octoberproject/

They are also sponsoring their 6th annual poetry contest.

To learn more and ENTER their poetry contest, please click here: https://www.octoberprojectmusic.com/poetry-contest/annual-poetry-contest

I talk with Damon Cart about the "Self-Concept Model™," originally created by NLP Co-Developer, Steve Andreas. Damon is the only person ever Steve ever endorsed to teach the Self-Concept model and he wiil explain why he believes it to be the very pinnacle of all change-work approaches.

Find more about Damon and his work at selfconcept.com or email him at damon@selfconcept.com

In this episode, I talk about Sleight of Mouth and my approach to teaching Sleight of Mouth classes. AND I talk about first impressions of Dilts's "Sleight of Mouth II"... what I learned from taking Robert's wonderful 4-Day Training on Sleight of Mouth II and his beautiful new book of the same name - filled with rich illustrations!

Come to my free Webinar on Tuesday March 5th at 1:00 Eastern. Click here to register: https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/som-webinar

In this episode, I interview Robert Dilts about his new book, "Sleight of Mouth II", and why he needed such a thing. In this far-reaching conversation we dive deeply into the subject and uncover some fascinating tidbits. To find out more about this and other Robert Dilts offerings, go to www.robertdilts.com or ww.nlpu.com.

In today's podcast, we talk about how to combine the principles from Stephen Covey's "Seven habits of Highly Effective People" and his book "First Things First," with the E.A.S.E. model to create new habits that will last a lifetime.

Find out about our E.A.S.E. Challenge at www.Ericksonian.com.

Today I have a conversation with Kim West, Sleep Coach. In this episode, we discuss how to get a good nights sleep, what are the factors involved in getting your brain and body ready for a good night's sleep, and what are some of the tricks of the trade to create this very essential, healthy lifestyle habit. Find out More or Contact Kim at https://bettersleepmadesimple.com.

Learn how you can easily set goals and actually achieve them! Inluding the 4 Keys to a Well-Formed Outcome from NLP. As a Bonus - we also add in a few refinements borrowed from SMART Goals to make it even better. These are the filters I have ALL my Coaching Clients run thier goals through to make sure they are ultimately acheivable and not just a pleasant dream. Want to find out about Coaching with me? Go to DougOBrienHypnosis.com

In this episode, Bruce Teall, a licensed social worker in the state of New York and an NLP Practitione, talks about how he is teaching social workers and other traditional talk therapists to use NLP in their practice. Particularly, he is interested in what he calls "the magic of reconsolidation," and how it seems to be a common denominator for much of what really works in therapy.

Contact Bruce at www.magicofreconsolidation.com

Adam Wade is a 20 time Moth story-slam winner. He is an author, he is a teacher of storytelling in New York City and he's going to reveal some of his secrets of storytelling.

Find out more about Adam at www.adamwade.com

In today's episode we look at motivation... How do you get yourself motivated? How do you motivate your clients? Is there a good kind of motivation and a kind that's less good? Is comparing yourself to others bad? Is intrinsic motivation necessary or can extrinsic motivation be ok? Episode 154 - MOTIVATION, How do you get fires burning?

In this episode, we revisit the E.A.S.E. model and, for people who want to see the illustrations referred to in this podcast, please also watch at it on our YouTube channel.

Here we talk about the Essential Coaching Skill - heck, the important LIFE skill - of effective time management. In this episode we not only delve into the concepts from Stephen Covey's two books, "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People," and "First Things First," we also hear from Steve Covey directly! Learn more at essentialcoachingskills.com.

In this episode of The Essential Coaching Skills Podcast, I discuss the idea of using stories and coaching and how that's different from using stories in hypnosis. What is the difference? Should we reveal the story's meaning or let it percolate in the unconscious mind of our client? FInd out more at EssentialCoachingSkills.com, Ericksonian.com, Ericksonian.info and DougOBrienHypnosis.com

Doug Podcast on parasympathetic nervous system and HAVENING. How you can connect to the body's built-in Relaxation Response System and use Havening to magnify the effect for deeply relax and release stress. Go to www.essentialcoachingskills.com for more.

