Transformation
"Transformation is an evolutionary process that we deeply feel and experience. Once it occurs, we move beyond just understanding it intellectually to fully and sustainably living the change. We embody a rooted version of our authentic self, with acceptance and clarity that transcends our past. This shift is such, that even under pressure or when very relaxed, we do not unconsciously revert to our old ways. Such transformation can occur multiple times in our lives." Lutz Otto
Integration and finding peace within
The Latin root of “integrare,” means to make whole. Integration is defined as the process of effectively combining two or more parts.
"The integration and acceptance of our totality - our successes, failures, life experiences, upbringing, intergenerational content, and the aspects of ourselves that we shut out, compare to others, or fear will exclude us from belonging - is necessary for us to feel grounded in our self-worth.
The more that we integrate all of who we are; the more we can make conscious decisions, live with greater well-being, improve the quality of our relationships, increase our success in life, come to live in the fullness of who we are, and feel peace within. This is my wish for everyone I am privileged to work with." Lutz Otto
Lutz
Otto
♾️ Executive, Counselling, & Life Coach
♾️ Leadership Consultant
♾️ Retreat Facilitator
♾️ Wilderness Guide
I am a seasoned and qualified executive, life, counselling, and team coach, who is comfortable working with depth and challenging processes. Partnering with clients on their journey of self-discovery, making conscious choices, leading with greater self awareness, navigating transitions, working through the "dark night of the soul", and assisting in the development of the psychological insights that allows for continuous movement towards evolving potential, is where I find my purpose.
My experience, developed over 35 years, has been gained in coaching, leadership roles, retreat facilitation, counselling, mentorship roles, change management, and living a full life. I have had the privilege of working in different environments and countries. Before starting my coaching practice, I gained extensive local and international executive leadership experience. I am admitted as a fellow member of the Association For Coaching. Explore how I work, my methodology, and approach here.
Losing my father to cancer at the age of 13 unsettled my family and me to the core. Feeling lost, hurt, and different, at 18 years old I started a process of sense-making and exploring how to make the best of the time we have on earth. This sparked a passion that became my vocation, and continues to evolve into a deep understanding of psychology, leadership, systems thinking, neuroscience, and holistic well-being.
Labels aside, I am multidimensional and evolving. Care, courage, focus, love, service, resilience, and adventure form my essence, and I accept that at times I feel the opposite. I am committed to living consciously and authentically. I have learned from success and failure, and have consciously grown through significant personal and professional change. Through my journey I have come to understand what growth, transitions, healing, and transformation, uniquely expect from us.
The bush, mountains, wild beaches, and the garden at home, are my sanctuaries for renewal. I love music and reading. I am a lifelong runner, both road and trail, backpacker, climber, and adventurer.
Vulnerability
"Believing that vulnerability is unsafe is at its best a basic defense, and in reality, an illusion. Our psychological and physiological makeup, our humanness, makes each of us vulnerable, whether we would like to believe it or not. The vulnerability and courage of doing the work necessary to find and show our truth far outweighs the lifelong burden of living an inauthentic life." Lutz Otto
Experience
Our time together can act as a catalyst for change and a powerful platform for understanding what goes on inside your mind, your behaviour and your relationships. My experience has been developed in one-on-one coaching, group work, team coaching, retreat facilitation, outdoor coaching, counselling, mentorship, change management, and leadership roles. I have 35 years of working experience, graduated from business school in 1993, and have completed numerous subsequent programs and certifications. I hold several international coaching and counselling certifications, and am a certified assessor. To ensure that I practice in a way that serves you, I continue to invest in therapy, supervision, and continuous professional development.
I have an established coaching practice, have designed many multi-day retreats, developed training programs, and run psychodynamically oriented personal leadership programs. Before this I gained extensive local and international executive leadership experience; This included the implementation of numerous change processes, major business turnaround, and serving for over a decade on the SA executive team of a FTSE100 London Stock Exchange listed multi-national. Having spent time in different sectors, worked and travelled globally, I am comfortable in culturally diverse settings.
