admin

Gaëlle Miani

Posted on by admin
Conference Home

Gaëlle Miani

Bio:

Gaëlle Miani is the founder of les mots, a language coaching practice based in Nyon, Switzerland, where she offers personalized French and English coaching. A certified Neurolanguage Coach® and trainer accredited by the International Coaching Federation, she integrates neuroscience and coaching techniques to empower both learners and educators. 

With a career in education spanning over 25 years, Gaëlle has taught in the UK and Switzerland, and has collaborated with international organisations including the United Nations, Collège du Léman, and Aiglon Collège. She holds a Licence in English from Paris X Nanterre, a PGCE from the University of Bath, a diploma from the Chartered Institute of Linguists. 

In addition to her professional practice, Gaëlle is actively engaged in community leadership, having served on the municipal council of Eysins and as president of several educational associations. Passionate about languages, neuroscience, and education, she is dedicated to helping others thrive by first cultivating self-awareness and resilience as coaches and learners.

Session Synopsis:

“The Mirror Effect: Why Self-Awareness Is Your Greatest Coaching Tool”

Before we can effectively guide others, we must first look in the mirror. This keynote explores how self-awareness forms the foundation of neurolanguage coaching, shaping the way we manage ourselves, connect with learners, and thrive in our profession. Through practical insights and interactive reflection, participants will discover how knowing themselves more deeply can unlock greater impact in their coaching practice.

admin

Lonny Gold

Posted on by admin
Conference Home

Lonny Gold

Manager/Animator at Resonance Learning

Bio:

Lonny hated school with a passion… and went into education with a vengeance. Originally Canadian, Lonny runs exuberant language and teacher training seminars worldwide where he develops techniques to speed up learning by communicating directly with the unconscious mind. He has been at the core of Suggestopedia since 1978 and has written EFL curricula for audiences in America, Europe, the Middle East and China and worked there. Lonny’s ambition is to help create a new culture of communication where people inspire and nurture each other, thereby enabling humanity to transcend existing norms and lead more fulfilling lives.

Session Synopsis:

Teaching Languages like an Undercover Spy

Spies are invisible. That’s why they’re effective. They remain unseen. And this is how language coaches should operate: Fixing problems but leaving no trace of our passage. Leaving learners with the feeling that “We did it all ourselves!”

Drawing on Suggestopedia, this session will provide coaches with mantles of invisibility.

There will be two main take-aways: A subversive technique for correcting mistakes and
a way of inducing telepathic intuition. For this to work, the coach must become a
colourless, odourless catalyst. This fun experience, with lots of physical movement, will
show you how to “vanish” and get out of the way of the breakthroughs you have
catapulted into motion. We will look at how to set the stage for unexpected things to
just bubble up to the surface.

admin

Irene Chinappi

Posted on by admin
Conference Home

Irene Chinappi

Bio:

I am a Neurolanguage Coach® with a background in communication and foreign languages. I hold a degree in Foreign Languages and Literatures and two Master’s degrees, in Journalism and in Political Consulting and Marketing. I grew up in my family’s hotel in Sperlonga, a small Italian town, which served as an early school in hospitality and human connection. 

After a career spanning tourism, journalism, and communication, I dedicated myself to teaching Italian as a foreign language and helping people worldwide speak it with confidence and joy while deepening their connection to Italian culture. Alongside coaching, I design and lead immersive cultural and gastronomic tours in Italy, where participants explore local cuisine, wine, history, and traditions, discovering the richness and diversity of each region. 

My personal development journey has been extensive and transformative. I trained in Transactional Analysis and have pursued ongoing individual growth over the past 15 years, exploring relational dynamics, patterns of thinking, and emotional awareness. Today I integrate these insights with coaching and neuroscience. I am also the author of several publications and a novel dedicated to my hometown, celebrating its beauty, culture, and heritage.

