Dan Dobson-Smith

Dan has worked in the field of adult learning and development for over 20 years, starting his professional life as a college professor before moving into the corporate world where he has held roles at international retailer Marks & Spencer Plc, Eurostar International Ltd, Crossrail Ltd, global music company Sony Music Entertainment and Essecne Global where he works today as the Chief Learning & Culture Officer.

In 2007 Dan co-founded Learning, Behaviour and Change - an independent Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) training and psychotherapy practice – with Judith McCormack. In between its inception and 2015 (when Dan moved to the US and became a sleeping partner in the business) he and Jude trained and certified over 200 NLP Practitioners and Master Practitioners around the world and amassed over 300 client hours of psychotherapy.

Dan’s interest in Neuro-Linguistic Programming started in 2001, when he attended an Introduction to NLP with Sue Knight. Since then he studied under the tutelage of Sharon Rooke, Dr Susi Strang-Wood, Dr Wyatt Woodsmall, Sian Lloyd, and Dr Carl Buccheit. With the guidance of his teachers throughout the early 2000’s Dan became a double-certified INLPTA Master Practitioner in NLP, INLPTA certified and ANLP recognized Trainer of NLP, and a certified Neuro-Linguistic Psychotherapist.  Dan is also a coach certified by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and the Oxford School of Coaching & Mentoring and by the Coaching Supervision Academy as a coach-supervisor.

Being a proponent of the mind-body connection, Dan also has a keen interest in alternative therapies. He has trained with Dr Patricia Crane (author of Ordering from the Cosmic Kitchen), Marianne Williamson (author of A Return to Love) Chrissie Astell (author of Advice from the Angels) and Jason Chan (author of The Radiant Warrior). In 2007 Dan became a Reiki Master and Teacher under the guidance of Christina Moore.

Driven by his life's purpose of helping other people and organizations to become more congruent expressions of themselves, he is truly committed to being a catalyst in the growth of individuals, communities, and organizations. Dan is a strong believer in the power of putting positive thought and self-talk into practice, of behaving as well as thinking positively. He believes that the key to better physical, emotional, mental and spiritual health is through developing a greater acceptance and appreciation of the person you are.

A native Brit, Dan has lived in San Francsicso with his husband, David, since April 2014 and thoroughly enjoys the Californian sunshine, proximity to wine country, and the opportunity to work in different cultures and geographies that his job with Essence enables him to do.