Institute for Psychodynamic Coaching
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT PSYCHOLOGY
Roundtable discussion
Phil Towle answers
Following the recent webinar Star Client: Psychology, Money, and Ethics of Working with High-Status Individuals, Phil answers questions from participants.
1. Misha Bogomaz: Tell us a story about how bad things gotten in Metallica for them to accept your help. What prompted them to finally accept your help?
Thanks Misha! I was coaching Rage Against The Machine, and lead singer Chris Cornell of Soundgarden, as they were merging to form Audioslave and couldn’t decide which managers to choose…Managers of Rage were Metallica’s managers…They seemed to respect how I coached that process…Shortly thereafter, they called me and said, Metallica needed my help, because their inner turmoil was getting out of hand…
2. Jason: What did you not like about the group when doing therapy with them and how did you handle that in therapy with them?
Great question, Jason…I don’t think that I ever disliked coaching them, but the hardest challenge was to help them each and together be accountable for sharing and owning their part of their conflicts…Famous, successful people who are adored by their fans, become insulated from turning inward to face themselves…We, more “ordinary” people, are not so protected, thus, not so defensive…Metallica is composed of very smart guys who can explain and justify away each their own responsibility to heal, grow, change…I had to be patient…and, realize that THEY had to ultimately realize that their precious band’s success was at stake…and ultimately it was important to be together, than selfishly apart, pointing fingers, blaming another, assigning wrong, in order to be right!
3. Olesya: Phil, what allows a star client to take the experience that they can get in psychotherapy? A person endowed with power (it can manifest itself in different forms) as I see it, tends to devalue a lot, then what can help give value to this new experience?
Thank you, Olesya…please refer to my answer to Jason…Fame is intoxicating! It amplifies ego, obscuring accountability for internal, self-imposed pain…Underneath Metallica’s egoic, meteoric celebrity, each of them is very much “human” like the rest of us…and, when given the opportunity to sit with each other (every day) beginning to share their feelings, thoughts and concerns…they peeled away their defenses, exposing this humanness…ultimately realizing their deep caring, love, and brotherhood…
4. Anna Neimysheva: Phil, what unique challenges arise for you as a consultant when a star client is part of a group, and how do you manage the impact of their status on the group dynamics?
Not sure, I am accurately answering your question, Anna, but a frontman, like James in Metallica, definitely can get more attention from fans…and, the group will at various times, get jealous of that favoritism…In Metallica James was the primary songwriter, and, of course, lead singer…Lars, with whom, he had most presentable conflict, was the band’s business mind…In movies, and in other bands I’ve worked with, when the star gets special treatment on movie set, or gets singled out in public, promoting a movie or album, or is written up favorably…the “group” as a whole, can suffer potential divisiveness…so the group dynamics has to be continually redirected toward common purpose and welfare of everyone…Life is, after all, a “team sport”…we are all one with one another…or should be, anyway 😊
5. Will: Phil, was it better to conduct seasons with each member separately or together. Did you also see band members privately working on certain…
Will, I did all of that, with primary focus upon band bonding, together…we had band sessions for 2 or 3 hours, everyday after James returned from rehab…I also met individually and at times as couples with their spouses/significant others…There is no better or worse choice…each decision dependent upon what was best for particular concern.
6. V. Hansen: What is a challenge in getting star clients to begin to value self outside of the "star personality"
Referring to my earlier comments, Vhansen, your good question reminds us how important, actually crucial it is to help “star clients”, while fully enjoying their deserved stardom, simultaneously manage their private lives as it is being severely tested by celebrity… and, most crucially helping them heal and evolve their human being…If they ignore their internal self, they will lose perspective, will lose contact with their true self…and, as it happens in so many cases, will turn to self-destructive, coping behaviors…to relieve, which never resolves…Further, they become deeply addicted to external validation, and when their time in the spotlight is over, they have a longer way to fall…back to some semblance of ordinariness…without the drug of adoration…
Thanks to all of you who took time to share our IPDC moment together!! It was very cathartic for me… 😊
Thank you to those of you who inspired me with your stimulating questions…
As a reminder…the essential reason we ask our question, is not just to hear someone elses answer, but to turn inward, exploring what it is about our question that WE need further process for OUR personality and OUR life…?
Love and gratitude,
Phil
The best question will win free participation in Phil's "Metallica Group Coaching Case" webinar in December.
Stay tuned!
About the Institute
The Institute of Psychodynamic Coaching offers business consulting services and training programs Program for group leaders and psychodynamic oriented coaches, using the latest achievements of the theory and practice of modern psychoanalysis, socioanalysis and coaching.
We pay special attention to the analysis of unconscious motivation, psychodynamic processes in groups, leadership style and power strategies of the organization.
We introduce specialists from different fields to the modern psychoanalytic approach when working with organizations and groups. Students of the Institute's programs acquire the competencies necessary for group work in the organization.
The teaching staff are psychoanalysts, coaches and group analysts from the USA, Europe, and Russia.
Process groups are an important part of the IPDC training program. The process group is designed as a “here and now” experience focusing on how a person function in the immediate moment. Students are studying resistances to communication and how patterns of group form and reform themselves as the members observe both themselves and others within these group patterns. The group leader demonstrates group interventions which aim to resolve resistances and foster progressive emotional communication and, when appropriate, explains the underlying theory and the timing of the intervention.
Phil Towle
FOUNDER
Phil works with “Difference makers” committed to using their God-given talents to fulfill their highest possibilities, and those around them determined to transform each hardship, setback, and self-imposed limitation, into superior achievement. Phil Towle is IPDC (The Institute of Psychodynamic Coaching) co-founder, METALLICA's "performance coach", Performance Coach to Difference Makers (Celebrated Entertainers, Elite Athletes, Visionary Business Leaders)
His clients include:
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Metallica
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7-time American Country Music Award Winners Rascal Flatts
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St. Louis Rams owner, coaching staff, players and especially National Football League, Hall of Fame Coach Dick Vermeil to their Super Bowl Championship.
