Two Piers Digest 💫 - We're back, and we're listening for the signals

Hello, First name / friend, It’s been a minute. Our Digest has been on a bit of a hiatus since November, not because nothing has been happening, but because quite a lot has. Over the past several months, we’ve been navigating capacity, client work, health, team growth, podcast conversations, coach education, and the general reality that sometimes the work behind the scenes needs more attention than the work on the page. Which, fittingly, brings us to this month’s theme: listening for the signals. In today's digest: Coaches' Corner 🧭: Listening for the Signals - The “I Just Need To” Flag What We’re Reading 📚: The Edge of Space-Time, Mattering, and The Other Side of Change The Podcast 🔊: Coaching Beyond Corporate + Thriving as an Outsider Where to Find Us 🗺️: ICF New England, UNH coaching, Maine Women's Conference P.S. If you're getting this email, it's because you're one of the valued folks we've worked with, collaborated with, or connected with over the years. If it’s not your thing, feel free to unsubscribe at the bottom—no offense taken. But if you’re curious to stick around, we’re glad you’re here! We’re kicking off a new three-part blog series called Listening for the Signals, focused on the moments we’re often tempted to dismiss, minimize, or breeze right past. Part 1 explores one of our favorite coaching red-flag phrases: “I just need to…” 🚩 🚩 🚩 It’s a small phrase that can flatten something complex into something seemingly simple. And when that “simple” thing keeps getting bumped from the to-do list, we're often better served by inviting curiosity rather than self-criticism. Part 2 will explore what can happen when strong emotions show up in coaching, and how we can view them as a valuable source of data rather than a digression. Part 3 will look at “mental zoomies”: those moments when the mind needs to run off leash a bit, rather than being forced to stay in task mode all day long. 👉 Read Part I: “I Just Need To”: The Coaching Red Flag That Tells Us There’s More Going On read more at the blog This month, we’re sharing a few books that connect to curiosity, perspective, belonging, and change. 🪐 The Edge of Space-Time: Particles, Poetry, and the Cosmic Dream Boogie by Chanda Prescod-Weinstein A blend of physics, poetry, cosmology, culture, and perspective from theoretical physicist Chanda Prescod-Weinstein. Physics and engineering metaphors show up often with our coaching clients, and books like this help expand the metaphorical toolbox. Prescod-Weinstein will also be in Portland this week, which gives this one a nice local connection. 🍊 Mattering: The Secret to a Life of Deep Connection and Purpose by Jennifer Breheny Wallace A timely exploration of what it means to feel valued and to know that we add value. This one connects closely to so many coaching conversations around leadership, belonging, burnout, recognition, and the difference between performance and worth. Δ The Other Side of Change: Who We Become When Life Makes Other Plans by Maya Shankar Maya Shankar, host of A Slight Change of Plans, brings together stories and behavioral science to explore how we navigate disruption, identity shifts, and the parts of life we didn’t script for ourselves. Note: We link to Bookshop.org using affiliate links because they support not only our work but also local bookstores. Visit the Two Piers bookshop Season Seven of the Two Piers Podcast is underway, and our recent conversations have been rich, practical, and grounded in the realities of leadership outside the neat little boxes we often try to put it in. 🤝 Coaching Beyond the Corporate World with Kathy Berger Kathy Berger recently joined the Two Piers coaching team, and in this episode, we talk about the role of coaching in nonprofit organizations. Coaching is often framed as a corporate leadership tool, but mission-driven work comes with its own complexity, pressure, identity shifts, burnout risks, and need for reflective space. Kathy brings deep experience from the nonprofit sector and a grounded perspective on what coaching can make possible when people are doing meaningful work with limited resources. 🌱 Thriving as an Outsider with Naeemah Elias In another recent conversation, Naeemah Elias joins us to discuss Thriving as an Outsider: what it means to navigate spaces that weren’t necessarily built with you in mind, how outsider experiences can shape leadership, and how visibility, communication, and self-advocacy can become tools for impact. This conversation connects deeply to inclusion, leadership presence, and the ways people learn to claim their voice without having to flatten who they are. Check out the podcast Prefer to stream an episode from Apple or Spotify? You can find us on all the major platforms. This month's ICF New England conference marked the end of Erica's two-year term on the Board of Directors. She's looking forward to returning to a behind-the-scenes supporting role as an active community and committee member. She's also been focused on mentor coaching with the Spring cohort for the UNH Certificate in Professional Coaching program, and the team is already gearing up for the Fall cohort. Registration is now open for anyone considering coach training or looking to deepen their coaching skills as a leader, manager, or practitioner. Two Piers is also registered for the Maine Women’s Conference coming up this October. We’re excited to gather with leaders, business owners, and community members from across Maine! A small badge transition: from Board Member to Past Board Member after wrapping up a two-year term with ICF New England. We’re glad to be back in your inbox. May this month bring you a little more honesty, a little more curiosity, and a little more room to listen for what’s actually asking for your attention. If you've received this email as a forward and would like to subscribe, you can do so here. And if you have feedback about this digest, just hit reply! We'd love to hear from you. 📧 Erica and the Two Piers Team PO Box 554 Woolwich, Maine 04579-9998, United States Unsubscribe or Manage Preferences