Through his unique coaching style and decades of experience as a Conflict Resolver, Stephen partners with leaders exploring what really matters to achieve their most deeply-held leadership goals. Stephen has provided mediation, coaching, negotiation, and facilitation services, training, and somatic education to private and government clients in the Washington D.C. area and across the globe. Stephen worked throughout the Federal Government and provided services to the National Institutes of Health, Department of Veterans Affairs, Smithsonian, Department of Navy, TSA, DOI, DHS, FDA, HHS, SSA, CFPB, DHA, ACF, USGS and the EEOC. His private sector clients include UPS to small businesses and conflict resolution organizations. The majority of his practice addresses workplace disputes involving leaders/supervisors and those who report to them. Currently he regularly encounters deeply challenged leaders due to their circumstances.
Stephen enjoys coaching clients through the decision-making process uncovering new opportunities for engagement and resources to support and improve. He values the learning and insights gained about patterns they are ‘stuck’ in and ways they can coordinate and take action with others. Stephen’s decades of experience in the Japanese martial art of Aikido and Brazilian JiuJitsu enhance his work as a Somatic Educator. For many years he studied how embodiment can help us better manage conflict and is master embodiment teacher, Dr. Paul Linden’s senior student in Embodied Peacemaking. He has also completed the Foundations Training in Emotional Leadership through EVRYMAN and attends weekly the Men’s Group that utilizes the EVRYMAN Method. This combines somatic understanding, emotional physiology and our need for human connection and psychological safety to help men connect more deeply to themselves and who they want to become.
Stephen helps leaders understand how the Fight-or-Flight response shuts down your thinking, fills you with fear, and prevents you from functioning at your best. Stephen is an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) from the International Coach Federation he holds a M.A. from George Mason University’s School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution, a certificate in leadership coaching from Georgetown University, and a certificate in conflict coaching from Dr. Tricia Jones of Conflict Coaching Matters LLC. He currently holds a black belt in Aikido and a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Stephen is known for his practical, engaging and highly interactive teaching style and is sought out for his insight and innovative ways of tackling difficult disputes. He can be found at www.StephenKotev.com
In the spirit of reconciliation, Wisdom2Action acknowledges the land on which it was originally established as the traditional and unceded territory of the M’ikmaq, known as Mi’kmak’i (Nova Scotia). Our team is spread across Turtle Island (Canada) on the treaty lands of many First Nations. We recognize the people and the land in this way as part of our commitment to anti-oppression and decolonization. We are all treaty people.
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