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American Olympic Silver medalist swimmer
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Rage Against Machine as it morphed into Audioslave…including their award-winning guitarist, Tom Morello who is also prominent political activist…
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Prominent Silicon Valley business leaders and consultants
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Eastern European psychologists/analysts/business entrepreneurs training to become psychology and executive coaches
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Oscar, Golden Globe, and Emmy winning actors/actresses
“YOU have your OWN truths, and your OWN answers! It is my role to help you retrieve them… then facilitate your best being and doing!! Most of us are more afraid of the consequences of succeeding, (than failing) thus subconsciously steer clear of our responsibility to excellence!
Ekaterina Belokoskova-Mikhailova graduated from the Faculty of Philosophy of the Lomonosov Moscow State University, where she also defended her Ph. D. in philosophy.
Head of the program "Group Psychology and Leadership" in the Institute for Psychodynamic Coaching, member of the American Association of Group Psychotherapy, group analyst, coach, author of the textbook "Psychoanalysis of business".
A pioneer in the development of psychodynamic coaching in Russia. Since the early 2000s, she has organized seminars on business psychoanalysis with the participation of Russian and international specialists. In 2005, she was the first among Russian-speaking specialists to become a member of the ISPSO (International Society for the Psychoanalytic Study of Organizations), where she studied the topic of psychoanalysis of business and organizations.
Ekaterina initiated the creation of the International Association of Psychoanalysis of Business and Organizations (MAPBO), an independent organization that studies the psychoanalytic view of organizations, business and group dynamics.
Currently, she is engaged in private psychoanalytic practice, group psychotherapy and organizational counseling.
She has extensive experience in the field of personnel management in Russian and foreign companies, including as a personnel director. Experience of teaching at the HSE, the Academy of Civil Service under the President of the Russian Federation (Yekaterinburg), the Institute of Clinical and Applied Psychoanalysis, the Moscow Institute of Psychoanalysis, the Novosibirsk Institute of Psychoanalysis, the Novosibirsk Institute of Group Analysis( NIGRA), as well as experience of regular participation in conferences and seminars in the field of psychology and personnel management in Russia and abroad, including conferences of the CPT, ISPSO, seminars of CBSD, Ecopsi, the American Chamber of Commerce (personnel Management) in Moscow.
Ekaterina
Belokoskova-Mikhailova
DIRECTOR
Faculty
Alice Brown
Dr. Alice Brown is a psychologist in private practice in New York City, specializing in group treatment and training in addition to individual and couples work. She is a Licensed Psychologist, Certified Group Psychotherapist and a long time member of the American Group Psychotherapy Association. As one of the founding members of the Center for Group Studies Dr. Brown has served on the faculty for thirty-five years. Responsibilities include teaching, supervision, running process groups, as well as co-founding the weekend training program at the Center, which has remained one of the vital parts of the this institution. She has served on the Board of Directors for the Center and is currently the co-coordinator of the faculty, responsible for administrative and organizational functions involving the faculty. Dr. Brown also serves on the Social Justice and Faculty Development committees for the Center. Dr. Brown has led workshops at AGPA for many years, introducing group therapists to the field of modern psychoanalytic group treatment. With a colleague (perhaps you're getting the idea that she enjoys working collaboratively!) she created a training experience in Moscow and was active in one in St. Petersburg, bringing modern group theory and practice to many practitioners. Dr. Brown received an M.S. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania and a Psy.D. from Pace University. Her training included a post doctoral fellowship in child and adolescent treatment at North Shore University Hospital. Her dissertation explored the psychological effects on children of witnessing violence between parents. She has an ongoing interest in trauma therapy and in how groups can be helpful for traumatized individuals.
William H. Watson
Licensed Psychologist; Certified Group Psychotherapist - American Group Psychotherapy Association; Approved Supervisor - American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy; Fellow of the American Psychological Association (APA); 2009 APA Family Psychologist of the Year, Past President of the Society for Family Psychology, recipient of numerous URMC teaching awards.
Jeff Price
Psychotherapist (M.A.) in Colorado, U.S. A member and Fellow of the American Group Psychotherapy Association (AGPA). Co-founder of the Center for Courageous in Boulder, Colorado (private practice). Former Adjunct Faculty at Naropa University where he taught Small Group Process and Large Group Process graduate classes. Psychotherapist and group leader at the Boulder Alcohol Education Center (Boulder) for the prevention and assistance in recovery of drug and alcohol addiction.
Misha Bogomaz
Dr. Misha Bogomaz is the director of University of North Florida Counseling Center. He is a Licensed Psychologist, Board Certified in Group Psychology, and a Fellow of the American Group Psychotherapy Association. He is also President of the American Board of Group Psychology for the 2023-2024 year. He believes in inclusive leadership that celebrates differences and takes into account various constituents. Dr. Bogomaz leads the efforts of providing mental health services to the university community while cultivating a thriving workplace. In his free time, he enjoys fitness, Latin dancing, reading, TV shows, listening to lectures, playing video games, and spending time with his family.
Greg MacColl
A New York University graduate, he has 40 years of experience as a psychotherapist, including with couples and families. He works a lot with family members of victims of September 11th. The main specialty is working with people in the format of group psychotherapy, in order to build more comfortable social relationships.
Tevya Zukor
Ph.D. in the field of clinical psychology. Director of the Talley Counseling Center at the University of Mary Washington (Virginia). Supervises and manages a team of behavioral intervention and crisis management specialists. Co-Chair of the University Task Force on Sexual Assault. Leads a team of psychologists working with students at risk.