Activate Your Pause: A Conversation with John O'Brien

How Triggers Reveal The Stories You Inherited

Send Us a Message [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2082095/fan_mail/new] The loudest voice shaping your life might not be your own, and once you see that, everything changes. We sit down with Dr. Cornelia Shipley Bearyman, executive coach, author, and Ph.D in metaphysics, for a conversation that starts playful and turns deeply human: grief, identity, and the hidden scripts we replay when we feel threatened, judged, or out of control.  She shares the shock of losing her mother just five days after her wedding, and how other people’s reactions taught her a core lesson about perception: we see the world as we are, not as it is. From there, we explore the practical side of healing and mindset work. What do you do with the inner critic that says you’re unworthy, unlovable, or unsafe? How do you “return to sender” the stories you inherited? Dr. Berriman offers language you can use immediately, plus a powerful reframe on triggers: “hysterical is historical.”  We also widen the lens to conscious leadership, faith, and uncertainty. We talk about choosing your hard, why control is a false construct, how support systems keep you grounded, and what the age of AI is forcing all of us to confront about being a human being rather than a human doing. If you’re navigating change, burnout, career pressure, or a deeper spiritual question, this one meets you where you are.  Subscribe, Share this with a friend who needs it, and leave a review with the biggest truth you’re ready to face. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2082095/support] If you are interested in being a guest on the Podcast, please send an email to president@icf-sandiego.org [email:president@icf-sandiego.org]. Please connect with us on our social media channels: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/icfsan [https://www.facebook.com/icfsan] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/icf_sd/ [https://www.instagram.com/icf_sd/] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/icf-sandiego [https://www.linkedin.com/company/icf-sandiego/?viewAsMember=true] Twitter: https://twitter.com/ICFSanDiego [https://twitter.com/ICFSanDiego]

Activate Your Pause: A Conversation with John O'Brien

Send Us a Message [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2082095/fan_mail/new] The world feels loud on purpose, and it’s easy to forget we have choices when stress becomes the default setting. We sit down with Dr. John O’Brien, psychologist, coach, author, and founder of Activate Success, to get practical about the smallest habit that can change your day: the pause. Not a retreat, not a perfect routine, just a few seconds of breathing and noticing what’s happening inside you. That “sacred moment” creates space to define success on your terms, instead of chasing someone else’s definition.  We also go straight into the bigger social noise that affects all of us: rising rudeness and incivility. John shares why he believes this trend has been building for decades, how loneliness and the loss of community connection make it worse, and why social media algorithms can quietly steer what we see and how we react. If you’ve felt pulled into outrage or trapped in reactive conversations, this part will land.  From mindfulness to coaching, we keep circling back to agency. Mindfulness is not perfect focus; it’s noticing where your attention is and deciding whether it serves you. John also opens up about perfectionism, taking risks, and the “good enough” mindset that helped him write, speak, and even start a podcast while still learning.  If you want more calm, better boundaries, and a clearer way to respond to the noise, you’ll leave with tools you can use today.  Subscribe, Share this with a friend who needs a reset, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2082095/support] If you are interested in being a guest on the Podcast, please send an email to president@icf-sandiego.org [email:president@icf-sandiego.org]. Please connect with us on our social media channels: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/icfsan [https://www.facebook.com/icfsan] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/icf_sd/ [https://www.instagram.com/icf_sd/] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/icf-sandiego [https://www.linkedin.com/company/icf-sandiego/?viewAsMember=true] Twitter: https://twitter.com/ICFSanDiego [https://twitter.com/ICFSanDiego]

The Inside Game: A Conversation with Dr. Nana Gyesie

Send Us a Message [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2082095/fan_mail/new] Something happened to how we lead after 2020, and it wasn’t just remote work or new policies. It was the moment the noise got quiet enough for truth to show itself. Our host, Donald E. Coleman [https://www.linkedin.com/in/semperkaizen/], sits down with Dr. Nana Gyesie, PCC  [https://www.linkedin.com/in/nanagyesie/]for a deep, spiritual conversation about what he calls the “inside game” and why the inner world quietly determines the outer results we chase in leadership, coaching, and life. We talk about what it means to see beyond the veil, to carry the discomfort of feeling different, and to turn that sensitivity into resilience and compassion. From there, we trace how the coaching profession points us back to internal states like presence, metacognition, and real awareness. We also zoom out to the culture shift leaders are facing now: AI changing the value of overfunctioning, a redefinition of work and identity, and why concepts like narcissistic leadership and the loneliness epidemic are suddenly part of mainstream business language. Then we go all the way in: unbecoming, ego death, and non-duality. Dr. Nana breaks down how the protective self forms, why letting go can feel like a void, and how acceptance is not defeat but the release that allows new possibilities to emerge. We close with practical grounding practices, including Vipassana meditation, observing the mind, breath, and self-compassion as strength. If you’ve been feeling the pressure of uncertainty, a career change, or the AI era’s constant acceleration, this conversation offers language and tools to lead from alignment rather than attachment. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs steadiness, and leave a review. What part of the “inside game” do you want to practice next? Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2082095/support] If you are interested in being a guest on the Podcast, please send an email to president@icf-sandiego.org [email:president@icf-sandiego.org]. Please connect with us on our social media channels: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/icfsan [https://www.facebook.com/icfsan] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/icf_sd/ [https://www.instagram.com/icf_sd/] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/icf-sandiego [https://www.linkedin.com/company/icf-sandiego/?viewAsMember=true] Twitter: https://twitter.com/ICFSanDiego [https://twitter.com/ICFSanDiego]

