Core Competencies Spring Summit 2026
with Emily Felt
Date: Tuesday, April 7, 2026 | 12:00 PM
I Am Because We Are: The Science and Practice of Relational Flourishing
Science tells us that belonging, mattering, and being genuinely embedded in community are among the most powerful drivers of human flourishing. And yet we live in a culture that celebrates individual achievement, often overlooking the webs of relationship, community, and mutual support that make every great accomplishment possible. In this one-hour webinar, we explore what research from positive psychology, the science of belonging, and community psychology reveals about the conditions that help people feel truly seen, valued, and part of something larger than themselves. This webinar brings a grounded, human-centered lens to the question of how we build the kinds of communities and organizations where everyone belongs, everyone matters, and collective flourishing becomes possible.
Earn 1.0 Core Competency & 0.5 Resource Development CCEUs
Learning Objectives tied to Core Competencies:
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Understanding the science of belonging and mattering is a part of the operating system of effective coaching. Coaches who understand why belonging and mattering are fundamental human needs are better equipped to create the kind of relational conditions in which clients can be honest, take risks, and grow.
- In addition, this webinar supports Competency 4, as the science of belonging and psychological safety provides a strong theoretical foundation for understanding why trust and safety are not just nice to have but neurologically and psychologically essential for client openness and growth.
- Also, in terms of Competency 5, Fredrickson's research on micro-moments of connection and positivity resonance speaks directly to the quality of attunement and presence a coach brings. Being genuinely present is a relational act, and the webinar's frameworks give coaches a richer understanding of what full presence does for a client.
- In terms of Competency 8, coaches who understand belonging and mattering as core human needs can more effectively support clients navigating challenges related to isolation, invisibility, team dynamics, organizational culture, or community disconnection — all of which are common presenting themes in both executive and life coaching.
This webinar will help coaches further develop their skills when working with clients.
Expanding the coaching lens — Coaches know that clients rarely struggle in isolation. Understanding relational flourishing gives coaches a broader systemic frame for exploring how a client's sense of belonging and mattering within their team, organization, or community is shaping their wellbeing and performance.
Working with belonging and mattering are among the most common underlying dynamics in coaching conversations, often unnamed. A coach who can recognize and work skillfully with a client's unmet need for mattering or belonging has access to far more leverage than one focused only on goals and action steps.
The webinar introduces frameworks that coaches can draw on to enrich client conversations, design reflective questions, and help clients make sense of their relational experiences.
For coaches working with leaders or teams, understanding how to cultivate conditions for collective flourishing — not just individual performance — is a meaningful skill extension.
About the Speaker: Emily Felt
Emily Felt is a Positive Psychology-based coach, writer, and mentor working at the intersection of personal growth and positive social change. An economist and policy professional by training, she spent a decade in public health research, advocacy, and communications, leading international collaborations across the U.S., Europe, and Latin America.
Emily brings over ten years of experience coaching and empowering individuals and groups from all walks of life, with a particular commitment to diverse communities. She has served as a mentor coach with The Flourishing Center in New York, a team coaching lead with the Global Network of Professional Women, and a facilitator for women entrepreneurs in Latin American empowerment collectives. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she co-founded a resilience program for women activists in Nairobi, Kenya, and has led positive psychology workshops for service workers in Los Angeles and served as a parent mentor for disability advocacy organizations.
Emily is a bilingual coach (English/Spanish), a certified Applied Positive Psychology Coach with The Flourishing Center, and a Certified Meditation and Mindfulness Teacher. She holds a Master's in Public Policy from UC Berkeley and a Master's in Writing from the Earlham School of Religion.