Through Spirited Adventures, we run well-being, healing, self-development and leadership retreats that have positively impacted the lives of many of our clients. Leveraging decades of experience, and widely cited research, we partner with wilderness to deliver these. Supporting this work I am qualified as a nature, walking safari and mountain guide. I have led wilderness backpacking trails, safaris, mountaineering, rock and ice climbing trips since 1989. I founded an Honorary Ranger Initiative in the Greater Kruger National Park, served for 6 years on the executive committee of the Field Guides Association Of Southern Africa and have been a member of the Mountain Club of South Africa since 1993. In 2015 I was awarded the Order-of-the-Bateleur for my then volunteer contribution to various conservation initiatives.
Methodology
My methodology is integrative, holistic and collaborative. At a fundamental level, my work is oriented by the psychodynamic [depth psychology explores what underpins our behavioral and cognitive processes] and cognitive behavioural psychological philosophies. I practice combining leadership, psychology, coaching, mentorship, counselling, trauma-informed, systems thinking, change management, neuroscience and holistic well-being principles.
To develop the necessary insight to assist you, I get to know your life story, beliefs, challenges, hopes, and ambitions. My work is underpinned by the belief that:
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All human desires, responses to our needs, and mental activity are alive to a continuous, dynamic, interaction between feelings, cognition, and behaviour. They are inseparable in their link.
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The past is with us in the present and will be with us in the future. It need not determine the future.
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We are subjected to conscious and unconscious cognition - Our unconscious mind drives most of our responses, desires, fears, and behaviours, and until we bring awareness to this, we are driven, not driving.
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Nothing happens in isolation.
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The mind ♾️ body connection is inseverable.
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Forced positivity fails us. We are in an infinitely better psychological position by validating what we are feeling, in the reality of our experience, and moving forward drawing on our inner resources, a growth mindset, and when possible hope.
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We are continually evolving, and if we choose to, we can grow through challenges in a way we never believed possible.
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You are it. Psychological freedom is not found elsewhere, we need to do the work within.
Our journey together is outcome-oriented and acknowledges that "energy flows where attention goes, form follows flow". Changing behaviours, habitats, and beliefs, result from many actions, consistently, compounded over time. Transformation starts unfolding, even if it differs from our initial expectations, when we intentionally shift from thinking and talking, to action.
How effective is the psychodynamic approach?
Jonathan Shedler, a distinguished psychoanalyst and clinical professor, gained global recognition for his research that empirically proved the effectiveness of the psychodynamic approach. Read the outcomes in his article "The Efficacy of Psychodynamic Psychotherapy"
Approach
I practice with dedication and respect. My approach is supportive, engaged, curious, gently honest, compassionate, intuitive, and outcomes-focused. I am skilled at working with depth, and am comfortable working with challenging processes. Where we can, I bring lightness into our work. I work best with clients who are committed to their goals.
Through the work I do, my lived experiences, continuous learning, therapeutic journey, meditation, and healing retreats, I understand the unique demands of growth, transitions, healing, or transformation. I have long moved past believing in psychological quick fixes. I acknowledge that sometimes life is easy, that sometimes life is really hard, and that both shape our story. If we desire psychological freedom, the only way is through.
“Lutz is direct and insightful, driven yet humble, compassionate and kind. He easily connects to people, whilst his authenticity, veracity and depth of holistic experience position him uniquely to facilitate both personal and leadership transformation work”
Confidentiality & Professional Association
Crucial to the success of your process, is working with someone you can trust and with whom you can speak to without reservation. Confidentiality, ethical practice and psychological safety are bound into our terms of working together.
All our work together starts with an alignment exploration, a discussion as to what you can expect, and a contracting process. I am admitted as a fellow member* of the Association for Coaching and work by the association's Global Code of Ethics.
*Fellow membership is an exclusive admission category granted to practitioners with significant coaching experience, that has been gained over an extended period of time, and who are able to demonstrate their contribution to the coaching profession.
Contact
If what you have read resonates with and you would like to learn more or have questions, let's schedule a discovery call to see if we can work together to help you meet your goals.
My practice and office are located in Sandton, South Africa. I provide my services in person, either indoors or outdoors in nature, as well as via online video conferencing. I work with clients in South Africa, the UK, Europe, and the USA. Simply submit your form to arrange a suitable time.