We’re taught that coaching isn’t therapy, and that we shouldn’t cross that line. So when clients bring up anxiety, depression, addiction, or paralyzing overwhelm, our internal alarms go off. We don’t want to say the wrong thing, get in over our heads, or unintentionally do harm. So we do what we’ve been taught to do: we suggest talking to a professional.
The problem is, fear paralyzes most people — and instead of getting quality care, many will keep those struggles to themselves. Over time, that reluctance to be fully real becomes one of the biggest barriers to meaningful change. Perhaps it’s time to consider an alternative: staying in the conversation when mental health is in the mix.
In this provocative and compelling talk, Dr. Carylynn Larson, psychologist turned nonprofit founder and executive coach, helps us see that the biggest risk in a mental health crisis isn’t saying the wrong thing—it’s saying nothing at all.
With warmth, humor, stories from her own mental health crisis, and a “Recipe for Healing Community”, Dr. Larson helps you and your clients stay connected when it matters most.
Learning Objectives:
Recognize the subtle ways mental health challenges emerge in coaching conversations.
Examine how fear, uncertainty, and role confusion can influence a coach’s response to mental health concerns.
Develop greater confidence in responding compassionately and appropriately to mental health challenges without diagnosing, fixing, or providing clinical treatment.
Core Competencies Addressed:
Demonstrates Ethical Practice, Embodies a Coaching Mindset, Cultivates Trust and Safety, Maintains Presence, Listens Actively, Evokes Awareness, Facilitates Client Growth
Participants will earn 1.5 Core Competency CCEs for attending this program.
About our speaker:
Dr. Carylynn Kemp Larson is a recognized expert on leadership, team dynamics, psychological safety, and workplace well-being. She holds a Ph.D. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from George Mason University and is an ICF Professional Certified Coach (PCC) with thousands of hours of coaching experience. In addition to private-sector coaching, Dr. Larson serves on the faculty of American University's School of Public Affairs.
In 2008, she founded Rock Recovery, a national nonprofit pioneering innovative, community-based mental health programs. Now 18 years in, this work has placed her at the lived intersection of mental health and coaching.
She is a 2025 Marquis Who's Who Lifetime of Achievement Award winner and a member of the American Psychological Association, the International Leadership Association, and Professional Fellow with the Institute of Coaching.
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