Join the Open Session Liberating Leadership Lab, May 19th, 6pm UK/1pm ET [CLICK HERE]
Award Winning Executive and Career Coach, Trusted Advisor
Author, The Success Trap — UK Business Book Award Winner
Claudia,
Organisational Specialist and Coach, HSBC
If you're drawn to this programme, go for it. Amina is highly competent, very professional, and able to create a unique space. I am very experienced in working with coaches and am trained as one myself - and I have seldomly experienced such respectful and effective work.
In a world on fire, being a high achiever or leader can cost you more than it serves.
You have a track record of success. You've led through complexity, navigated difficult rooms, and delivered when it mattered. But something is still getting in the way.
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You're the person others rely on to hold the room or the organisation together — but you're not always sure you're leading from your most powerful place
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You can feel when something's off in a meeting but you're not sure when or how to intervene, consistently
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Power dynamics, politics, and unspoken tensions drain more energy than the work itself
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You leave some rooms feeling you didn't show up as the leader you know you can be.
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You have a vision of how things could be better but it doesn't always land the way you want
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The doubt and uncertainty hold you back from action on what you really want to do.
You've done the leadership programmes. You've read the books. Yoga and meditation help when you have time. You're definitely not short of tools. But as soon as you're back at work, the overwhelm returns. The gap between knowing and reality — between your best thinking and what happens daily in the arena — persists. And you know another retreat, break, or performance and positivity hack won't fix it.
The rooms you lead matter. The people in them are affected by your presence, power, and sense of possibility. You know this with more clarity than ever. Which is why the gap costs you more than it used to. It's also why the time is ripe for a shift.
The Hearth is for leaders and professionals ready to close that gap and bring more presence, power, and possibility into the rooms where decisions are made.
Without vision, a meeting becomes management — not leadership.
What leaders forget to bring into the room when they're stressed
Awareness: carrying tension, pressure or forced positivity that ripples into the room instead of being with what is.
Leadership: trying to give answers or micromanage instead of shape decisions and facilitate experimentation.
Identity: overcompensating for doubt and uncertainty with perfectionism and overwork instead of releasing old identities that no longer work and responding creatively.
Vision: operating from external rules or cultural assumptions instead of tapping into an inner vision that steadies the room and inspires new possibilities
Embodied impact: speaking fast or not saying enough instead of designing the space for felt impact, honest feedback, and real engagement.
The Success Trap is believing that what used to work will continue to work. It's the place of overwhelm, frustration, and disappointment. Awareness is the first step to liberating your leadership.
If you want to change the world, start with the room.
WELCOME TO
The Hearth
An island of coherence in a sea of uncertainty.
A small cohort of 4–6 experienced leaders in complex structures who want to release overwhelm and deepen their presence, clarify their vision, and influence without manipulation to create the better future they know is possible. It's a deep enquiry into what's it like to be us right now, and where are we going?
Members of previous groups include:
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a professor of medicine and chief in a large hospital
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a vice president in a well-known digital company
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the head of communications in a global bank
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an occupational physician and president of a national professional body
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the public health advisor for a famous humanitarian agency
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a strategic advisor to the World Health Organisation
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a Director of a conservation agency
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Finance leader-turned-leadership coach
The groups are diverse and include mid- to senior leaders who are service driven, reflective, and empathic.
In Amina’s programmes, you feel truly seen in ways that are both comforting and uncomfortable. This is not surface-level change, but a deeper exploration of the patterns and assumptions that may be limiting you without you realising.
The shifts feel subtle at first, but they change how you approach opportunities, relationships, and leadership.
Working with Amina challenged and changed me in meaningful ways. Over time, I noticed a significant shift in my confidence — not only in understanding myself more deeply, but also in asserting myself personally and professionally.
Karen Kramer Wilson,
Principal Officer, Natural England
Amina helped me reach new clarity — I'm not just content with my next phase, but genuinely excited by it.
Dr Ebere Okereke
MD PhD, CEO Africa Public Health Foundation, Independent Global Health Advisor
What this is
Two tracks. One programme.
The Hearth works on two things simultaneously — your inner state as a leader, and your ability to shape the rooms you're in. These are not separate. Your presence is the variable that determines what becomes possible in any room.
1. YOU: SELF-LEADERSHIP TRACK
Who you're being, what you're carrying, where you're pointing. Developed through the ALIVE framework.
2. YOUR TEAMS: ROOM LEADERSHIP TRACK
Culture, reactivity, and uncertainty — and how to work with all three to shape the coherence of any room.
1 SELF-LEADERSHIP: THE ALIVE FRAMEWORK.
You can't lead the room
without leading yourself first
The recent MIT Sloan EPOCH study identified specific qualities that are becoming increasingly critical in a rapidly changing world including presence, leadership, and vision.
Over the 4 months at the Hearth, you'll work across five dimensions of what it's like to be you — a before/after tool you can use to prioritise your area of focus and track what shifts for you.
A
Awareness and energy
What you're carrying into the room before you've said a word.
