COACHING
FOR PERSONAL EXPLORATION & GROWTH
We want to support you.
“We hold space so that all may be free”
“This is no small thing, holding space. Because no matter its size – for one person or a group – we hold
space to give each other the freedom to do hard and liberating soul work. To heal trauma. To feel deep
emotions and express unspoken needs. To transform conflict and rewrite stories of abuse. We hold
space to accommodate both light and shadow, agony and delight. To find our path in the world.”
“When we hold space, we create a container for liberation”
~page 325, The Art of Holding Space by Heather Plett
Two of our Master Holding Space Practitioners, Emily Gillies and Lucy Karnani, are available for coaching.
Emily Gillies
As someone who is drawn to learning about the intricacies of relationships, Emily has studied and worked alongside Heather for ten years. Emily was a grateful student of, and joyful witness to, the formation of the Centre for Holding Space since its earliest days of Krista and Heather working with sticky notes on a kitchen wall, and now is in her sixth year on the teaching team with the CFHS, currently co-leading the Certification Program alongside Lucy Karnani.
Emily followed an initial nudge to invite Heather to facilitate an art retreat in 2013 and learned The Circle Way methodology from Heather in 2016. Drawing on her heart-led wish for folks to have space for personal contemplation and mindfulness practices, Emily opened a retreat centre in 2019, and obtained ‘Holding Space Master Practitioner’ status with the CFHS in 2021.
All along, Emily has believed in the value and necessity of holding space for others to listen to their inner wisdom and to bring forward more love, authenticity and healthy change. Emily is a champion for the many ways this good work ripples out into the world.
Emily is honoured to bring her experience and passions together for one-on-one coaching sessions. Held over zoom and scheduled at the client’s convenience (in a variety of time-zone offerings), Emily warmly welcomes folks to a space of being held in compassionate, non-judgemental witness as difficult topics are met with humility, courage, intuition, flexibility and grace.
The containers that Emily creates have enthusiasm, kindness, and gentle curiosity. There is acceptance for the complexity of both the light and the shadows that appear when we begin to peel away the layers of enculturated messaging and previous life experiences. Deeply believing that we all have our own best answers inside, Emily will journey alongside you, ask good questions, and offer reflections, reframing, conceptual ideas and tender witness. Drawing on her own extensive practice of holding space for oneself, Emily will invite gentle conversation (and optional creative prompts) to peer into the stories, circumstances, needs and desires that shape our decisions, so that each person can come to more peace, understanding and transformation.
Lucy Karnani
Lucy Karnani has been coaching, mentoring, and supporting individuals in a range of personal and professional contexts for the past 30 years. Her deep knowledge of communication skills and gentle approach to supporting others has found her in high demand in the corporate sector, yoga teacher and therapist communities and Holding Space circles and retreats around the world. A published co-author of the book, Connecting: Conscious Communication for Yoga Teachers and Therapists, Lucy
provides guidance to professionals and practitioners through workshops and communication skills consulting. However, her favourite way to support others has been through coaching and mentoring individuals on their professional and personal paths. She is passionate about helping others find their “best next steps”, and beyond.
Reading Heather’s seminal blogpost about “What it means to Hold Space for People…” in early 2016 proved to be life-changing for Lucy. Later that year she chose to attend an in-person workshop led by Heather in Queensland, Australia and in doing so embarked upon a path of deeply appreciating and integrating the principles of Holding Space into her work with yoga teachers and therapists, offering them valuable skills for working with groups and one-on-one clients. Now a Master Practitioner of Holding Space, Lucy co-leads the CFHS Certification Program with Emily Gillies. A passionate practitioner of conscious listening, she has designed and hosted countless Listening Circles in a
variety of communities, and created and ran the “Love and Listening Circle” course for the CFHS. She is also committed to ongoing learning on a wide variety of topics related to the human condition, from books, podcasts, and blogposts (like Heather’s!), but especially loves being in conversation and connection with other like-hearted people.
Lucy is available for coaching or mentoring, providing support and gentle guidance with her trademark warmth, humour and generous heart. She welcomes you to show up “exactly as you are” and be held in a way that will allow you to feel safe, seen, heard, and supported in connecting with your own inner wisdom.
“Lucy embodies a beautiful combination of warm heartedness and professionalism. Her rich and varied life experiences, ranging across family life, the corporate sector and the world of yoga and spirituality, equip her with the ability to be with, understand and honour a diversity of human experience. Her sincerity and skill make her an extraordinary teacher, colleague, and human being.” Catherine Sherlock, Bilpin, Australia
Emily & Lucy look forward to supporting you through one-on-one coaching. (Note: As part of our commitment to greater equity and accessibility for our global audience, we invite you to choose the level of payment that works for you, based on your access to financial resources.)
- Justice Access: Single Session – $150 / 6-Session Bundle – $810
- Fair Access: Single Session – $120 / 6-Session Bundle – $648
- Equity Access: Single Session – $90 / 6-Session Bundle – $486
If you have any questions, contact us.
If you’d like to book a free fifteen minute exploratory conversation with Emily, use this link.
For a free fifteen minute exploratory conversation with Lucy, use this link.
Honestly, I seem to struggle to human, including understanding how to be in my own skin and understand and relate to others. I have recently discovered that I am autistic, which explains some of that. Heather’s courses provide enough structure, safety, creativity, emergence, poetry, soul and connect for me to be, learn and grow as a person. I like who I am when I’m immersing in the deep content Heather uncovers, and I like to be around others with similar values, interests, passions. Being in circle with a meaningful shared intent is good for my soul.
-How to Hold Space Foundation Program Participant
