What People Say
Explore heartfelt reviews and testimonials celebrating the transformative impact of Poetry for Coaching. See how creative expression inspires growth, clarity, and personal breakthroughs
The simple act of an initial flick and a glance though this book immediately cemented its value for me. Within moments, I was transported, engaged, and curious; within seconds I felt resonance and familiarity. I felt understood, seen and uplifted. Within minutes I could see how this book would be of value to me over and over again.
Tracy Sinclair, MCC Coach, Coach Educator, Author Past Chair, International Coaching Federation Global Board
Coaches everywhere will find ideas and inspiration in this book. The poems collected here are all written by coaches, therapists or counsellors. Each poet shares not just their poems, but their personal stories and the ideas which lie behind the poems. The book contains helpful suggestions about how these rich materials can be used in our daily coaching practice. Poetry for Coaching shows how we can successfully engage with and explore complex and sometimes challenging emotions and ideas by putting them into words and sharing them with others.
Kim Morgan, MCC Founder and Chairperson of Barefoot Coaching Ltd
This beautiful book of poetry and the stories behind them can expand the impact of your coaching. I often share a poem in my classes and personally with clients to illuminate what was learned, deepening the transformation and confidence to grow. As an adolescent, I wrote poetry to help me comprehend the world I was growing into. Reading and writing poetry opens doors to insights and reaches into recesses of our memories like music and smells of beloved foods. Savor the pages. Share them freely. I am grateful to Ross for creating this gift.
Dr. Marcia Reynolds, MCC, Author of Breakthrough Coaching and Coach the Person, Not the Problem
Poetry for Coaching is a beautiful collection of thoughtful and reflective poetry based around the human experiences which are often explored in coaching. The poems themselves are powerful and thought-provoking, and the sharing of the story behind each poem further enables them to touch the soul of the reader. Whilst we will all take our own personal meaning from the words, there is something special about being given a glimpse of the emotions and experiences that shaped each poem. “An Urban Ballet” by Richard Tyler resonated with me deeply, and I’m certain that every reader will find a poem in this collection that speaks to them. This collection beautifully demonstrates how poetry can serve as a catalyst for personal growth and transformation, both in coaching and in life.
Ruth Randall PCC MD at Animas Centre for Coaching
Sometimes feeling deeply heard and seen and felt by another in a conversation is enough to bring new insight. At other times, the line or the rhythm of a story or a poem can offer a little bit more. Something that sits with a person, holds them or gently offers a phrase that unlocks something. Which makes this book a great resource for anyone who has conversations with other people.’
Claire Pedrick MCC Founder, 3D Coaching Author – The Human Behind the Coach, Simplifying Coaching
Poetry for Coaching - Transformation Through Verse, edited by Ross Nichols, offers a unique and deeply reflective collection of poems written by coaches, therapists, and counsellors. The anthology explores universal themes including connection, love, acceptance, forgiveness, resilience, and the journey of life itself. Each poem serves as a gateway into the emotional and psychological experiences that define our human existence. What makes this book particularly powerful is the personal depth each contributor brings, blending their professional expertise with raw, authentic expression. As a result, the verses are not just literary, but also therapeutic—inviting readers to engage in introspection, healing, and personal growth. The poems resonate with a sense of empathy, guiding readers through the complexities of transformation with wisdom and grace. This collection is both a gentle companion for those on a personal development journey and an insightful resource for professionals in coaching and therapy. Through the power of verse, Poetry for Coaching illuminates pathways to resilience and emotional freedom, making it a valuable addition to any bookshelf, especially to those in coaching, mentoring and therapeutic professions.
