Emma Darwall Smith
Senior Coach
I’ve been working as a coach and trainer for 18 years. I’m passionate about helping individuals and groups to communicate effectively. I feel it strengthens relationships, builds connection, and overall helps to improve the quality of your life.
I began my career as an actor and voice artist, training at RADA before spending ten years in theatre, TV, film and radio, so I understand what it’s like to stand up and deliver a pitch to large audiences, or present to camera. As a Senior Coach at London Speech Workshop, with the brilliance of the Serlin Method, I will help you to find gravitas when you speak, manage nerves, deliver succinct messages, succeed in job interviews and excel in your communication and leadership skills.
I’ve facilitated workshops across the UK and internationally, in industries from Pharma and FinTech to Finance, Hospitality, Retail and the Arts. Clients include ZS Associates, Compass Group, Deloitte, Burberry, Swarovski, Philips, Versuni, L’Occitane, CD Capital, the Royal College of Art, and the European Union Intellectual Property and Patent Offices.
My approach is warm and empathic, but I’ll also challenge you, which is often where the most learning is done. I hold a Global Individual Accreditation with the European Coaching and Mentoring Council (EMCC) at Practitioner level, and six years as an executive and life coach. I support clients to navigate their challenges through coaching conversations and role play.
I also have a Master’s in Creative and Life Writing from Goldsmiths, and a deep love of language and storytelling. I use my writing background to help people weave stories into the way they communicate. I also studied filmmaking at New York University, TISCH which informs my visual ideas and structure.
When I’m not coaching, you’ll find me cycling with my family, writing (a coming-of-age novel), making artwork, attempting yoga, preferably surrounded by nature.
Years of experience:
18
Availability
Tuesday
City Office / Remote at 10:30am or 11:45am
Impactful Storytelling
How to apply storytelling techniques for high impact presentations and communication that lead to a memorable outcome. Create metaphor to enrich perspective and evoke feeling, to trigger our imagination, spark rich language and engage the senses. Drawing on my writing background to support individuals to tell their own and other’s stories and bring these to life.
Building Executive Presence
Tools and techniques to inhabit an Executive Presence with practical techniques to become an assertive and confident communicator.
Disseminating your Research and Engaging your Audience
Giving researchers the support to present more effectively to academic and public audiences. Helping to raise our awareness of what drives our human behaviour and holds us back from optimum communication.
Thinking with Agility
And using a Super Objective, ways to formulate ideas and opinions in the moment so it remains relevant and concise.
Presenting To/On Camera
Best practice for presenting on/to camera, including eye line, speed of delivery, conversational tone and remaining calm under pressure. Staying focused despite distractions in the environment and managing nerves. Practice delivery of a script to create a vocally engaging performance.
Navigating Conflict and Growth Mindset
The psychological defences we face when we push ourselves out of our comfort zone to discover a deeper sense of authenticity. Including looking at Imposter Syndrome and the negative internal voices that can sabotage us. Realistic scenarios to practice using role play to experience holding an assertive position even when faced by a significant challenge.
Creative Coaching
Coaching is a place of nurture and rigour, encouragement and challenge to support you on your creative path. I will help you to formulate your ideas, structure your time and process with accountability. I will encourage you to unravel and formulate your creative ideas and achieve your ambitions!
Personal Impact
Using real life scenarios, we will simulate practice sessions to refine how to respond and manage situations with impact and confidence. Drawing on the theory models to craft new ways to respond.
Ready to Get Started?
A taster session gives you the chance to trial the Serlin Method® with Emma and make sure it's the perfect fit for your communication goals.
Book a Taster
If you know the course you want and you're ready to book it with Emma, let's get started! Choose from 5, 10, or 15 sessions.
Book a Course