Meet Emma Pruen – a name that’s seen three surnames in the multiverse (Emma Macpherson, Emma Amyatt-Leir, and Emma Pruen). She is an enneagram 2 with a 1 wing, an ENFP, a Dramatic Winter, an Aquarian with Moon in Cancer – dubbed by astrologers as ‘a kind-hearted rebel,’ ‘a paradox,’ and ‘eccentric ideas blessed with the common touch,’ all of which resonate with her career journey.
Currently splitting her time between Winchester and France, Emma’s Scottish DNA is accompanied by an English accent, and her upbringing took her all over, including Egypt during her teens. Initially, a Buyer at M&S in the late ’80s, Emma soon realized she craved a career that made a difference. A color analysis class gifted to her for Christmas changed Emma’s life, leading her to become one of Carolyn Miller’s consultants and running a franchise in West London.
Venturing into talks and corporate gigs, her experiences ranged from British Airways to PricewaterhouseCoopers. A particularly impactful moment was helping a middle-aged woman rediscover her self-worth. In her early 30s she married, globe-trotted, visited Tibet, met the Dalai Lama in Dharamshala and felt compelled to train as a journalist to shed light on the Tibetan situation.
Continuing her exploration into human potential, she co-founded Wave Magazine with her twin sister, delving into personal development. In her early 40s, Emma took a Communications role with the Green Party, contributing to their historic election win. Subsequently, she served on their National Executive, advocating for issues like women’s marginalization, the impact of media on young people, inequality, and everyday sexism.
Following an unsuccessful bid as a Green M.E.P., Emma and her partner Matthew established a retreat center in South West France, now hosting many of their courses.
Learn more about this fascinating woman in the latest MysticMag interview.
In shamanistic healing, practitioners often work with the spiritual aspects of health and well-being. Can you share a specific case where shamanistic practices played a significant role in healing, and how do you approach blending spiritual and traditional healing methods?
As a Shamanic Practitioner, I approach my work by addressing all aspects of a client’s well-being. Recognizing the intricate connection between physical and mental health, I adopt a holistic approach to any issue a client presents, seamlessly integrating physical, mental, and spiritual dimensions. Whether the concern pertains to physical ailments, spiritual healing, relationships, or overcoming obstacles to financial success, I treat each aspect with equal importance.
My practice involves collaborating with animal guides, ancestors, or spiritual teachers to provide support to my clients. Utilizing the rhythmic beat of my drum, I guide clients into a trance state to connect with the spiritual realm. During these journeys, specific guides reveal themselves, offering insights into the necessary steps for healing or growth.
In a recent case, a client was putting in significant effort but not achieving the desired results in attracting clients. Through a drum journey, a Siberian Wolf emerged as a guiding spirit. The wolf led her out of isolation, howling to capture the attention of others. Following this intervention, the client experienced a remarkable shift, securing eight bookings for a course she was conducting that weekend. This example highlights the tangible and transformative outcomes that can result from the holistic and spiritual approach of shamanic practice.
Building and maintaining healthy relationships is a key aspect of relationship coaching. How do you guide individuals or couples in understanding and improving communication patterns, and what role does empathy play in your coaching process?
In my role as a Relationship Coach, a significant portion of my work revolves around fostering effective communication within couples. I frequently encounter situations where one partner is eager to express themselves, while the other hesitates, fearing potential conflict. This power struggle dynamic often leads frustrated individuals to seek assistance as they grapple with the challenges of connecting with their partners.
Fundamentally, my belief is grounded in the idea that our adult intimate relationships are profoundly influenced by the initial bonds formed with our parents. This concept aligns with contemporary attachment theory, which emphasizes the enduring impact of early relationships on our behavior. As adults, we carry forward learned strategies from childhood that were effective in gaining parental attention or approval. Consequently, when entering romantic relationships, we tend to exhibit these ingrained behaviors.
