Recorded live at Planet Somatic on September 2, 2025, this conversation gathers three graduates of The Somatic School to reflect on what “Diverse Bodies, Diverse Practices” means in real life and real work. Host Whitney Dawn Pyles (Community Connector at The Somatic School and host of Radio Somanaut) is joined by:

• Sanela Lukanovic: Senior leadership coach supporting ambitious, values-driven leaders to lead with courage, authenticity, and accountability.


• Ali Pember: Psychotherapist and somatic coach specializing in motherhood and parenthood across the lifespan.


• Clément Marceau: Somatic coach & breathwork facilitator with a background in architecture and systems design; supports changemakers facing eco-anxiety and loss of meaning.

Together they explore:

• How somatic coaching becomes a bridge between doing/understanding and being/embodiment.


• Why this work is life-saving for burned-out parents and transformational for leaders stuck behind armor.


• Culture & language: translating “somatics” in France, the UK, Spain, and lessons from South America.


• Practical translation: why labels matter less than presence, and how to invite skeptics with a 5-minute orientation practice.


• Modeling humanity in sessions: permission, pacing, water breaks, screens off, and letting sessions be human, not tidy.


• Includes a brief guided orientation to settle listeners into the space.

This episode is for coaches, therapists, and anyone curious about bringing the body into their work — as well as leaders, parents, or people considering a field shift into somatic practice. If you’re exploring what it means to show up more fully human in your work and life, you’ll find resonance here.

For more information on The Somatic School, you can follow us on⁠ ⁠Facebook⁠⁠,⁠ ⁠LinkedIn,⁠⁠ or⁠ ⁠YouTube⁠⁠ or head to our website⁠ ⁠thesomaticschool.com⁠⁠. Follow Radio Somanaut on Instagram⁠ @radiosomanaut. ⁠You can also learn more by registering for a free Taster Session.

Please note that the views, opinions, and expressions shared by our guests in this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of The Somatic School. The information shared is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as official advice or endorsement by the school.

Ali Pember is a Humanistic Psychotherapist and Somatic Coach, specialising in perinatal mental health. Her interest in working with the whole body-mind was ignited by teaching Pre/Postnatal Yoga and Hypnobirthing classes in her local community. She now works online, offering a blend of therapy and coaching, supporting clients around topics such as neurodiversity, emotional regulation, and reparenting. She sees matrescence (the process of becoming a mother) as a time of unparalleled mental, physical and social challenge that also opens up enormous opportunities for personal growth. You can find out more about Ali’s work at ⁠www.goodenoughmama.co.uk⁠.

Clément Marceau is a Paris-based certified somatic coach and transformational breathwork facilitator, working in both French and English. He supports changemakers, activists, and leaders in cultivating clarity, embodied confidence, and inner resilience. His background spans architecture and collective projects in the ecological transition, while significant time spent in South America deeply influences his coaching style—bringing a grounded, embodied, and culturally attuned presence. Combining scientific rigor with experiential depth, he helps people reconnect with their full potential in service of meaningful change 

Sanela Lukanovic is a senior leadership coach and founder of Selfdom.life. With a global client base spanning finance, pharma, fintech, and consulting, she works with high-achieving, value-driven leaders to amplify their confidence, credibility, and impact. Drawing on 15+ years of experience, Sanela blends somatic and traditional coaching models to create body–mind transformation that enables leaders to live and lead with courage, clarity, and authenticity.

Having transformed her own perfectionism into a catalyst for courageous leadership, Sanela now helps others create impact with authenticity. She is the creator of a signature course on perfectionism, a suite of self-development workbooks, and works privately with leaders through her one-to-one coaching programmes.

Host:

Whitney Dawn Pyles is a certified Somatic Coach (ACC - ICF), facilitator, and creative devoted to curiosity, connection, and embodied expression. At The Somatic School, she serves as Radio Somanaut host and Community Connector, tending the threads between past, present, and future students while celebrating the many paths of Body-Oriented Coaching. Through movement, 1:1 and group coaching, and self-paced programs, Whitney supports people in reconnecting with their bodies and each other, reclaiming movement as medicine, and embracing joy and authenticity as guiding forces for transformation.

Connect with Whitney on her website or Instagram.