What's alive in you right now?
L
Leadership
Offering a compass when there is no roadmap. Developing a fourth person perspective.
What’s it like to be us and where are we going?
I
Identity
The story you're leading from, whether it still fits, and what's beyond fixed identities.
What’s it like to be you?
V
Vision
What orients the room and creates shared reality.
What’s the collective dream that lives in you?
E
Embodied impact
What actually changed. Named, visible, celebrated.
What’s moving and rippling beyond you?
What you focus on shapes meaning. What you do next is how you lead.
2 ROOM LEADERSHIP TRACK: THE CRU MODEL
What you're working with in every room
What’s possible in a room is shaped by tone. When room tone is well set — neither too tight nor too loose — it opens space for transformation. Recent doctoral research by Sebastian Fox (2025) suggests that effective group coaching depends less on a fixed model and more on surfacing what’s unspoken and making sense together. The Hearth offers a structure, but each session emerges from what the group brings — as in real life.
Your presence influences the tone.
Your vision orients the room.
Your impact is what remains.
The programme also includes live deep-dive and practical sessions shaped by the needs emerging in the group.
THE PROGRAMME
Seven sessions. Live situations. Real-time leadership
McKinsey’s research in “Why leadership-development programs fail” argues that most programmes do not move leaders beyond information into context, behavioural change, and real-world application.
The Hearth is 80% experiential and 20% reflective. Each session begins with a short insight, then moves into live practice using real scenarios brought by the group, with integration and accountability carried forward over time.
The programme develops both self-leadership and room leadership — from reading the room in real time to landing it safely. A core thread throughout is cultivating a fourth-person perspective: the ability to perceive the whole field — patterns, dynamics, and the unspoken — while remaining fully present and responsive within it.
01
Sensing the room: Who are we together?
Learning to rapidly read the level of openness and energy in the room with a simple practice.
02
Shaping the room: Who do we want to be together?
Developing the ability to shape room tone as a leader regardless of your role, through invitational moves rather than fixed agendas.
03
Bringing your vision: What do we want to create together and why?
Clarifying what matters to you and why; and how to communicate so it really lands in the room. Co-creating it with the group as you speak it.
04
Navigating power and politics: How do we want to create together?
Deepening your awareness of foundational power dynamics and how to work with them. Holding space for polarities without compromising safety and ethics.
05
Timing interventions and productive disruptions: Are we still together?
Refining your intuition about when and how to speak, shift dynamics, and set boundaries that deepen trust and connection.
06
Landing safely: How can we be together apart?
Learning how to ground the room even amid unresolved complexity, with clear completion and continuity.
07
Integration: What's possible now?
Reviewing and refining real-life scenarios brought by the group. Having specific tools to continue your journey.
The programme also includes live deep-dive and practical sessions shaped by the needs emerging in the group.
Without vision in the room, a meeting becomes management — not leadership.
WHO THIS IS FOR AND NOT FOR
YOU
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Mid/senior leader in health, government, consulting, academia, finance, or law
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Navigating complex decisions and organisational dynamics
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Want to lead with clarity, depth, and relational intelligence
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Ready to work experientially with real situations
NOT FOR
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Looking for rigid frameworks or surface techniques
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Seeking a therapy-focused space
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Prefer theory without real-world application
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Not ready to commit to the full cohort
I joined Amina’s group programme a few years ago and later continued working with her through both group and 1:1 coaching. At the time, I found myself questioning how I was showing up and leading, the roles I was playing, and who I wanted to become on the other side of it all.
The space Amina created for the group was special. It was somewhere I could actually breathe, explore possibilities, and generate new thinking. Amina has a perceptive way of seeing you that helps you see yourself more clearly — and gently nudges at the things you’ve been carrying without realising.
What’s stayed with me, even now, is how differently I lead in my life, work, and relationships.
Dr Amber Sadiq
Consultant Psychiatrist and Founder
Amina has a presence which makes me forget that we exclusively meet online. That presence also creates a space that feels wide open, yet cosy, safe and comfortable. This leads to a very special group dynamic, attentive, respectful, and collaborative. Amazing things happen.
Muna,
Product specialist and doctor-in-training
Frequently Asked Questions
ABOUT YOUR HOST, FACILITATOR AND COACH
Hi, I'm Dr. Amina Aitsi-Selmi
People often know me through my work with high achievers and senior leaders who want to make a meaningful difference in the world — and break free from what keeps them stuck.
My medical career took me into hospitals, humanitarian crises, and the corridors of national and global health policy. I've sat in rooms where the stakes were high and the dynamics were difficult. I've delivered babies in a war zone and been on call during a global pandemic.
Since 2016, I've worked with senior leaders and professionals as a trusted advisor and executive coach in both 1:1 and group settings. In 2020, I published The Success Trap — a UK Business Book Award winner exploring why talented people get stuck and how they break free. My training spans Integral Coaching, Nonviolent Communication (BayNVC), and Transformational Connection facilitation.