The initial phase of romantic love eventually gives way to the commitment phase, where day-to-day challenges emerge. It’s during this phase that power struggles often arise. Couples, initially charming and adorable, find themselves facing the realities of stress and strain. The key lesson in my workshops is helping couples understand that there is no flawless individual; everyone has moments of charm and moments of difficulty.
I guide couples in recognizing and acknowledging their own and their partner’s imperfections. The journey begins with self-awareness and taking responsibility for one’s actions. Instead of blaming or attacking, I encourage individuals to notice their behavior and express it without accusation. One effective tool I provide is a structured approach to exit the power struggle.
This approach involves stating, “I notice that I’ve been in a power struggle with you,” which immediately captures the partner’s attention without assigning blame. The individual then proceeds to acknowledge their specific behavior during the struggle, expressing remorse for any pain caused. A sincere apology paves the way for constructive communication.
Additionally, I encourage couples to express gratitude by appreciating one positive aspect of their partner, fostering a more positive and open-hearted atmosphere. This simple yet powerful exchange sets the stage for a more heartfelt conversation, allowing couples to reconnect and deepen their bond. In essence, my goal is to guide couples toward genuine communication and connection in the intricate dance of intimate relationships.
You ask an interesting question about empathy. I have empathy for the situation and the complex dynamics of long-term relationships but I won’t buy into the ’he said, she said’ – I’m not looking to make one person right and the other wrong but to support both parties to regain connection, empathy with each other and trust.
Family constellations involve exploring family dynamics and relationships. Can you describe a situation where systemic constellations revealed hidden dynamics within a family, leading to positive transformation or resolution?
I’d be delighted to share my favorite story, a personal one that holds significant meaning for me.
I was married for the second time and filled with excitement as I found myself expecting a baby. However, I couldn’t shake the concern of a possible miscarriage, having experienced two before. This concern didn’t stem from a neurotic fear but rather felt intuitively driven. Seeking a deeper understanding, I turned to family constellation work.
In the constellation session, the facilitator instructed me to choose someone to represent my unborn baby. Interestingly, the individual I selected turned out to have a connection with Lebanon, mirroring the birthplace of my husband— an unplanned but significant alignment often observed in constellation work.
During the constellation, the representative of the baby seemed fixated on something, eventually revealing a connection to my grandfather who perished in World War II. The session unfolded with the introduction of someone representing my grandmother, allowing her to confront the loss and grieve properly.
As the session progressed, the representative of the baby turned towards me and expressed a genuine desire to join our family. This transformative experience profoundly impacted me. The following day, I revisited my osteopath, who noted a marked change, mentioning that the baby’s vitality had strengthened significantly since the previous week.
Upon the baby’s birth, the midwives were astonished, revealing that the cord wasn’t properly attached, and she could have been lost at any moment. The fact that she was born alive and well, defying the odds associated with her condition, felt like a miracle directly attributed to the family constellation.
Family constellations, as a therapeutic tool, delve into hidden family dynamics, unearthing unresolved pain, secrets, or stories that may be causing familial distress. Often, individuals seek this form of therapy when facing ruptures in family relationships or unexplained conflicts. For instance, a client estranged from his sister for a decade following their father’s death found resolution after a constellation session. Three days later, his long-lost sister reached out, expressing a desire to reconcile and move forward. Such positive outcomes are remarkably common in the realm of family constellation therapy.
Many individuals seek a combination of healing approaches. How do you integrate shamanistic healing, relationship coaching, and family constellations to address the holistic well-being of an individual or family?
The three areas I work in tend to be standalone methodologies although they all have the link of trying to support love to flow more freely, whether to oneself, within a relationship, or in a family. A client might come on a ‘Finding Love’ workshop and learn the tools for supporting a long-term relationship and might be out in the world looking for love but it’s just not happening. Then I might suggest a constellation to look at the hidden dynamics, where we might see an unconscious entanglement with a family member from a previous generation who couldn’t be with the person they loved (for instance if their lover got killed in the war, or they were gay and the taboos prevented them living together, or they had to stay home and care for ill parents). It’s rare that I would combine the approaches in one piece of work and instead might suggest one as a follow-on from another.
