Communication

Welcome: Let's Get Started

Practicum Overview

Welcome & Overview

Why your communication begins long before you say a word.

We start with the science. Your brain, your hormones, your emotional wiring, they all shape how you connect. This week gives you the tools to understand those forces and take back control in real moments.

You will learn how to:

- Notice how brain chemicals like dopamine and cortisol shape your attention, tone, and timing.
- Stay calm and grounded even when you feel overwhelmed.
- Use your language to help shift emotions in yourself and others.
- Recognize when someone is reacting from fear or disconnection and respond with empathy.
- Adjust your message and energy for virtual settings, in-person moments, or anything in between.

Welcome to Week 1

Week 1 Cohort Session - The Beautiful Brain

Week 1 Cohort Session Recording

Learn About SIX

Week 1 - The Beautiful Brain

How your inner world shapes your outer words

Our beliefs, biases, and values influence every conversation we have. This week, you will uncover the filters that shape how you speak, how you listen, and how you show up with others.

You will learn how to:

- Understand how your background and mindset shape communication.
- Reframe your language so it lands more clearly and compassionately.
- Shift from a fixed mindset to one that sees possibility and growth.
- Catch your own cognitive blind spots like negativity or status quo bias.
- Communicate across cultures and perspectives without walking on eggshells.

Welcome to Week 2

Week 2 Cohort Session - The Thought Shapers

Week 2 Cohort Session Recording

Week 2 - The Thought Shapers

Communication without EI just doesn’t connect

This week is a turning point. You will learn to recognize emotional signals (yours and other people’s) and use that awareness to create deeper trust, reduce tension, and lead with warmth.

You will learn how to:

- Recognize what emotional intelligence really looks like in practice.
- Understand your emotional patterns and regulate reactions in the moment.
- Notice when your “inner Chimp” is running the show and bring it back into balance.
- Read the room, tune into nonverbal cues, and listen beneath the words.
- Use empathy to build trust, shift dynamics, and respond with intention.

Welcome to Week 3

Week 3 Cohort Session - Emotional Intelligence & Empathy

Week 3 Cohort Session Recording

Week 3 - Emotional Intelligence & Empathy

Know your style. Own it. Then stretch it.

There is no one right way to communicate, but there are better ways to connect with different people. This week helps you explore your natural communication patterns and learn how to flex them with purpose.

You will learn how to:

- Identify your own communication preferences and how others experience them.
- Flex your tone and approach to meet different styles and situations.
- Use personality and color energy tools to build stronger rapport.
- Define your personal communication brand and learn how to refine it.
- Spot unproductive communication roles and shift toward more grounded, adult dialogue.

Welcome to Week 4

Week 4 Cohort Session - Our Communication Choices

Week 4 Cohort Session Recording

Week 4 - Our Communication Choices

Speak with clarity. Lead with meaning.

Great communicators do not wing it. They speak with purpose. This week will help you align your message with your values, lead with presence, and find the right words when it matters most.

You will learn how to:

- Align your tone and message with your core purpose.
- Find clarity in high-stakes or high-stress moments.
- Bring structure to your message without sounding scripted.
- Use storytelling to create emotional resonance and trust.
- Move from reacting to responding with steady confidence.

Welcome to Week 5

Week 5 Cohort Session - Intentionality & Purpose

Week 5 - Intentionality and Purpose

Write like you speak, and be remembered for it

Emails, reports, presentations: they all reflect how you think. This week helps you write with clarity, focus, and flow so your words move people instead of getting lost in the noise.

You will learn how to:

- Organize your writing for a modern audience that scans before it reads.
- Use visuals and media to enhance, not distract from, your message.
- Format reports that are clear, engaging, and easy to navigate.
- Write emails that get to the point and get a response.
- Create slide decks that support your story rather than overwhelm it.

Welcome to Week 6

Week 6 Cohort Session - Powerful Communication

Week 6 - Powerful Communication

The voice, presence, and timing that bring it all together.

This is the week where everything becomes visible. You will practice how you show up - on stage, in meetings, on calls, or on camera - and learn to speak with ease and authority.