Jayne Morris MCC, ICF UK Associate Board Member Coach, Trainer & Supervisor Author: Burnout to Brilliance
Coaches have straightforward ways of how to coach galore: competency methods, models and techniques. Those have their strengths and need mastering first. No doubt. Then, we have recent AI approaches to coaching: the algorithms of matching and asking questions, the chat-bots of goal attainment, to name just two. And then we have Poetry for Coaching as a sideways approach for how to coach clients to understand and appreciate themselves and the world around them, especially one that is full of portrayals of the ugly, chaotic, violent and merciless ways of being and going about life. Poetry for Coaching is of great value as a bridge in that world. Its strength lies in how to artfully bare open human vulnerabilities with depth and empathy. As clients embrace the power of empathy through poetry, they have access to how to come together again, helping them understand themselves and one another with connection, love, acceptance, forgiveness and resilience. This book is ideal for clients who appreciate having truth sneaking up on them. It is for clients who appreciate ‘understanding’ through how deep meaning can be felt in details. Poetry for Coaching is the aesthetic choice of coaches to explore with clients what is beautiful in and through life for them. It is ideal for coaches who seek to support clients in expressing their emotions and connecting to those emotions. As such, it helps clients improve their literacy in thriving, and it helps coaches improve their literacy in coaching.
Dr Tunde Erdos MCC Executive Coach and Supervisor
Poetry and stories are some of the oldest, most profound pathways we have into something greater; the currents of connection, transformation, and the love and heartbreak of existing. They invite us to sit with them, to walk with them, to see others in their fragile, powerful humanity, and so to remember our own. This book gives you a simple, precious invitation to meet yourself and others in all the myriad struggles and gifts of living. By putting brief, honest, stories alongside poetry born from them, the book creates so many different ways to take a breath, and shift perspective on what you are going through, or simply drop into it. It brings poems to open up the heart and mind, and to connect to something within and without, freeing you up to meet life more fully, as you are.
Dave Rock Poet, storyteller, creator of Flow Speaking www.flowspeaking.com
There’s a lot of talk among coaches about transformative experiences – perhaps because change is at the heart of what we aspire to for our clients, our communities, and often for ourselves. But the term tends to be over-used. So when I was invited to read a book about the transformative power of poetry, I approached it with some trepidation. What a surprise, therefore, to discover that this collection delivers what it promises. Each poem, and each of the accompanying stories penned by coaches, counsellors and therapists, draw the reader into conversations, sparking curiosity and opening up new perspectives. Whether you’re already an aficionado of poetry or relatively unfamiliar with this literary genre, this book may change the way you read and reflect. Engage with it in any way you choose – either select a poem on a topic that resonates with you here and now, or open the pages at random and see where it takes you. It might spur you to action or invite you to pause, it might dare you to reach a decision or urge you to reconsider. It’s not only the range and depth of the musings - on topics as far-ranging as love, connection, acceptance, forgiveness, resilience - that will intrigue and inspire. It’s also the vulnerability and authenticity of the writers that may change how you feel, how you think, what you do and ultimately, who you are.
Juliet Landau-Pope PCC JLP Coach, productivity coach for students and young adults
I’ve read poetry all my life and used it in my coaching for many years. Like other art forms poetry goes beyond the logical and visible, has a short cut to the emotions and so allows us to connect with or interpret our clients in subtle and transformative ways. Tracy Sinclair’s foreword to this book explores this eloquently and I am glad to have read the book for that alone. Strangely, thereafter I found the stories of how the poems were written more beguiling than the poems themselves. It is touching that the writers have opened themselves and their emotions in 2 ways. With its bouncing rhythms, The Dare by Sarah Moores speaks to the many new and scary possibilities our work as coach offers us ...if we dare. These coaches (and therapists) have dared to share!
Jenny Bird MCC Director JB Executive Coaching Ltd, Executive Coach, Coaching Supervisor
Brilliance, Genius, Heartfelt, Transformational and so much more, Poetry For Coaching feels like Poetry for the soul. A journey that takes you for a breath-taking ride through creating Connection, Love, Acceptance, Forgiveness, Resilience & Life and just when you think you’re done, you take one final journey. The journey back home to who you really are. Each line, snippet and poem speaks to you and wakes you up that little bit more to unlock the riches and treasures within you and your life right now. What each poet has written isn’t just words, art or poetry, but a story about you if you read close enough. Prepare to be impacted and served so deeply.