Gunther M. Weil, Ph.D. is an organizational consultant, executive coach, educator and psychologist. Gunther earned his doctorate from Harvard University in 1965 with Timothy Leary as his faculty advisor. He served as a Fulbright Scholar in Oslo, Norway. His early professional mentors included Carl Rogers, the creator of Client Centered Psychotherapy, Arne Naess, the founder of Deep Ecology, and Abraham Maslow, the father of Humanistic Psychology. In 1965, he was invited by Maslow to teach at Brandeis University. He subsequently received faculty and administrative appointments at Boston College and the University of Massachusetts - Boston. Find out more and/or contact Gunther at https://valuementors.com/

Robert Bays, Ph.D. An international seminar leader and consultant for over thirty years and a former college professor, Dr. Robert Bays has presented over 500 seminars throughout the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia and South Africa. He was the Head Trainer for one of the most successful companies in the world for twelve years (Robbins Research International with Anthony Robbins) and he has coached hundreds of individuals privately from all walks of life.   Dr. Bob has written two books in the personal growth area, had a play produced off-Broadway, and was a professional actor in New York (and on Broadway) for ten years. Find out more about Bob at www.DrBobBays.com

Shelle Rose Charvet is the founder of The Institute for Influence and Success Strategies. She is a bestselling author and a international expert on Influencing Language, researching and teaching for over 30 years. Her first book, "Words That Change Minds," is an international bestseller, In today’s podcast Shelle elicits a LAB profile on me (Doug) in real time and then tells how you could use the information you’ve learned. What is the LAB Profile®? Have you noticed that personality profiles tend to label people as if they “always” have one characteristic or another? The LAB Profile®, short for Language and Behavior Profile, recognizes that our behavior changes in different situations. So does our motivation and our language. The LAB Profile® shows you how to interpret people’s language and behavior in different contexts, so you can better understand, predict and influence behavior. The video also contains a link to a FREE DOWNLOAD of Shelle’s LAB Profile Cheat Sheet! (https://iifi.kartra.com/page/LabProfileCheatSheet) Contact Shelle at https://instituteforinfluence.com/

Connirae Andreas, NLP Co-Developer, Author, Teacher, Explorer. Talks about the early days of NLP, how she and her late husband Steve Andreas came to be involved and what her new "Wholeness Process" is all about. You can find out more about all she has to offer at https://www.andreasnlp.com

Matthew Dicks is an elementary school teacher, columnist, and internationally bestselling author of several novels including The Other Mother, Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend, and Twenty-one Truths About Love, as well as the nonfiction titles Storyworthy: Engage, Teach, Persuade, and Change Your Life Through the Power of Storytelling and Someday Is Today: 22 Simple, Actionable Ways to Propel Your Creative Life. Matthew is a record 58-time Moth StorySLAM and 9-time GrandSLAM champion who has performed for audiences around the globe. He’s the founder and artistic director of Speak Up, a Hartford-based storytelling organization. He teaches public speaking, storytelling, and marketing strategies to corporations, universities, politicians, advertising agencies, the clergy, and many more.

In this episode I try and wrangle some secrets out of him.

Find out more or connect with Matthew at www.matthewdicks.com

This episode is a recording of the first webinar (of three) covering some hallmarks of Neo-Ericksonian Hypnosiscalled "A 3-Day Hypnosis Buffet." The theme for this first webinar is "Speaking Hypnotically." It was presented on Tuesday, May 9th, 2023. You can still join us for the second and third webinars for FREE by signing up here: https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/pl/2147687141

In this episode, I speak with David Gordon. David is one of the original gangsters of NLP. He is the author of "Therapeutic Metaphors," "Phoenix," (both superb books on Ericksonian Hypnosis), and "Expanding Your World," a great book on NLP modeling. He is a wonderful teacher, a storyteller, a carpenter, an all-round wonderful human. 

Featuring lessons learned from Dave Dobson, Tony Robbins, Richard Bandler, Robert Dilts, Stephen Gilligan, David Gordon, Bill O'Hanlon, Betty Alice Erickson and more.

My conversation this week is again with Bill O'Hanlon, but in a very different way. Today's conversation is all about music in general and songwriting in particular. Bill has written 40 books and is about to publish his 41st. But he likes to say that he's left his old life - of being a therapist and teacher of therapy - behind and is now deeply involved in the art and craft of songwriting.

He lives at least part of each year in Nashville Tennessee, and has written approximately 1400 songs so far. Some of them already picked up and recorded by other artists and also for use on television.

If you want to hear some of them here are some links:

* Bill playing some of his songs: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLonFVyNDRRzW1ZdJYcFmtZ0-rHFkNhBnc

Here is a playlist of some of Bill's songs that have been recorded and released by other artists:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7Lvp3FShn1ld67QnfCV3aV?si=I1RZ5Q-wRvOaJBBydFk0zg

Our latest installment of the series of What I learned from Dave (Dr Dave Dobson) features my conversation with "repeat offenders" Mark Thomas and Drew Pearson.