What are some common challenges you encounter in your work, particularly when dealing with complex family or relationship issues? How do you navigate these challenges, and what strategies do you employ to balance different modalities?
One of my most significant challenges is the issue of distance. While I can effectively conduct sessions on Zoom, I genuinely prefer working with individuals in the same physical space. Being present with someone allows me to sense more, picking up on subtle nuances that might be missed in a two-dimensional representation on a screen. Despite my shamanic training, the reality is that I can’t be omnipresent. To reach more people, I organize my courses in different locations, acknowledging the limitations of physical presence.
When it comes to complex family issues, I must tune into the family system to discern the permission to work. Sometimes, the system willingly opens up, revealing its secrets. Other times, I recognize that it’s not within our purview. A particularly delicate situation arises when I perceive that the person a client identifies as their parent is not their biological parent due to maternal deception. This demands careful handling and sensitivity.
For family constellations to be truly effective, trust in the methodology is essential. When individuals approach me without prior exposure and we set up a constellation, skepticism often arises. Strangers making unverifiable statements, especially about deceased family members, prompt individuals to question the truth and seek factual verification. This challenge can be mitigated when individuals have participated in a workshop beforehand, serving as representatives in someone else’s constellation. This experiential involvement instills trust, making them more receptive to the process when it’s their turn.
Addressing difficult issues requires a cautious approach. Recommending that individuals start as representatives can serve as a gentle entry point, unlocking challenging topics in a confidential and supportive environment. For instance, in cases of familial abuse, individuals can represent the abused child, learning to assert boundaries safely within the framework of someone else’s constellation. This dual-level approach allows individuals to address their own issues while benefiting from the experience of representing others.
Understanding the process is crucial, and overthinking can impede its effectiveness. Energy work, like shamanic and constellation work, operates in a realm beyond rationality and logic. The healing unfolds gently, much like a seed planted after a constellation. Trying to dissect every detail or intellectualize the experience often hinders the emergence of a new perspective on family dynamics.
In summary, while physical distance poses a challenge, trust in the family constellation method and the avoidance of excessive intellectualization are key factors in navigating the complexities of this transformative work.
Shamanistic healing often draws from specific cultural traditions. How do you approach cultural sensitivity in your practice, ensuring your clients feel respected and understood, especially when incorporating shamanistic elements into your work?
In my approach to working with individuals, I prioritize being fully present with them. I aim to establish a deep connection, allowing them to feel my presence as I feel theirs. This intentional presence helps mitigate the impact of any unintentional mistakes that may occur, recognizing that as humans, we are prone to errors. At the beginning of all my courses, I made it clear that I consider myself a teacher rather than a guru. I emphasize my humanity, acknowledging that I haven’t ascended a mountain to receive divine revelations. This admission serves as a reminder that I, too, am on a journey, liable to miss things, and may not fully comprehend certain aspects.
It’s crucial to maintain humility in the spiritual field, resisting the temptation for individuals to surrender their power and place us on a pedestal. I express this humility by stating that I am merely another human, walking alongside them and doing my best. While I offer guidance that may prove helpful, I stress the importance of acknowledging our shared humanity.
Interestingly, I’ve noticed a significant percentage of my clients are not British, despite my own British extraction. In my workshops, it’s common to have a diverse mix, with participants from France, Germany, Italy, Serbia, and various other backgrounds. The reason behind this trend remains unclear, but it’s something I actively consider in my work.
Cultural appropriation is a topic that holds significance for me, given my British roots. I adamantly avoid appropriating cultures, recognizing that every culture has its shamanic traditions. In Britain, these traditions were suppressed during the witch hunts, resulting in the loss of valuable indigenous wisdom. I draw from this wisdom in my shamanic work, incorporating knowledge of herbalism, flower essences, homeopathy, midwifery, death doula practices, and even Family Constellations. My commitment involves studying with various teachers to rediscover and reconnect with the knowledge that was tragically lost when our wise ancestors faced persecution during historical events like the witch hunts.
