What Conscious Connection Makes Possible
I’m a day and a half into my integration back home after landing from Austin, Texas where I was co-leading a Conscious Communication Workshop for Lawyers and Firm staff. We led the group of 25 professionals for three and a half days of combined theory and experiential learning that culminated in a profoundly transformational trajectory for most of the participants. This specific training is designed to support business leaders in building greater connections with potential clients and staff that ultimately help them increase their revenue in ways that don’t feel salesy at all.
Being part of these workshops is something I’ve been profoundly passionate about and have had the privilege of participating in during the last 8 or so years, and I leave these events in profound awe of the trust that is placed in me and my colleagues during these events, simply because there is a reverence for the processes each time. It’s a gift that moves me each time.
I sometimes find it challenging to effectively describe what conscious connection is, so I went back to the source of my learning, the Authentic Relating Training Institute.
“At its simplest, authentic relating is a groundbreaking relational practice that creates profoundly enriching, enlivening, and nourishing relationships in all social domains of life, from the bedroom to the boardroom, with intimate partners and perfect strangers and everyone in between. Authentic relating is both a key and a map that allows people to unlock and explore the vast and extraordinary landscape of human connection that lies beyond the scope of most typical relationships. It is a practice that heals old wounds, softens and settles reactive nervous systems, and allows people to be deeply seen, heard, and accepted for who they are – even in their most recessed, darkest, scariest innermost selves.”
This work has reshaped the way I meet conversation, conflict, and care. It gave me tools I can reach for when a dialogue starts to heat up, and it strengthened my capacity to recognize early signals before a moment tips into reactivity.
At home, it opened a more spacious connection with my kids when they were teenagers. In my professional life, my coaching got more laser-focused, and my spiritual practice widened in ways that felt steady and real.
At its heart, authentic relating is a clear way of being together, supported by simple agreements and embodied skills. We name what is present, ask direct questions, and stay connected to the body as we speak and listen. For minds that tend to live in analysis, the somatic check-in becomes an anchor that brings conversation back to what is actually happening. The pace is intentional and focused, and difficult truths are learned to be handled with care.
This practice makes room for your natural depth as your internal signals are welcomed in real-time as they arise, and you learn to tune into the external signals that surface in the space between you and another. In that kind of contact, the truest self has space to be seen, which invites connection that is both honest and workable.
In practice, we learn how to name what is, include desires and limits, ask for consent before going deeper, reflect on what we heard, and check in on the impact of our words. Pauses are woven into the exchange, and silence is treated as information that shapes your next move. Imagine being able to name boundaries with clarity so your nervous system can settle and the conversation can hold meaningful weight.
From here, relationships become places where directness and vulnerability can live side by side. Teams find a rhythm they can trust, families can lean into feeling more resourced and leaders carry a steadier, more trustworthy presence that others can feel.
If you’re curious about how this work could support your way of communicating, I’m here to answer questions and offer a clear next step. My 1-1 Executive Coaching includes support in the real-world conversations you’re navigating.
