The Essential Coaching Skills Newsletter
Weekly insights on coaching, storytelling, NLP, and sustainable behavior change from Doug O’Brien, focused on lasting transformation without burnout.
Tags: ericksonian storytelling
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Creative Lying and Applying the E.A.S.E. Method
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.” – Aristotle
It is true, I believe, that champions do what others talk about doing.
Lance Armstrong has removed himself from the staple of role models, but his use of steroids doesn’t change the fact that he also train...
by Doug O'Brien —
Feb 28, 2026
behavior change
burnout recovery
coaching psychology
doug o'brien
ease method
ericksonian storytelling
goal setting
habit formation
hypnotic language patterns
identity based coaching
identity shift
isomorphic metaphor
lasting change
milton erickson methods
narrative change coaching
nlp coaching
nlp storytelling techniques
storytelling in coaching
sustainable habits
therapeutic metaphor
transformational coaching skills
willpower alternative
How To Enhance Your Coaching Stories With Sensory Rich Language
I’ve noticed that in coaching, when I explain something clearly, people often nod. They understand it. Intellectually, at least.
And then… not much changes.
But when I tell a story, something different happens.
They lean in a little.
They relax.
They stop trying to figure out what the “right a...
by Doug O'Brien —
Feb 21, 2026
ericksonian storytelling
hypnotic language patterns
identity based coaching
isomorphic metaphor
milton erickson methods
narrative change coaching
nlp storytelling techniques
storytelling in coaching
therapeutic metaphor
transformational coaching skills
Why Storytelling Is One of the Most Powerful Coaching Skills You Can Develop
"I have decided to stick to love; hate is too great a burden to bear."
― Martin Luther King
Happy Valentine's.
February is the month that reminds us, whether we ask for it or not, that love is not an idea. It’s a practice.
It’s something felt.
Something chosen.
Something lived.
A...
by Doug O'Brien —
Feb 14, 2026
burnout from goals
change without willpower
coaching for burnout
coaching skills training
coaching vs willpower
design your life habits
emotional resilience
ericksonian storytelling
how to build better habits
identity based habits
life coaching podcast
nlp coaching
personal development podcast
professional coach training
sleight of mouth reframing
sustainable change psychology
therapeutic storytelling
unconscious patterns coaching
what does a life coach do
willpower vs discipline
The Essential Coaching Skills Newsletter