Drew Pearson is a retired fire test engineer. He studied with Dave for 7 years and went to his FUN SHOP ten times, 1994 to 2007. He describes how Dave's training deeply influenced the way he communicates with business associates, family and friends.

Mark Thomas is also strongly influenced by the work of Dr. David Dobson's Other Than Conscious Communication (OTCC). In the 1980s, Mark provided his expertise to the national training team of best-selling author and motivational speaker Anthony Robbins.

Mark and his wife, Reverend Elaine Thomas, began applying the accelerated learning tools of NLP to the teaching of spiritual development practices through their modeling course known as Spiritual Insight Training.  In 1988, Elaine and Mark founded Fellowships of the Spirit and its School of Spiritual Healing and Prophecy, which has continuously provided high quality educational programs for 35 years.

Founder and CEO of "Syntax For Change," Lucy D. Freedman is a leading expert in communication, leadership. and change. With a life-long passion for enabling people to communicate and connect with honor, respect, and understanding, Lucy has decades of study and practice in interpersonal behavior as a speaker, teacher, corporate trainer, therapist, author, consultant, and coach.

Drawing from methods including transactional analysis, neurolinguistics, and the work of masters such as Dr. Milton Erickson and Fernando Flores, Lucy specializes in the practical techniques, perceptions, and behavior essential to human effectiveness in an environment of rapid change. She has also helped raise consciousness on issues of gender bias and other isms that limit opportunity.

The second edition of her book, Smart Work: The Syntax Guide to Influence, came out in 2012.

Learn more at:https://syntaxforchange.com/

WHAT I LEARNED FROM DAVE - a series within the podcast that features different folks who studied with Dr. Dave Dobson, PhD and one or more of his "Funshops"

In this episode I'm joined by Halimah Holiday and John Morgan. John and Halimah worked together for years via John's company, "John Morgan Seminars," where I also worked for about seven years doing Hypnosis seminars for Smoking Cessation and Weight Loss.

Halimah Holliday certified in Ericksonian hypnotherapy with Doug O'Brien in 1997 (I think?) and attended one of Dave Dobson's last Funshops in 2006. She is a massage therapist who has a guided visualization called "Virtual Massage." She retired as coordinator of John Morgan Seminars and now lives a quiet life in the Virginia countryside. She designs and creates custom journals and notebooks for Ledger And Lace and is currently writing The Fern World. Link to Virtual Massage recording Ledger & Lace YT channel:    • Virtual Massage  

John Morgan has been billed as America’s Best Known Hypnotherapist. John’s "Grasshopper Notes" podcasts are a collection of guided meditations and bite-sized, mini podcasts which open you to new ways of thinking, communicating, and responding.You get a finer appreciation of how your mind works and how to use your internal resources to your best advantage. See a video of John's background at the following link:    • Who Is John Morga...   In short, John Morgan is a people helper. Explore his channel and see what he can help you discover.

Link to YouTube:    / @grasshoppernotes  

Link to Podcasting: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1628038

Bill O'Hanlon is a world-renowned leader in the fields of brief psychotherapy and clinical hypnosis. Bill is the author of nearly 40 books and has delivered over 3,700 talks around the world. He was featured on the Oprah Winfrey show with his book, Do One Thing Different. Though now mostly retired from the mental health field, Bill still offers a few online courses a year, sometimes with occasional group consulting. Along with teaching clinical skills around psychotherapy and hypnosis, Bill also teaches others how to write and publish their own books and how to become paid public speakers. Bill is the co-founder of the Solution-Oriented Approach, a therapeutic method that focuses on identifying unrealized possibilities while acknowledging emotional and contextual issues. During graduate school, Bill studied with the eccentric and creative psychiatrist Milton Erickson (he was Dr. Erickson's only work/study student), he later became a major teacher/translator of Dr. Erickson's approaches to clinical hypnosis and change. These days Bill splits his time between his long-term home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and his community of fellow songwriters in Nashville, Tennessee, where he has written or co-written over 1,000 songs and has had more than 30 of these recorded by other artists, with some of these songs being feature in television and other media.

Connect with Bill at www.BillOHanlon.org

In this first of, hopefully, many conversations about Dr. Dave Dobson and his work, I'm joined by "repeat offenders" Dr. Harlan Kilstein and Dr. Clifford Saunders. Dr. Dave Dobson was the developer of O.T.C.C., or 'Other-Than-Conscious Communication." He was a great hypnotherapist some compared to Milton Erickson. However he has not left a huge footprint in the field due to his reticence to have his work be misrepresented. Today I am joined by two gentlemen who, like me, were "repeat offenders" in Dobson's joking term, meaning we went to more than one of Dave's "Funshops" over the years.