Raghav Parkash Executive Life Coach & Personal Confidant to High Performing Leaders www.raghavparkash.com
I am impressed by this book! It touches a coach’s soul at a deep level. I’ve recognized myself in so many of the poems and can see how I can use these in my own coaching. The book is laid out in a way that enables the reader to open to a section appropriate to their current circumstance to find the exact poem they need at that moment. The stories behind each poem offer a deeper richness that underlies the poem itself. Thank you for providing such a delightful and greatly needed resource to the coaching profession!
I found this anthology deeply inspiring and rich with insights, making it a powerful resource in my coaching practice. Each poem offers a unique lens for reflection, allowing me to explore deeper emotions and thoughts with my clients. I see endless opportunities to use the poems as prompts for introspection and personal growth, helping individuals process events and challenges in their lives. Whether for personal use or to guide meaningful conversations, these poems and accompanying stories are invaluable for fostering self-awareness and encouraging exploration in a way that feels both gentle and profound. A must-have for any coach seeking creative tools.
Kathy Harman MCC, CRC Coach, Director of Education at Radiance Partners LLC
As a coach & supervisor, I have used poetry for years. Poetry taps into a part of us that is often hard to describe or even connect to. Poetry touches people, it evokes a feeling, a sense of something that’s often intangible. This book of treasured poems connects us all, both the poems and the personal stories. I particularly love the way the poems are grouped by human experience. I am looking forward to using this book at future retreats and with clients. Thanks for bringing it out into the world’.
Claire Palmer MCC Coach & Supervisor, Author of A Little Witch in Waiting
Sarah Manley Introvert Career Coach, Mentor and Author of The Quiet Catalyst
In my 30+ years of coaching, I have always loved that liminal space; that transition period from just before a coaching begins with the undiscovered landscapes and narratives of a client, to those moments where soul is revealed, where the client’s own truth appears and where rivers of emotion are free to be witnessed – new perspectives becoming available. Poetry is its own form of coaching – offering that liminal space at any moment to anyone who is willing to step into that space of external and ethereal verse to internal moments of surprise, delight and awakening. This collection is a juicy reminder of how we as coaches can be touched by a juxtaposition of words or breath; the flutter of the client’s eye or the inflection that reveals all. I am using this as a little incantation to myself – opening up the collection randomly and letting it inspire me to become just that much more present to the client, myself and the infinite and intimate space between us. Here’s what grabbed me from Encrypted Love by Basia Henderson: But know that one day Another messenger will be knocking on your door, And another... And another... Until you receive the message with grace Enjoy.
Libby Robinson, MCC Managing Partner – Integral www.integralcoaches.com Director of Coach Training, Advanced Coaching Practicum
The idea of poetry and the narrative behind them is always mesmerizing. The connection between counselling, mindful conversations, and everything in between, whether spoken or unspoken, is important to be noticed. Poetry is a means to heal ourselves, our trauma, our scars and helps us to grow as humans. Therefore, this book is significant to read as it strengthens our power as poets, educators, therapists, and overall, as human beings.
