Richard Strozzi-Heckler (born in 1944) is an American author,
coach
Coach may refer to:
Guidance/instruction
* Coach (sport), a director of athletes' training and activities
* Coaching, the practice of guiding an individual through a process
** Acting coach, a teacher who trains performers
Transportation
* Co ...
, and consultant on "embodied leadership and mastery."
[Marshall, L. ''Speak the Truth and Point to Hope: The Leader's Guide to Maturity'', Kendall Hunt (2004) p. 53]
He is the founder of the
Strozzi Institute, headquartered in
Oakland, California.
Biography
Early life and education
Strozzi-Heckler spent his early life in a
military family, periodically moving to different
naval bases. In early adolescence, he began studying
martial arts
Martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practiced for a number of reasons such as self-defense; military and law enforcement applications; combat sport, competition; physical, mental, and spiritual development; entertainment; a ...
,
beginning with
judo, then
karate
(; ; Okinawan language, Okinawan pronunciation: ) is a martial arts, martial art developed in the Ryukyu Kingdom. It developed from the Okinawan martial arts, indigenous Ryukyuan martial arts (called , "hand"; ''tii'' in Okinawan) under the ...
, and
jiujitsu.
He excelled in athletics while in high school and was awarded a scholarship to
San Diego State College in
San Diego, California where he was named
All-American in
track and field.
After a
Marine Corps tour of duty in the mid-1960s, Strozzi-Heckler traveled throughout Asia studying
yoga and
meditation.
He returned to the United States, eventually earning a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from
Saybrook University
Saybrook University is a private university in Pasadena, California. It was founded in 1971 by Eleanor Camp Criswell and others. It offers postgraduate education with a focus on humanistic psychology. It features low residency, master's, and d ...
with an emphasis on
mind-body connection.
[Stone, J., Meyer R. ''Aikido in America'', Frog Books (1995) p. 240]
Strozzi-Heckler holds the rank of seventh-degree
black belt
Black Belt may refer to:
Martial arts
* Black belt (martial arts), an indication of attainment of expertise in martial arts
* ''Black Belt'' (magazine), a magazine covering martial arts news, technique, and notable individuals
Places
* Black B ...
in
Aikido.
[Warneka, T. ''Leading People the Black Belt Way: Conquering the Five Core Problems Facing Leaders Today'', Asogomi Publishing International (2006) p. 30] In January 2020, he was awarded
Shihan by the
International Aikido Headquarters in Tokyo, Japan.
Career
Strozzi-Heckler co-founded the Lomi School in 1970 with Robert K. Hall, Alyssa Hall, and Catherine Flaxman, integrating aikido
and
bodywork principles into a
body-oriented psychotherapy called Lomi Work.
In 1976, Strozzi-Heckler, together with
George Leonard and Wendy Palmer, established the Aikido of Tamalpais
dojo
A is a hall or place for immersive learning or meditation. This is traditionally in the field of martial arts, but has been seen increasingly in other fields, such as meditation and software development. The term literally means "place of the ...
in
Mill Valley, California
Mill Valley is a city in Marin County, California, Marin County, California, United States, located about north of San Francisco via the Golden Gate Bridge and from Napa Valley. The population was 14,231 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 ...
.
In 1985, he was invited to contribute to a
US Army Special Forces project designed to test the effectiveness of integrating various practices into its training program. During the six-month program, he taught aikido and meditation techniques.
In 1986, he moved to rural
Sonoma County, California
Sonoma County () is a county (United States), county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 United States Census, its population was 488,863. Its county seat and largest city is Santa Rosa, California, Santa Rosa. It is to the n ...
outside of
Petaluma,
and developed a methodology, Strozzi Somatics, aimed at reproducing the outcomes of the
US Army project with individuals and civilian organizations.
Strozzi Somatics has been employed in various forms to groups around the world and helped design and implement the
Marine Corps Martial Arts Program.
[Jaffe, G]
A Few Good Men Try the Marine Martial Art, and Take on 2 Gurus
'' The Wall Street Journal'', October 9, 2000 Retrieved 11/26/2011
Beliefs
Pointing out the relationship of thoughts and mood to an individual's body (e.g., posture, facial expression, tone of voice),
[McLeod, L.E. ''The Triangle of Truth: The Surprisingly Simple Secret to Resolving Conflicts Large and Small'', Penguin (2010) ] Strozzi-Heckler has said that congruency between these elements and a person's words is a primary characteristic of effective leaders.
He asserts that this characteristic can be practiced and improved as reliably as practicing and improving one's skill in a martial art or with a musical instrument.
The Strozzi Somatics methodology involves eliciting an individual or organization's defining values and introducing practices that combine conceptual understanding with physical activity in a way that is intended to produce an increase in behavioral traits that are in accordance with those values.
Many of these practices are based on aikido movements or principles.
In addition to corporate and military leadership, Strozzi Somatics have been applied to
law enforcement,
corrections, professional and Olympic athletics,
[Helgesen, S. "The Dance of Power" ''Strategy+Business'', Winter 2007/Issue 49] education, politics,
social justice, and health.
Books
*''The Mind/Body Interface''. Freeperson Press (1975) ASIN B0006YH3I2
*''Aikido and the New Warrior''. North Atlantic Books (1993)
*''In Search of the Warrior Spirit''. North Atlantic Books (1997)
*''The Anatomy of Change''. North Atlantic Books (1997)
*''Holding the Center''. Frog Books (1997)
*''Being Human At Work: Bringing Somatic Intelligence Into Your Professional Life''. North Atlantic Books (2003)
*''The Leadership Dojo''. Frog Books (2007)
*''The Art of Somatic Coaching: Embodying Skillful Action, Wisdom, and Compassion''. North Atlantic Books (2014)
References
External links
Strozzi Institute WebsiteTwo Rock Aikido Dojo*
The Great LessonWeb Archive of The Great Lesson: A New Film About Mind and Body: Featuring Richard Strozzi-Heckler
{{DEFAULTSORT:Strozzi-Heckler, Richard
Saybrook University alumni
American aikidoka
Life coaches
American martial arts writers
21st-century American psychologists
1944 births
Living people
San Diego State University alumni
20th-century American psychologists