Clifford is also known as the Brain Reprogramming Doctor and you can find out more about him here: www.thebrainreprogrammingdoctor.com.

Harlan is an author, entrepreneur, and lifestyle coach and you can find out more about him here: www.harlankilstein.com.

In today's very special episode, I sit down with the legendary Robert McKee, author of "STORY - Substance, Structure, Style, and the Principles of Screenwriting."

Robert McKee is regarded by many as one of the greatest experts on the subject of Story and in particular, screenwriting, in the world. He has presented his STORY Seminar hundreds of time all around the globe over the last 30 years to screenwriters, novelists, playwrights, poets, you name it. Those who have learned from McKee have called him “the Aristotle of our time” because of his insight into the substance, structure of the art of story.

McKee’s former students include over 60 Academy Award Winners, 200 Academy Award Nominees, 200 Emmy Award Winners, 1000 Emmy Award Nominees, and much more.

Find out more about him and what he offers at https://mckeestory.com/

This episode originally aired as part of a Fundraiser in December of 2022. In this episode -- part conversation, part PERFORMANCE -- Sarah shows and tells how NLP isn't just her day job, it's a practical TOOL for helping her to step into the limelight of New York City's cabaret scene.

Contact Sarah at www.theintelligenthypnotist.com

After a skydiving accident nearly robbed Rex Steven Sikes of his life and caused him to spiral down in negativity for a couple years, Rex locked himself in his apartment for over 6 weeks to sort things through and develop the confidence to face the world again living happily and successfully. During those weeks of deep introspection and meditation Sikes discovered the keys for transformation which he's shared around the world ever since. He discusses this in his book, Life On Your Terms: Live The Life You Want. Sikes is founder of IDEA Seminars and Rex Sikes Entertainment. His innovations include Mind Design™ and Directed Questions™. The Attitude Activator™ and The Mastery Loop™ Learn more at www.rexsikes.com

In this conversation with Rachel Hott and Steve Leeds of the NLP Center of New York we explore origin stories and much more.

This conversation originally aired as part of the Fundraiser for Jerry Seavey in December of 2022.

Join us for an informal chat about NLP and Robert's behind the scenes musing about NLP, Sleight of Mouth and other topics.

This is a rebroadcast of our talk from the Help Jerry Heal Fundraiser in December of last year.

Today's guest is Sima Newell of Executive Reflections, who's mission is supporting people through burnout so that they can thrive again, professionally AND personally.

www.executivereflections.com

info@executivereflections.com

Shauna Cummins is a professional hypnotist and multidisciplinary artist. She is the founder of the Divine Feminine School of Hypnosis and author of The Wishcraft, A guide to manifesting a positive future (hardie grant). The Wishcraft is a method of self-hypnosis that teaches the art of well-wishing as a practice for changing thought patterns and beliefs, turning wishes into action. She has a private hypnosis practice, teaches workshops, creates hypnotic sound art and installations. Her work has been featured internationally at The National Gallery of Denmark, The Center for Contemporary Art Glasgow and in publications such as the Harper’s Bazaar, The Independent, Business Insider, YAHOO news and Refinery29 among others. She lives in New York City. www.shaunacummins.com @thewishcraft info@shaunacummins.com

Sarah Harper may best be described as a "Transition" coach because she  most often works with people going through or seeking a transition. Sarah has also partnered with Rich Kuepper to develop LEADing Human, a company that partners with organizations to create better-performing teams.  sarah@leading-human.com http://leading-human.com/

This is the perfect podcast for the new year. In this interview, recorded for the fundraiser last month, Tim and Kris Hallbom reveal the four essential questions every coach must ask their clients, and it is the perfect way to make New Year's resolutions that actually get accomplished. Find more about Kris and Tim at Kris's website, www.krishallbom.com and Tim's website, www.timhallbom.com

New Zealand's foremost NLP Master Trainer, Dr. Richard Bolstad, reveals his path to NLP and why he's soon to complete a PhD in Anthropology in his mid 60s.

This is the interview from the "Help Jerry Seavey Heal" Fundathon in its complete, unedited, version.

To see/hear the entire fundathon, you still can watch it all - until the end of the year.

Click here: https://streamyard.com/watch/2ZAhKXyDMPwa

To go directly to the GO FUND ME site to donate to Help Jerry Seavey Heal fund, please click here: https://gofund.me/61fd158ahttps://gofund.me/61fd158a