When Intense Emotions Surface: A Neuro-Informed Approach to Cultivate Trust

When Intense Emotions Surface: A Neuro-Informed Approach to Cultivate Trust, Insight & Growth
December 15, 2025 at 10:00 - 11:30am PT
Susan Britton, MCC

Uncertainties, complexities, and challenges can cause intense emotions to emerge for clients: fear, anger, shock, overwhelm, disappointment, and more. If you’ve found yourself not coaching at your best when these emotions surface… and wished for a do-over… you’re not alone! New coaching research reveals that even seasoned coaches inadvertently internalized strong client emotions, leading to reports of internal self-criticism, shame, broken connection, and a hyper-focus on coaching the surface of the situation vs the deeper “who” of the client. Join this compassionate, curious conversation around neuroscience-informed concepts such as the brain’s unconscious predictions, mirror neurons, co-regulation, and more. We’ll connect brain-based principles with ICF competencies and markers, supporting ourselves and our clients to explore the unknown, unwanted, or uncomfortable as pathways to evolved ways of being.

Learning outcomes:Predictions: Coaches will learn how their brain’s unconscious predictions can derail ICF 4, Cultivates Trust & Safety, as well as in-the-moment presence strategies to understand and tame fight-flight biology for ICF 5, Maintains Presence.

• Parallelism: Coaches will apply research insights and personal lived experiences to reflect on potential parallels between client emotions and coach emotions, leveraging emotions as data for ICF 7, Evokes Awareness.
• Permeability: Coaches will understand how to “take in, not on” some of the client’s strong emotions, aiding in ICF 7, Evokes Awareness, and supporting client openness to the unknown, unwanted, or uncomfortable that frequently lead to ICF 8, Facilitates Client Growth.

1.5 Core Competencies

Susan Britton, MCC is founder and president of the Academies for Neuroscience Coaching, Inc. Her 25 years of leadership in coaching and coaching education has supported 1,000s of coaches across six continents to earn their ICF credential and grow the movement of neuro-informed coaches who are “Changing Minds for Good.”
She specializes in leadership and career coaching, weaving together her passions for coaching, neuroscience, and psychodynamic approaches to change. She is the author of seven career and job search books, and holds an Executive Master’s in Change Degree from INSEAD/France and a Bachelor of Music degree. With small-town farm-girl roots to a global leader for change, Susan brings compassion, curiosity, and collaboration to shaping the future of coaching and coach-approach leaders.

IMPORTANT ZOOM LINK INFORMATION:
ICF Prairie is hosting this event with ICF Global and requires that you complete a two-step Zoom registration process. We recommend completing your registration early to ensure you receive the correct Zoom link before the session date. Step 1 will be sent with your registration.