Synopsis:

Experience of Ego States: Enhancing Relationships and Coaching with Transactional Analysis

The workshop will be divided into two parts. In the first part, participants will engage in a guided experience: through an experiential technique, they will be invited to immerse themselves, with all their senses, in a moment of their work where they faced difficulties in managing a relationship with a client. The exercise will allow them to relive the experience, recognize the emotions they felt, and reflect on them.

 

admin

Virginia Cutchin

Posted on by admin
Conference Home

Virginia L Cutchin

Owner, Transition Success Consulting – Professional Neurolanguage Coach and Teacher Trainer for China

Bio:

“I am a life-long learner, teetotaling vegetarian, passionate Chinese language and culture enthusiast, neuroscience nerd, tireless champion of health and wellness, and am dedicated to learning and sharing about the role of nutrition in learning and memory. I have a BA in political science and an MBA in international business. I am ICF ACC-level coach, a Professional-level neurolanguage coach for English and Mandarin, and have a certification in Applied Neuroscience I have published articles on health and wellness, and exactly 1 poem (in “Highlights for Children”) when I was 12 years old.”

Session Synopsis:

The Impact of Nutrition on Learning, Memory & Recall

With profound respect and admiration for us all as unique individuals, this 60-minute workshop presents an overview of the major components of nutrition, delves deeply into those components’ influences in the body, and highlights current research on the impact of one’s nutritional status / habits on learning, memory and recall. This workshop invites audience members to assess their own nutritional status, and suggests any changes they might make to enhance or influence their own (or others’) learning, memory and recall.

admin

Ola Kowalska

Posted on by admin
Conference Home

Ola Kowalska

Bio:

Ola Kowalska is a coach, speaker, and former language educator who helps language professionals build sustainable, ethical businesses without burning out or overriding themselves. Her work blends somatic principles, coaching psychology, and business strategy, supporting teachers, coaches, and school owners to lead from regulation, clarity, and trust rather than pressure and performance. Ola is known for her Seen – Trusted – Sold framework and her body-led approach to visibility and sales in the language education space.

Website: https://olakowalska.com

Instagram (language professionals): @ola_kowalska_coaching

Instagram (identity & purpose-led work): @purposefully_ola

Session Synopsis:

How to Run a Body-Led Language Business

Outline: In the language education industry, we often talk about neuroscience, cognition, and learning, yet when it comes to building our businesses, many of us operate in ways that actively ignore the body.
This talk explores what happens when language professionals build and run their businesses from dysregulation, pressure, and over-cognition and what becomes possible when we shift to a body-led approach.
Drawing on somatic principles, coaching psychology, and years of work with language teachers and school owners, this session challenges the myth of “normal” in business: the belief that success requires constant output, pushing through discomfort, and overriding our nervous systems. We’ll explore the mentality many educators are stuck in: overworking, under-charging, second-guessing themselves and why this isn’t a mindset problem, but a regulation problem.

Participants will be guided through a short, accessible somatic exercise to experience the difference between operating from stress versus safety, and how this directly affects visibility, decision-making, and sales.
The core of the talk introduces the principles of a body-led language business and one that is built on capacity, consent, and coherence rather than force. These principles are then connected to my own Seen – Trusted – Sold framework, showing how trust, resonance, and sustainable growth naturally emerge when a business is led from the body, not just the brain.
The session concludes with clear, practical guidance on where to start: small, tangible shifts language professionals can make immediately to build businesses that support both their nervous systems and their long-term impact without burning out or abandoning their values.
This talk is designed for teachers, coaches, and school owners who want to build successful language businesses that feel grounded, ethical, and sustainable and who are ready to stop overriding themselves in the process.

admin

George Kokolas

Posted on by admin
Conference Home

George Kokolas

Academic Director and Senior Teacher Trainer for Express Publishing

Bio:

George Kokolas has been working, until now, as the Academic Director and Teacher Trainer for Express Publishing for the last 25 years. He is a licensed Level 5 Positive Education Practitioner and holds a Level 5 Diploma in Positive Psychology. He is a certified LEVEL 7 TEFL teacher and a certified ADVANCED Neurolanguage CoachR, practising Neurolanguage CoachingR professionally. He holds a BA in English Literature. Since 2017, he has co-hosted and produced the successful Teachers’ Coffee educational podcast. In 2022, he was voted among Greece’s most popular ELT influencers. He is the current Vice Chair of TESOL GREECE. He has delivered over 1,000 presentations at international conferences and counting…

