Listen to the episode Season 5 | Ep 83
On this episode of the Coaching Studio
Coaching the Person in a Changing World: Marcia Reynolds on Connection, Identity, and the Power of Reflective Inquiry
In this full-circle conversation, Lyssa welcomes back Dr. Marcia Reynolds, Psy.D., MCC, the very first guest ever on The Coaching Studio and one of the most influential voices in modern coaching. Marcia has spent four decades exploring what actually transforms the human mind, and in this episode, she pulls back the curtain on the deeper mechanics of reflective inquiry, emotional co-regulation, and why authentic human connection remains irreplaceable even in an AI-saturated world.
The conversation ranges from neuroscience to identity to the simple, courageous act of being fully present with another person. Marcia shares the evolving insights behind the upcoming second edition of Coach the Person, Not the Problem, including new work on identity-based coaching and the expanding research on how our emotional state shapes a client’s capacity for insight. She and Lyssa explore the stories people live inside, how coaches can learn to listen for context instead of details, and why a real coaching partnership helps us bypass the brain’s built-in resistance to self-examination.
They also laugh about turning seventy by skydiving, reflect on the gift of being challenged with compassion, and talk candidly about the places where even seasoned coaches still hide parts of themselves. It’s a rich, warm, deeply human episode that will leave coaches more attuned to presence, more curious about identity, and more committed to creating the kind of space where people can finally hear themselves think.
Marcia’s books – Go check them out!
Marcia Reynolds, Psy.D., MCC
Marcia Reynolds, PsyD, MCC, has spent 40 years researching how conversations can deepen connections that both unify and open minds to learning. She has delivered programs in 47 countries, teaches for coaching schools in the US, Asia, and the Middle East, and teaches leaders to use coaching skills in organizations and government agencies. As a pioneer in coaching, she was the 5th global president of the ICF, is recognized in the ICF Circle of Distinction and was awarded an ICF Impact Award for supporting leaders in AEON Vietnam to create a successful coaching culture. Excerpts from her 5 books including her international bestsellers, Coach the Person, Not the Problem and Breakthrough Coaching have appeared in many places including Fast Company, Forbes.com, Psychology Today, and The Wall Street Journal and she has appeared in business magazines in Europe and Asia. Her education includes a doctorate in Organizational Psychology and two master’s degrees in Communication and Adult Learning/ Instructional Design.
About the Host
Lyssa deHart ditched her therapy practice to become a Leadership Confidence Coach. Along the way she discovered a passion for professional coaching and wanted to find ways to share that passion with the world. Come join her in discovering and meeting some of the most amazing professional coaches on the planet. Her goal is to inspire coaches. Lyssa is the author of Sticky Outcomes: at the Intersection of Coaching, Neuroscience, and Lasting Change, StoryJacking: Change Your Dialogue, Transform Your Life, The Reflective Coach - a 12 Month Journal, and Light Up: the Science of Coaching with Metaphors. Lyssa is an ICF MCC Coach, PCC Assessor, Certified Mentor Coach, and Coach SuperVisor. Lyssa uses her understanding of the ICF Core Competencies, combined with her knowledge of Neuroscience, to work with people to become extraordinary professional coaches. Let's Go!
