Welcome to the windmills of my mind
My life is a bit of a patchwork. I have a multitude of interests, spanning a wide range of topics. And so, my blog reflects this patchwork identity of mine: a place where I share with you my thoughts, passions, worries, questions, hopes, and dreams. Looking forward to reading your comments. Dina
“”All models are wrong”: what did George Box actually mean?
There are so many quotes out there that we repeat and assume to understand, and then all of a sudden, we discover them in their wider context, and they gain a completely new meaning… That’s what happened to me with George E. P. Box’s quote: “All models are wrong, but...
Part 2: So, you’ve had a CliftonStrengths team workshop. Now what?
In my previous article, I explored what really happens in a CliftonStrengths team workshop—and why it so often reveals much more than just people’s strengths. The buzzing energy in the room when people start to really “see” each other is addictive; as is the shift...
Part 1: Are CliftonStrengths team workshops worth it?
One of the most common reasons teams contact me to run CliftonStrengths workshops is this: they want to strengthen team spirit and help team members get to know each other from a different perspective. But very often, the real value of these conversations lies...
Your weekly poem: THE SOUND OF SILENCE
🌿 A poem a day keeps the blues away... THE SOUND OF SILENCE —by Paul Simon (1964) 🌻 For copyright reasons, I’ve woven in only a few excerpts below.For the full lyrics, check Paul Simon’s website 🌻 🪴 “Hello darkness, my old friend,I've come to talk with you again” I...
Your weekly poem: CAGED BIRD—or the world of coaching in the advent of AI
🌿 A poem a day keeps the blues away... I’ve just come out of an Association for Coaching AI Virtual café session that left me feeling both angry and depressed… I will probably be writing an article about it at some point, but I’m not ready yet. What I can offer you...
Why coaching skills training are turning managers into robots—and what to do about it
Something very strange happens to managers who attend a coaching skills training—they lose their ability to speak! I was invited to observe a coaching skills training for managers to see if I would wish to facilitate the programme—and I left wanting to rewrite it....
“We’re not here to be quiet”—Your weekly poem on being REAL
🌿 A poem a day keeps the blues away... REAL 🌻 I’ve cried when I’m happyAnd cried when I’m sadI’ve smiled through the good timesAnd smiled through the bad I’ve screamed in excitementI’ve screamed out in painI’ve gasped at the sunshineAnd gasped at the rain I’ve...
A donkey named Balthazar… and your weekly poem on SERENDIPITY
🌿 A poem a day keeps the blues away... Meet Balthazar. Yes, him, the donkey in the picture :)... What was meant to be a short walk by myself turned into a two-hour stroll through the woods of Binningen with one of the most calm, curious, and empathetic creatures I’ve...
Gestalt coaching: an introduction
I recently offered a free interactive 90-minute webinar for coaches curious about Gestalt coaching—an opportunity for them to bring all their questions, ask me anything, watch a demo, and learn about my upcoming Gestalt Coaching Practice Labs and Relational Community...
Weekly Poem: HOPE
🌿 A poem a day keeps the blues away... 🪴 Every poem I share is one that has moved me during the week. Today's poem is about hope. I originally wrote the reflection below as an article for the Association for Coaching, for their April 2026 Coaching Perspectives...
Weekly Poem: STILL I RISE
🌿 A poem a day keeps the blues away... 🪴 Every poem I share is one that touched me that week.Today's poem is about oppression. STILL I RISE 🌻 You may write me down in historyWith your bitter, twisted lies,You may trod me in the very dirtBut still, like dust, I'll...
Weekly Poem: THE IDEAL
🌿 A poem a day keeps the blues away... 🪴 I started a tradition on LinkedIn of sharing a poem each week—one that has touched me in some way—and offering a few reflections on it. And, I decided that I wanted to carry that same practice into my blog as well, as a way of...
The tyranny of the pursuit of happiness and purpose
I see many posts in my feed lately on how to help you "be more happy", "find your purpose", and urge you to "pursue your IKIGAI"—that magical intersect between what you love to do, can do, the world needs, and gets you paid... that ONE purpose in life that “can set...
Technology, AI, and Coaching: A Call for Critical Thinking
I recently wrote such a long comment on a colleague's LinkedIn post about AI in Coaching that I thought I might just as well turn it into a blog post... I often read statements like: "AI technology is reinventing coaching, so coaches, reinvent yourselves!" Or: "The AI...
On becoming a coach: my interview with the AC
August last year, I had the pleasure of being interviewed by the very talented Agni Skafidas on behalf of the Association for Coaching (AC) on becoming a coach, and I figured it was about time I shared the audio podcast and transcript on my blog! 🙂 Transitions are...
Let go, and let God
It’s been 4 months since my last post. Life somehow took over, I guess, releasing an avalanche of events and emotions, which are still unfolding.
At first, I thought I would write to you about what it is that’s been keeping me busy. But then I thought: each one of us is carrying their own cross. Why should my current circumstances be any heavier or more “special” than yours. So, instead …
“You will never make it without anti-depressants” she said. (part II)
In my first post titled “You will never make it without anti-depressants” (part I), I spoke to you about my burnout and what helped me through it. And for three years, I felt content, complete, and hopeful that I would never have to go through something like this again.
All was Quiet On The Western Front… until
“You will never make it without anti-depressants” she said. (part I)
“You will never make it without antidepressants.”
These were my psychiatrist’s “words of encouragement” during our first session, when I uttered, between my tears, that I wanted to try to get through this without medication.
The five years prior to this meeting had been anything but a walk in the park.
Where do I belong: Ode to a chaotic world
I wrote this poem in a moment of deep sadness, feeling a sense of loss – lost in the world we live in, the values it espouses, the fears it harbors – loss of where to fit in. And so I dedicate this poem to all those who, like me, feel lost in today’s world.
“The grass isn’t greener on the other side, it’s greener where you water it”
Two things prompted this post: My friend’s, Jennifer, blogpost on Gratitude, and a quote I read yesterday – “The grass isn’t greener on the other side, it’s greener where you water it”. This post is an ode of gratitude to the many Blessings in my COVID-impregnated life.
New Year poems for a new beginning
2020 has been one strange year to say the least. So, in the spirit of last week’s Christmas poems, I thought I would share with you some of my favourite New Year poems as we welcome 2021.