Richard Strozzi-Heckler, PhD, MCC is founder of the Strozzi Institute and the Strozzi Somatic Coaching Certification, as well as the original architect of Strozzi Somatics – a unique embodied learning approach that fully integrates meditation, martial arts, action-oriented communication, somatic psychology, bodywork, social context, and generative conflict training into a pragmatic and depthful transformative methodology. He has spent over five decades researching, developing, and teaching Somatics to organizational leaders, coaches, executive leadership teams, start-ups, military, and governmental agencies.
He was named one of the Top 50 Executive Coaches in The Art and Practice of Leadership Coaching, and in Profiles in Coaching. He was featured on the cover of The Wall Street Journal for developing a ground-breaking leadership program for the U.S. Marine Corps. He is the co-founder of Training Across Borders (TAB), and the Mideast Aikido Project (MAP), which brings together Palestinians and Israelis, as well as citizens of warring countries through the practice of Aikido and Somatics.
Richard is the author of eight books, including The Leadership Dojo, In Search of the Warrior Spirit, The Anatomy of Change, Holding the Center, The Art of Somatic Coaching: Embodying Skillful Action, Wisdom, and Compassion, and most recently, Embodying the Mystery: Somatic Wisdom for Emotional, Energetic, and Spiritual Awakening. From 2002 to 2007 he was an advisor to NATO and the Supreme Allied Commander of Europe, General Jim Jones.
Richard has a PhD in Psychology, is the founder of Two Rock Aikido, and is a seventh-degree black belt Shihan in the martial art of Aikido.