Love And Resilience: A Conversation with Katherine Virdi

Send Us a Message [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2082095/fan_mail/new] Love isn’t just a feeling we fall into. It can be the foundation that keeps us standing when life cracks the concrete. Our host, Donald E Coleman, is joined by executive coach Katherine Virdi for a conversation that moves from profound personal loss to practical tools for resilience, intuition, and authentic leadership. Along the way, we explore how relationships shape who we become, how grief changes our inner world, and why “knowing” often shows up before we can explain it. We dig into the difference between mental noise and body-based intuition, including what it looks like when your foundation has “air pockets” like ignored red flags and constant second-guessing. Katherine shares how self-awareness helps you recognize what’s true for you, and how taking action matters as much as receiving the signal. We also talk about stillness in a loud world and why meditation doesn’t have to look one specific way. Art, calming music, and learning to observe thoughts rather than obey them become real practices for mindfulness and emotional regulation. From there, we connect gratitude to nervous system calm, calling in your senses to interrupt fight-or-flight and return to center. Finally, we bring it into executive coaching and leadership coaching: wholeness at work, the humanity behind every title, and the power of being a mirror so people can see how capable they already are.  If you care about resilience, intuition, wholeness, and authentic leadership, this one stays with you. Subscribe, share this with a leader or friend who needs it, and leave a review with the line that hit you hardest. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2082095/support] If you are interested in being a guest on the Podcast, please send an email to president@icf-sandiego.org [email:president@icf-sandiego.org]. Please connect with us on our social media channels: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/icfsan [https://www.facebook.com/icfsan] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/icf_sd/ [https://www.instagram.com/icf_sd/] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/icf-sandiego [https://www.linkedin.com/company/icf-sandiego/?viewAsMember=true] Twitter: https://twitter.com/ICFSanDiego [https://twitter.com/ICFSanDiego]

From Fixer To Facilitator: A Conversation with Lisa Bishop

Send Us a Message [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2082095/fan_mail/new] In this thought-provoking episode of the ICF San Diego Coffee and Conversations Podcast, host Donald E. Coleman [https://www.linkedin.com/in/semperkaizen/], ACC sits down with leadership strategist and executive coach Lisa Bishop [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisapbishop/] MBA, ACC, CODC (Certified Organizational Development Coach) for a rich conversation about leadership, culture, and the transformative power of coaching. What if the difference between control and real leadership is a single breath? We dive into a candid, energizing conversation with Lisa Bishop about how emotional intelligence transforms “fixer” instincts into facilitator power, why the sacred pause can rescue a heated meeting, and how legacy moves through teams when we stop hoarding knowledge and start sharing it. From crisis leadership to mentorship with vision, Lisa maps a path that is both human and highly practical. We talk through the reality of multigenerational workplaces where Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z all contribute to a shared mission. Lisa offers a compelling case for openness: AI and new tools can accelerate work, but only when paired with baseline understanding and judgment. She brings the dot-com lessons forward—fear fades, adoption grows, and the leaders who stay curious thrive. The result is a culture where voices are heard, blind spots surface, and influence outperforms control every time. You’ll hear concrete EQ tools you can use today: the sacred pause, asking for the backstory before you react, and quick resets for emotional hijack like breath, lavender, and short walks that diffuse tension. We also get honest about boundaries and energy—choosing high vibration, stepping away from conversations that drain, and anchoring in something bigger when outcomes are uncertain. Lisa’s take on wholeness is refreshingly direct: know your gifts, refuse to dim your light, admit your flaws, and lead with honorable intent. If you’re ready to lead across differences, translate empathy into action, and leave people feeling empowered, energized, and enlightened, this conversation is your playbook. Listen, share with a colleague who needs it, and leave a review so more leaders can find these tools. Subscribe for more thoughtful conversations on EQ, leadership, and the future of work. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2082095/support] If you are interested in being a guest on the Podcast, please send an email to president@icf-sandiego.org [email:president@icf-sandiego.org]. Please connect with us on our social media channels: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/icfsan [https://www.facebook.com/icfsan] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/icf_sd/ [https://www.instagram.com/icf_sd/] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/icf-sandiego [https://www.linkedin.com/company/icf-sandiego/?viewAsMember=true] Twitter: https://twitter.com/ICFSanDiego [https://twitter.com/ICFSanDiego]