Back Story
Hi, I’m Richard, Author, and founder of Emerge Life Direction and Transformational Coaching Conversations
After completing my Theology degree at London School of Theology and going onto Spurgeon’s for ordination training, I realised that my passion at that time was for small church. I spent the following 15 years working in various small church and home church startups, exploring ways to make church relevant and accessible to non churched people.
For the next 10 years, I shared half time child care responsibilities with my wife, while continuing to explore small church. It was then that I trained as a coach and saw the power of coaching as a disciple making skill. I wrote several books including ‘The 5 Senses of Self a coaching framework for personal and team development’ and I continued to divide my time between small church ministry, coaching and writing.
Prior to the pandemic, I resigned my pastoral position in a missional context and have spent the last 5 years caring for my ageing parents in my home, while transitioning from being a church pastor to Life Direction and Identity Consultant.
Throughout my work as a church leader and coach, I have seen how many people struggle with the inability to define their life direction and sense of purpose in each of the major seasons of their life. I have also had seasons when my life direction and calling identity has not been clear. And it is from the discoveries of my own journey in self definition that I have written both the 'Identity Imprint' and the ‘Emerge life direction programme’.
I have also seen how churches can struggle to facilitate a self perpetuating discipling culture that does not depend on the expert or older Christian having the time or skill to disciple those younger in the faith. These reflections have led me to write the booklet 'The True Hiome of Coaching is the Church' and this will become available as a coaching / training workshop in 2025.
My experience of working in leadership positions in charitable settings, together with my understanding of coaching has enabled me to create bespoke tools and a carefully-delivered approach helping those seeking new and clear direction in life, in addition to identity coaching leading to transformational self understanding. My clients have made genuine and life changing discoveries about their potential and their route to a fulfilled life. I am a qualified personal performance coach, coaching author, ordained minister, certified NLP practitioner, having trained under Robert Dilts and Judith Lowe, co-signed by Dr John Grinder, the Co-Developer of NLP. I am a qualified teacher and the founding partner of The Coaching Dynamic. My range of his books are shown opposite.
Catherine is a partner in the Coaching Dynamic. Her background blends education with coaching. she is a learning and development adviser, qualified teacher, personal performance coach, facilitator and coaching supervisor. She is certified in NLP; MBTI (Myers Briggs Personality Consultation; SDI (Strengths Deployment Inventory) and AEM cube team productivity. In addition to contributing to the structure of the programme, Catherine supports Emerge in the area of personality and self awareness.
Catherine is married to Richard, and is a partner in the Coaching Dynamic. Her background blends education with coaching. she is a learning and development adviser, qualified teacher, personal performance coach, facilitator and coaching supervisor. She is certified in NLP; MBTI (Myers Briggs Personality Consultation; SDI (Strengths Deployment Inventory) and AEM cube team productivity. In addition to contributing to the structure of the programme, Catherine supports Emerge in the area of personality and self awareness.
Richard and Cathy have been married for 32 years, and have two adult children. Richard is the founding partner of the Coaching Dynamic (since 2008) and author of the Emerge Life Direction Programme. This programme is amongst a number of coaching programmes and books that He has written specifically to empower his audience into the next season of their life. Tested in its early form the Emerge course received rave reviews.
Richard’s qualifications include gaining an Honours Degree in Theology, a Pastoral diploma for Ministerial Church ordination, a PGCE in secondary school RE teaching (QTS), a diploma in Coaching Practice with Distinction (Coaching and Mentoring International*) and NLP practitioner certification. *‘Coaching & Mentoring International’ is now part of The Coaching Academy (www.the-coaching-academy.com)
Richard has worked as a qualified personal performance coach since 2007, coaching, presenting and training in organisations using his own original frameworks and tools, following a career in church ministry (ordained in 1992) and the voluntary sector. His book “The 5 Senses of Self-A Coaching Framework for Personal & Team Empowerment®” was first published in Spring 2010, and a new edition will be available soon. His second book “Empowering Students in Transition (Helping year 6 and 7 find their wings)” was published in May 2016
Richard’s tools and frameworks have been used with clients in the health, care home and church sectors. His individual client coaching ranges from managers, barristers and accountants, and other individuals seeking strategic life direction or strategic help in their work context, including workplace culture.
Prior to qualifying in these areas, he worked to empower people through housing support work for the homeless, managing a team of staff for an inner city youth project, and co-pastoring two churches which he helped to begin in team with others, in addition to exploring various expressions of church meeting in the home. Richard is passionate about the subjects of ‘Empowerment’, ‘Workplace Culture’ and ‘Life Purpose Fulfilment.
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