In this episode, you’ll hear Glyn Fussell in conversation with Oasis Associate, practitioner, coach, writer and activist Gill Coombs as they discuss Deep Ecology. What is Deep Ecology? Gill suggests that as we have evolved, our rational minds have taken over, with a tendency to dominate over the natural world causing an imbalance of power. Deep Ecology is a way of recognising the harm we have done to our relationship with other living beings and to begin the process of healing it.

We explore how the world of work has evolved and changed over time, along with Gill’s thoughts on essential, wise principles by which individuals and organisations can work towards creating and nurturing a healthy world in their own authentic way.

We also discuss how we can bring Deep Ecology into coaching. This could be as simple as bringing in external elements of nature to our coaching space, or going for a walk with someone outside rather than simply sitting facing. Both of these can add a vibrancy and healthy shift in the relationship between coach and coachee.

Additional resources

The book Gill highly recommends starting with is old(ish) but good: Spiritual Ecology, edited by Llewellyn Vaughn Lee.

Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer is also excellent, and From What Is to What If, by Rob Hopkins, and The Nature of Business by Giles Hutchins. Also Manda Scott’s podcast Accidental Gods is superb.

And Gill’s own book Hearing our Calling.

Also Bill Plotkin’s Wild Mind, as some listeners may well be interested in eco psychology, the people practitioners’ facet of Deep Ecology.

In this episode, you’ll hear Glyn Fussell in conversation with Anna Jaques as they discuss neurodiversity in coaching. 

Anna is People & Change Director for Bettys, part of the Bettys and Taylors Group. 

Neurodiversity is a hot topic in the news of late, highlighted by celebrity diagnoses and more recognition and acceptance in general. However, there is quite a bit of mis-reporting and mis-understanding about what neurodiversity actually means.

 We explore what neurodiversity is, how it is perceived, how it relates to the way people see the world around them, and what  it means to be neurodiverse aware as a coach. We also touch on why our whole person coaching approach is really suited to working with neurodiverse clients when coaching.

Additional resources 

Useful social media account on the topic of ADHD

Accessible and easy to read. Lots of infographics, tips and strategies are shared in bite-sized chunks and there is humour too.

Ingri | Certified ADHD Coach✨🧠 (@adhd_couple) • Instagram photos and videos

Online learning

Written and delivered by Kings College, University of London, on the Future Learn platform. It’s an online course, so easy to dip in and out of, learning at your own pace. Although it has a scientific bias, the content is mixed with interviews and case studies that are very accessible. It is currently being offered with a free option and is CPD eligible. 

 Understand ADHD - Online Course | King's College London (futurelearn.com)

News article on ADHD

Amid a sea of other news stories on ADHD in recent months (well known people who have been recently diagnosed, shortages in ADHD medication, delays and challenges with diagnosis), this is useful article on ADHD.

ADHD has become an identity, not just a disorder. We need a new way to talk about it | Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder | The Guardian

A good book on neurodiversity - ‘Divergent Mind’ by Jenara Nerenberg (Published by HarperOne)

This is a relatively new book, published in 2021. Jenara uses a blend of her own experience and those of others to explore how neurodivergent women navigate the world of relationships, work and their own wellbeing.