There are times when we move through life in ways we don’t choose. We apologize for taking up space, step aside when we don’t need to, or stay quiet even when we have something to say. These moments may seem small, but these patterns often start early and reflect what we've absorbed about who should lead, who should yield, and how we’re expected to show up.

In this episode, I’m joined by three thoughtful and accomplished women, Nicole Provonchee, Janet Walls, and Dr. Leslie Binford, for an honest conversation about how our ways of being are shaped over time. Together, we take a closer look at the gender discourse many women grow up inside of, and how cultural conditioning, gender norms, and early experiences shape behaviors like over-apologizing and giving up power.

We explore what it means to feel safe (or unsafe) in different spaces, and how that affects whether someone can stay grounded and present. We talk about holding space, setting personal boundaries, and the role of psychological safety in everyday interactions. We also look at how power dynamics show up in families, workplaces, and relationships.

This conversation is part of a larger ontological exploration. Ontological coaching invites us to consider how our language, emotions, and body awareness work together to shape how we see ourselves and how we show up in the world. It offers a way to notice what’s often automatic, and begin to relate to it with more clarity and care.

I’m grateful for this conversation and the presence these women brought to it. I hope it invites you into a reflection of your own.

Welcome to The Ontological Experience with Mark Robertson A space for connected, authentic conversations rooted in the ontological framework and tools. Whether you're a long-time listener or brand new to this work, I'm glad you're here.

Connect with the guests: (waiting for full contact details from Mark) Janet Walls President and Founder of Delta Blvd

janet@deltablvd.com 615.973.717

Nicole Provonchee

Chief Coaching Officer, Founder
 BRIGHT BLUE CONSULTING

nicole@consultbrightblue.com 615.423.8061 www.ConsultBrightBlue.com


Dr. Leslie Binford DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC

Assistant Professor

E-mail:binfordl@apsu.edu

Phone: 931-221-7739

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🔹 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markrobertsonpcc

🔹 Website: https://www.theontologicalexperience.com

📧 Email: mark@theontologicalexperience.com

There are seasons when the pace of life picks up and it almost feels like we’re being swallowed by our world.

You check the boxes, meet the deadlines, keep moving, and yet something still feels unsettled. It’s not always easy to name, but there’s a quiet gap between doing and being.

Often, that “gap” lives in how we relate to what we feel, what we’re emotionally experiencing, and how we’ve been shaped to respond.

In this episode, I sit down with Dan Newby, a longtime colleague and fellow practitioner, to explore the territory of emotional regulation, not as a fix, but as a way of working with ourselves more compassionately. We talk about the relationship between what we feel and how we act, how our body awareness and nervous system regulation shape our experience, and how small shifts in understanding can change the way we move through the world.

Dan shares a clear framework grounded in the ever present world of Emotions that many of us didn’t learn growing up. These tools matter in everyday life, but they also have real impact in leadership. They help build psychological safety, support self-leadership, and expand our capacity for sustainable leadership development and personal growth..

This is the heart of ontological coaching, working with the full self: language, emotion, and body. As we gain distinctions in the realm of Emotions, we begin to see ourselves and the world in new ways, and new choices we didn’t see before begin to show up. That’s where tangible personal growth begins.

If you're navigating a season of inner transformation, feeling stressed and overwhelmed, feeling stretched in relationships, or simply ready for a grounded mindset shift, I hope this conversation meets you right where you are.

Welcome to The Ontological Experience with Mark Robertson A space for connected, authentic conversations rooted in the ontological framework and tools. Whether you're a long-time listener or brand new to this work, I'm glad you're here.

Want help growing your podcast with organic marketing and strategy that actually works?

Check out Juliana Barbati at https://www.julianabarbati.com/

She's a podcast growth strategist and SEO expert who truly understands the space. Let her know I sent you!

Let’s Keep the Conversation Going:

🔹 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markrobertsonpcc

🔹 Website: http://www.coachmark.com

📧 Email: mark@coachmark.com

There’s a kind of tension that lives quietly inside many of us, especially those of us who’ve worked hard, achieved goals, and done “the work,” only to find ourselves still feeling off-track. Like we’ve changed everything around us, yet something inside still isn’t aligned. That’s where ontological coaching comes in, a practice that invites us to look beyond doing and into being, helping us see how language, emotion, and body all shape the way we live and lead.

In this episode, we continue the conversation I had with Julio Olalla to explore the deeper roots of how we experience life and change. Together, we unpack the historical context of coaching and how it evolved from performance training into a profound path of human transformation. Julio shares the beginnings of coaching history, offering insight into how the language of coaching first emerged and how it continues to shape our modern understanding of growth and change.

We move through reflections on conscious leadership, existential questions, and the different levels of consciousness that influence how we see and respond to the world. Julio’s stories and wisdom reveal how inner awareness and spiritual development become essential as we grow, not as techniques, but as genuine ways of being.

If you’ve felt the call to slow down, to re-examine your patterns, or to step into deeper personal growth, this episode offers a grounded and compassionate path forward. It’s an invitation to expand who you are as an observer, and to live more fully into your own presence and possibility.

Welcome to The Ontological Experience with Mark Robertson A space for connected, authentic conversations rooted in the ontological framework and tools. Whether you're a long-time listener or brand new to this work, I'm glad you're here.

Want help growing your podcast with organic marketing and strategy that actually works?

Check out Juliana Barbati at https://www.julianabarbati.com/

She's a podcast growth strategist and SEO expert who truly understands the space. Let her know I sent you!

Let’s Keep the Conversation Going: 🔹 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markrobertsonpcc 🔹 Website: https://theontologicalexperience.com/ 📧 Email: mark@theontologicalexperience.com