Embodiment and Coaching with Depth - Emotions Part 3

Coaches often face a pivotal moment in their journey. They sense their clients are seeking more—a deeper connection, a profound release, an inner transformation—but the tools they’ve relied on feel insufficient for the task. The desire to guide clients into the depths of their being, where true change and healing resides, becomes undeniable. This is the call to embodiment.

Shauna Quigley defines embodiment as a two-part process: first, bringing attention to the sensations in the body, and second, understanding how the mind interprets those sensations. This looping relationship between body and mind creates the opportunity for stored emotional data to surface. By discerning between these two elements, coaches can help their clients unlock a deeper understanding of core emotional experiences.

Embodiment is not just an abstract concept—it’s an active, living practice that has the potential to lead to breakthroughs for clients and coaches alike. For me, a recent experience drove this home with overwhelming clarity, (as I wrote about in my last blog). The birth of my first granddaughter, an event filled with unbridled joy and love, unexpectedly unearthed a flood of unresolved grief and fear. Holding her brought up memories I didn’t even know I had buried: ancient fears of loss, grief from early life experiences, and the belief that love and joy could disappear as quickly as they arrived.

This wave of emotion wasn’t just a reaction; it was an invitation. It was my body asking me to tune in, to feel deeply, and to bring healing to those hidden places. Instead of suppressing the intensity, I turned to embodiment. Through intentional practices, I gave myself space to listen to my body’s whispers, to differentiate between raw sensations and the stories my mind was telling. This embodied coaching in action, revealed layers of emotion that had long been waiting for acknowledgment and release.

For coaches, this process holds immense potential. When we cultivate our own embodiment practices, we’re better equipped to guide our clients through their journeys. We can help them tune into their bodies, notice their sensations, and recognize the narratives their minds have built around those sensations. This opens the door to profound emotional healing and growth.

Emotions, when held with compassion, are some of our greatest allies. They surface when we’re ready, bringing messages that point us toward greater wholeness. When we welcome them—even the painful ones—we open the possibility for joy to return, fuller and freer than before. Like waves crashing on the shore, emotions rise and recede, leaving behind a more expansive, peaceful landscape.

So, what about you? Are you tuning into the waves of emotion within yourself and your clients? Are you creating space for the deep-to-deep connection that embodiment invites? Whether you’re riding the crest of joy or navigating the undertow of grief, may you embrace the ebb and flow with courage and compassion.