Session Synopsis:

The Bearable Lightness of Learning

What makes learning truly joyful—and how can we help students experience it that way? This session explores the concept of love of learning as both an inner drive and a teachable mindset. Participants will examine what sparks curiosity, what blocks it, and how educators can nurture a classroom culture where discovery feels light, meaningful, and lasting. Through practical ideas and reflective moments, the talk invites teachers to rediscover their passion for learning—and to pass that spark on to every learner.

admin

Claire Graton & Alex Gervin

Posted on by admin
Conference Home

Claire Graton & Alex Gervin

Bio:

Session Synopsis:

Beyond small talk: Icebreakers that transform the learning space

A fully immersive, one-hour session dedicated to hands-on icebreaker practice, designed to directly address participants’ real needs.
All activities will be carefully selected in advance based on responses collected through a preliminary Google Form, allowing us to tailor the workshop to each coach’s context:
– Learner profiles: levels, professional or personal goals
– Training formats: online, in-person, one-to-one, or group sessions
– Current use of icebreakers: frequency, types already used, challenges faced
– Specific expectations: what participants want to learn, test, or refine
Objective: to offer a practical, highly adaptable learning space, with activities participants can immediately transfer to their own coaching sessions.

admin

Trish Wilkinson

Posted on by admin
Conference Home

Trish Wilkinson

Bio:

Patricia (Trish) Wilkinson is a doctoral student at Global Humanistic University who is on a mission to restore JOY in education. To that end, she developed the Empowered School Project to instill six evidence-based, brain-friendly practices into educators’ daily routines that foster JOY while accelerating students’ social, emotional, and academic growth. Her aim is to demonstrate that we can elevate the whole of humanity through education. Trish is also coauthor of Readers’ Choice winner Brain Stages: How to Raise Smart, Confident Kids and Have Fun Doing It. An educator of 23 years, from toddlers to teens, now Trish shares her experience, research, and practical application with educators, administrators, and parents. Why? Because everyone deserves to revel in the “magic” of learning, though her approaches are based in science. Learn more at https://thebrainstages.com.

Plenary Session Synopsis:

We Are the Agents of Higher Consciousness

Most of us become educators and coaches because we want to contribute to our students’ or clients’ well-being, their social, emotional, and academic growth, and create a world that improves with every generation, right? However, in the past few decades, with the explosion of technology, we struggle to strike a balance that develops skills and a depth of learning that generates problem solvers as well as mindful thinkers and leaders.

If you are attending this amazing Neurolanguage Coaching Conference, you likely realize the power of brain-friendly practices in your routine, and the positive outcomes that can result from developing students’ or clients’ concepts of what it means to be mindful in today’s world.

In an interactive presentation, Patricia (Trish) Wilkinson, founder of Brain Stages Parenting and Education, is going to offer an empowering perspective and practical tools for balancing brain health and technology, while creating context for your students’ or clients’ social, emotional, and intellectual growth. You will be encouraged to see your role, and how educators and coaches are in the process of elevating human consciousness for a better tomorrow.

admin

Marjorie Rosenberg

Posted on by admin
Conference Home

Marjorie Rosenberg

NLP Trainer

Bio:

Marjorie Rosenberg, MFA, has been working as a business English trainer in Austria for the last forty years. In addition, she has completed her NLP Master Practitioner and Trainers’ Training in Santa Cruz, California with Robert Dilts and has run a number of workshops and seminars for teachers in Europe and the USA as well as corporate clients in Austria making use of NLP techniques to help them in their jobs. While teaching at the University of Graz, she carried out research projects on how people learn and published two books on learner preferences as well as a number of books in the field of business English. At the moment, she is working on a book covering NLP coaching techniques to address specific situations in the workplace. Her recent publications include ‘Teacher wellbeing and techniques to achieve it’ (Modern English Teacher, Jan- Feb 2024) and ‘Making use of Neuro-Linguistic Programming’ (The Teacher Trainer, Nov 2024). She is currently Joint-Coordinator of IATEFL BESIG and a past president of IATEFL.