The Hearth draws on two decades of work: systemic thinking, social and medical science, relational leadership, and a long contemplative practice that keeps me honest about the gap between knowing and being. This work matters to me because the rooms you lead affect real people.
If you're drawn to deeper human transformation and more honest, liberating leadership in complex times, you're welcome to join me at The Hearth.
WHAT'S INCLUDED
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7 × 2hr sessions with the full cohort
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20-min optional monthly 1:1 check-in
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2 × pre-calls in August to prepare and connect
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ALIVE intake and closing assessment — your personal before/after
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Hearth group channel — your ongoing board of advisors
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Digestible notes with a menu of tools and practices
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Replays available for each session.
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Bonus: 45-min Clarify Your Vision session (for those joining before end of June 2026)
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Optional: 1:1 coaching available as add-on
The programme also includes live deep-dive and practical sessions shaped by the needs emerging in the group. Possible themes include:
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Creating your own role — shifting from an expert-employee to an entrepreneur-leader mindset
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Moving forward when the world appears to be collapsing — beyond meaning-making into deeper sensemaking;
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Caring for your energy under pressure — lessons from Post-COVID recovery.
INVESTMENT
Early bird
£3,500
Then £3,900 - after June 2026
Payment plans available on request. 1:1 coaching add-on priced separately. 6 places total.
I spent decades orienting around external expectations and came into the group anxious and performing. That dropped quickly... I could question assumptions, reset priorities, and lead from a place that actually feels aligned. Amina creates a space where people engage more honestly. That changes how people relate, think, and lead — and it shows up directly in how we work with others.
Ginger,
Former Fortune 500 Senior Leader turned Leadership Coach
My time in the group has been nothing short of life-changing. I joined with some specific leadership skills I wanted to achieve and quickly found so much more - purpose, vision and most importantly, joy. Amina is a phenomenal coach. She selected a wonderful group of leaders, and supported, counselled and guided us throughout.
Dr Olaa Mohamed-Ahmed,
Consultant in Global Public Health, UK Health Security Agency
FAQ
01
When and where do we meet?
On Zoom, every two weeks. Two optional pre-calls in August, then the programme kicks off in September.
02
Can I reclaim the fee from my organisation?
Many participants reclaim all or part of the investment through their leadership development budget. Proof of payment and attendance available on request.
03
Will there be homework?
Not formally. Between sessions you'll be back in your real life decision-making room— that's where the real practice happens. You may receive a suggestion during the session based on what you bring. You may choose to try something different based on an insight from the session. What you do with it is yours to decide.
04
Will I get 1:1 coaching?
Each participant has a 20-minute optional monthly check-in with Amina. Additional 1:1 executive coaching is available as an add-on.
05
What if I miss a session?
Sessions are recorded. That said, the live relational work is where the real value is — consistent attendance is part of the commitment to yourself and the group.
06
Is there any preparation?
No required reading in advance — any references will be provided during the programme based on what the group needs. The best preparation is noticing the patterns that already show up in your leadership and communication. A meditation or reflective practice helps. The August pre-calls are also useful for a strong start.
07
Can I get a refund?
Fees are non-refundable, though in exceptional circumstances we may be able to transfer your place to a future cohort.
Ready to take your seat in the room?
The Hearth takes a maximum of 6 leaders. Places are confirmed through a short application and a conversation with Amina.
"Before I started working with Amina I was in a pretty difficult place — burnt out, physically and mentally, after an extended period of many challenges which ended with me being asked to lead the closure of the company I worked for. I was exhausted, questioned my leadership capabilities and could not see a clear path forward.
Amina's ability to understand and get to the heart of the struggle is astonishing. Her coaching and group sessions nourished my confidence and helped me become the leader I know I am capable of being. I've just started an exciting new CEO role that aligns with the way I want to lead and live."
Kerrie Gemmill,
CEO, ScoutsCymru
FAQ
01
When and where do we meet?
On Zoom, every two weeks. Two optional pre-calls in August, then the programme kicks off in September.
02
Can I reclaim the fee from my organisation?
Many participants reclaim all or part of the investment through their leadership development budget. Proof of payment and attendance available on request.
03
Will there be homework?
Not formally. Between sessions you'll be back in your real life decision-making room— that's where the real practice happens. You may receive a suggestion during the session based on what you bring. You may choose to try something different based on an insight from the session. What you do with it is yours to decide.
04
Will I get 1:1 coaching?
Each participant has a 20-minute optional monthly check-in with Amina. Additional 1:1 executive coaching is available as an add-on.
05
What if I miss a session?
Sessions are recorded. That said, the live relational work is where the real value is — consistent attendance is part of the commitment to yourself and the group.
06
Is there any preparation?
No required reading in advance — any references will be provided during the programme based on what the group needs. The best preparation is noticing the patterns that already show up in your leadership and communication. A meditation or reflective practice helps. The August pre-calls are also useful for a strong start.
07
Can I get a refund?
Fees are non-refundable, though in exceptional circumstances we may be able to transfer your place to a future cohort.