You will learn how to:

- Lead meetings that are focused, efficient, and inclusive.
- Use vocal tools like tone, pitch, and pacing to build trust and clarity.
- Facilitate group sessions with presence and empathy.
- Speak up in panels, webinars, and team settings with confidence.
- Be assertive without being aggressive, especially when setting boundaries.

Welcome to Week 7

Week 7 Cohort Session - Confident Communication

Week 7 - Confident Communication

Show up for the moment that once made you hesitate.

This is your challenge week. The one you have been preparing for. You will take on a communication task that used to feel hard, stretch into it, and discover just how far you have come.

You will learn how to:

- Step into a challenge that stretches your confidence and skills.
- Shift your self-talk and show up fully in the moment.
- Apply your complete communication toolkit to a real setting.
- Reflect on your growth and feel proud of what you have built.
- Leave with a story, a strategy, and a sense of your voice - solid and unshakable.

Week 8 Cohort Session - Fearless Communication

Welcome to Week 8

Week 8 - Fearless Communication

Breathing Excersize

Breathing 1

Resources

<h1 id="a28f32a9-b7ec-4efe-b679-795f6e06d275" data-toc-id="a28f32a9-b7ec-4efe-b679-795f6e06d275" style="font-size: 32px; font-weight: 600; line-height: 1.2;">THE UNSHAKABLE COMMUNICATOR PRACTICUM</h1><h3 id="63a4eaa7-b72b-4281-bd55-e55d1c2843ce" data-toc-id="63a4eaa7-b72b-4281-bd55-e55d1c2843ce" style="font-size: 20px; font-weight: 600; line-height: 1.2;">An 8-week, science-backed development experience for professionals who want to communicate with clarity, stay grounded under pressure, and build stronger human connections.</h3>The Unshakable Communicator Practicum is a cohort-based emotional intelligence program that transforms how professionals lead, connect, and navigate real-world conversations. Unlike traditional workshops or “soft skills” seminars, this practicum blends neuroscience, emotional intelligence, and guided practice to turn EI into a measurable, repeatable skill you can use every day.Over eight weeks, participants move through a structured learning experience that combines weekly live cohort sessions, self-paced learning, and real-world application. You'll learn how to regulate emotional responses, listen with clarity, communicate intentionally, and handle complex or high-pressure conversations with confidence. Small group cohorts (6–8 participants) create accountability, support, and a safe space to practice because communication isn’t improved by information alone, but by experience.Optional biometric insights provide a deeper understanding of how your brain and body respond to stress, emotion, and interpersonal signals, helping you recognize patterns and measure your growth.This practicum is designed for professionals, managers, and emerging leaders who want to increase their influence, improve their relationships, and communicate with greater confidence both at work and in life.<hr><h2 id="3fcf8979-5969-4327-90a2-f5d6c6b33337" data-toc-id="3fcf8979-5969-4327-90a2-f5d6c6b33337" style="font-size: 24px; font-weight: 600; line-height: 1.2;">WHAT TO EXPECT</h2><ul><li>Weekly Cohort SessionsPractice communication and EI skills with a small group of engaged peers ready to become unshakable.</li><li>Science-Backed Learning ModulesUnderstand the neuroscience of emotion, attention, stress, and connection - and how these systems shape communication.</li><li>Real-World Application ExercisesApply each week’s tools in actual conversations and reflect on your results.</li><li>Emotional Regulation TechniquesLearn grounding, pacing, awareness, and cognitive strategies to stay steady in challenging moments.</li><li>Communication FrameworksDevelop skills in listening, curiosity, clarity, conflict navigation, and psychological safety.</li><li>Optional Biometric FeedbackUse physiological data to observe stress triggers, activation patterns, and progress over time.</li><li>Accountability &amp; Personalized SupportYour cohort becomes a learning community that supports your growth during and beyond the practicum.</li><li>Lasting IntegrationThe program builds habits through repetition, reflection, and practice - creating durable growth, not temporary insight.</li></ul>

The Unshakable Communicator Practicum is an 8-week, science-backed program that blends emotional intelligence, neuroscience, and real-world practice to help professionals communicate confidently, connect deeply, and lead with clarity.

Course content

Unshakable Communicator Practicum

Sandra Thompson