Session Synopsis:

Our journeys – looking back and embracing where we are now
This keynote talk will look at the journeys we have taken to get where we are today and the implications of the journey for the future. Journeys rarely occur in straight lines but rather in curvy or even divergent paths. What is interesting for us to examine, however, are the lessons learned on our way from our personal starting points to the present. There are those of us who started out in other fields and ended up in jobs we are now doing as well as those of us who planned their careers from the start. We will be looking at the different skills and talents we bring to our jobs, the setting of our goals and how they may be modified over time, the assumptions we all deal with on a daily basis, the people around us who have influenced and helped us, as well as the changes in our personal and professional lives and the affects these have had on what we do and who we are today.

The audience will be involved in the various steps of the talk and encouraged to share their own experiences with others through discussions and in the whole group. Specific ideas will also be suggested which can be implemented throughout the conference to encourage sharing by participants of particular experiences in order to create a trusting space in which all can learn and thrive.

admin

Nina Svorak

Posted on by admin
Conference Home

Nina Svorak

Professional Neurolanguage Coach and Teacher Trainer for Ukraine

Bio:

I am a Professional Neurolanguage Coach® certified by ICF (International Coach Federation) and a Licensed Teacher Trainer by Efficient Language Coaching® in Slovakia and Ukraine. I  started my career path in 2009 in Kyiv. I had been an English, and Ukrainian Teacher for many years before in 2018 I became a Professional Language Coach Certified by Efficient Language Coaching® and Accredited by ICF (International Coaching Federation).

I have delivered my language courses for teenagers and adults (corporate clients, private individuals, English/Slovak/ Ukrainian for specific purposes, speaking and writing exams preparation (TOEFL, IELTS, CAE)).

Now I am based in the city of Kosice, Slovakia and I am continuing my NLC® journey working with online clients from all over the world. I have been helping my clients to prepare for diverse tasks, such as job interviews, exam preparation, holding presentations and project reports, Business negotiations, English language communication etiquette, and formal correspondence. In addition to language coaching for my clients, I also actively collaborate with language teachers and exchange experiences with them during our certification courses in Neurolanguage Coaching. I have also recently launched my Brain Club in Slovakia, which helps people from various professions explore their inner potential through knowledge about learning and the brain.

I deliver Neurolanguage coaching sessions in English, Ukrainian, and Slovak and I incorporate various approaches and methods, including positive psychology. My clients’ feedback has shown that NLC® principles are the best approach and method that allow to make a learning process client-oriented, brain friendly and cost-effective. Apart from English, Ukrainian and Slovak, I speak French and Italian. At the moment I am keen on social and ballroom dancing and improving my Spanish speaking skills.

Session synopsis:

Success as a Neuroprocess: How to Help our Clients Grow and Achieve

Success is often perceived as an external result, yet neuroscience shows that it is primarily an internal, trainable neuroprocess. This session explores what happens in the brain when individuals grow, stay motivated, and achieve meaningful goals, and how coaches can consciously support these processes in their work with clients.

Drawing on insights from neuroscience and positive psychology, the session focuses on key mechanisms such as dopamine-driven motivation, the role of the prefrontal cortex in focus and decision-making, and neuroplasticity in habit formation. Participants will gain a clear understanding of how small wins, emotional states, and repeated actions shape neural pathways related to success.

The session translates scientific insights into practical, ICF-aligned coaching strategies. Coaches will learn how to create awareness around clients’ motivational patterns, support sustainable growth through micro-actions, and foster a mindset that enables long-term success. The content emphasizes ethical, client-centered coaching and positions the coach as a facilitator of learning rather than a problem-solver.