Kadek Sonia Piscayanti Poet, founder of the Singaraja Literary Festival, author of Mindful & Creative Learning of EFL Poetry & the Burning Hair poem anthology
Forewords
The simple act of an initial flick and a glance though this book immediately cemented its value for me. Within moments, I was transported, engaged, and curious; within seconds I felt resonance and familiarity. I felt understood, seen and uplifted. Within minutes I could see how this book would be of value to me over and o ver again. One of the many great teachers from whom I have had the privilege of learning, Michael Grinder, created a model of human development which never ceases to inspire me. I have experienced many situations where this model has guided me and helped me to understand where I am and what I need to do next and is one that I love to share with others, especially for our development as Coaches. Poetry for Coaching is a perfect example of this model in action. Grinder’s model is called The Science and The Art. The more commonly used term is: ‘The Art and Science of…something”, however Michael challenges the order of this wording and proposes that it is the Science that comes first. When we first learn to coach (or indeed, when we first learn to do anything), it is important to focus on essential skills, the tools and techniques, and be able to consistently apply and work with the competencies associated with that activity. In the case of coaching, we have several models of coaching competence available to us, as well as the foundations of coaching psychology and adult development theories – all of which underpin the ‘science’ of our work as practitioners. However, coaching is also defined as a ‘creative process’ and this creativity applies just as much to the coach as it does to their client. Creativity in coaching includes thinking or feeling differently about things, considering things from a different perspective and inviting ourselves to go beyond our habitual patterns of processing, responding and deciding etc. Words and language offer a rich palette of literal colour; a creative channel, which invites the speaker and the listener to access a new domain of exploration and possibility. This is creativity; this is art in motion as a conversation unfolds. As we gain consistent proficiency with the science, the art and the artist within us can emerge. Through imagery, metaphor, symbolism and the paralleled contexts that poetry can yield between what is real and what could be real, if only we were to let our creative wisdom have voice, we can find ourselves evolving and growing in ways we might not have imagined. The subtitle of this book is so apt: Transformation through Verse… as the words and their meaning literally transform us to new ways of conceptualisation and levels of experience. Poetry for Coaching however, goes beyond poetry. It offers the story behind each poem, which beautifully mirrors how we, as practitioners, invite our clients to share more about the meaning and stories behind their own words. Poetry, whether it is engaged with by the writer/speaker or the reader/listener, is highly evocative, and allows for deeper understanding, connection, resonance and empathy, as well as nurturing the trust and safety of the practitioner-client relationship. Both the poems and the stories behind them invite us into a deep, inner space within the Poet. Sometimes that space is full of awe and wonder; sometimes it is full of pain and loss and a myriad of other human emotions accessible to us all, if we allow them. The wonderful coaches, counsellors and therapists who have contributed to this book have opened their hearts to us, bared some of their soul to us and shown us their truth, their vulnerability and their whole self in a simple, clean and transparent way. We can only invite our clients to go as far as we are prepared to go ourselves, and this collective work is a powerful, creative and inspiring invitation and permission to others to do the same. Since that first glance, I have picked up the book many times already, discovering new poems and revisiting others; inevitably finding something that connects with me. This book is a gem of a resource to keep close to hand, for that simple flick of the page and glance at the words will evoke something useful and creative for our own process, as well as that of our clients.
Tracy Sinclair, MCC Coach, Coach Educator, Author Past Chair, International Coaching Federation Global Board
As a coach and a coach trainer, I have always been an avid collector of poems and literary quotes, sharing them with my coaching and supervision clients and incorporating them into my business’ learning materials and teaching practice. When I started my company many years ago, I took its name – Barefoot – from a line in a poem. The words of this poem are in big letters on the walls of our offices today. A particular feature of the poems in this collection is that all the poems are written by coaches, therapists and counsellors. The writers share their poems and also the stories behind their writing, their personal struggles with life’s challenges and their triumphs. Poems engage our hearts and minds. They speak to our experiences, our fears and our hopes. Poems and stories can make learning experiences memorable and help us to see more clearly and better understand our own life and the lives of others. Finding, reading and sharing poems can be a safe and exciting way to explore complex and challenging issues and feelings. So can writing poems! I am looking forward to using poems and stories from this collection in my own coaching work. I hope that many readers will, like me, find insight, joy and inspiration within the pages of this book.
Kim Morgan, MCC Founder and Chairperson of Barefoot Coaching Ltd
This collection of poetry is a profound expression of the internal world of each author. Triggered by life events – loss, separation, fear and emotional rollercoasters – the writers elegantly express their own feelings and vulnerabilities. They encourage you the Reader to stop, be still, be present, and notice moment to moment the richness and fullness of the world around you. Only in present moment awareness is found the love, connectedness and abiding fulfilment that we all seek. This is your invitation to turn inwards, to take your lampshade off, challenge your self imposed rules or limitations, listen to the infinite knowledge and wisdom you have always possessed, and start living life as the freedom and joy that is your true essence.
Brandon Bays Founder of The Journey Method and International Best-Selling Author of The Journey, Freedom Is, Living the Journey, and Light in the Heart of Darkness
