founder, Amber Sessoms, in a yellow suit, smiling and conveying authentic leadership
narrative power shifter

NATURAL INCLINATION

NATURAL INCLINATION

AUTHENTIC LEADERSHIP & COMMUNITY BUILDING FOR GROWTH

Discover how keynotes, consulting, and coaching can help unlock individual and organizational potential. Embrace authenticity, well-being, and build resilient communities.

[nach-ruhl] [in-kluh-ney-shuhn] abstract noun

:an innate drive to align with your core values, leverage your strengths, and nourish your needs, unlocking authentic leadership and community building for growth

OUR COURAGOUS CLIENTS

amber sessoms facilitating a fireside chat with eddie s. glaude, surrounded by plants and flowers, speaking on authenticity, healing, and growth

“I honestly don’t know how you captured all of that information and made it make sense to us. It was like a firehose coming at you and, somehow, you captured it brilliantly.”

—Mark, Facilitated Dialogue Attendee

Feeling depleted by increasing productivity pressures that have you questioning whether your work output is valued more than your humanity? Today, more than ever, we want to know that our leaders and organizations value us as human beings, not machines. The organizations we partner with ask:

It’s time to shift from a culture that pushes perpetual busyness and productivity to one aligned with the individual’s and organization’s values. strengths, and needs. This is a culture where people feel connected and valued, enabling them to thrive.

Facilitating these aligned and dignity-affirming cultures is my passion.

“We have taken the personhood out of Mother Earth and put it into corporations.”

—Dr. Tink Tinker, Osage Nation

Questions for fostering growth: helping staff heal after harm, cultivating a culture of belonging, living values out loud, building trust, and leveraging team strengths

I ONCE BELIEVED THAT SUCCESS WAS SOLELY DRIVEN BY RELENTLESS PRODUCTIVITY AND EFFICIENCY, OFTEN PRIORITIZING OUTCOMES OVER THE WELL-BEING OF PEOPLE. THIS MINDSET NOT ONLY NORMALIZED BURNOUT BUT ALSO MASKED ITS DAMAGING EFFECTS ON AUTHENTICITY AND CONNECTION.


Amber

HI, I’M AMBER

narrative power shifter
amber sessoms, in black and white, looking depleted and exhausted from overworking and not leading from a place of authenticity, belonging, and community

I’ve been there—pushing myself to the brink, overworking, and overcompensating in a desperate attempt to prove my worth. As an overcompensator and practicing school psychologist for 13 years, I witnessed firsthand how the relentless pressure to prioritize productivity over personal well-being led to disconnection, apathy, and toxic work environments. Burnout wasn't just common; it was expected—a silent epidemic accepted as the norm.

But here’s what I've learned: this normalization of burnout doesn’t have to continue. We can redefine success by prioritizing well-being, authenticity, and meaningful engagement over mere productivity metrics. My doctoral research, which explores how online learning communities can facilitate Black female identity development, critical consciousness-raising, and social action, has deepened my understanding of how we can leverage intentional, values-aligned spaces—both online and in person—to challenge the culture of burnout and disengagement. By creating liberatory learning spaces, whether in workplaces or digital environments, we can foster psychological safety and meaningful connection.

amber sessoms in a yellow blazer laughing and embracing authenticity, growth, and community

I believe transformation happens when we shift from feeling powerless in the face of burnout to embracing our power to change it. When we realign with our values, strengths, and needs (VSNs), we unlock the potential for everyone to show up as their full, authentic selves. Working with me, clients gain a deeper integration of their values and a clearer understanding of how individual VSNs contribute to the collective vitality.

So, I ask you: How are you challenging the normalization of burnout in your organization? How are you aligning your values, strengths, and needs with your organizational mission to inspire authentic engagement and prioritize wholeness over disconnection? Let’s disrupt the relentless productivity narrative and focus on what really matters—our humanity.

As Sonya Renee Taylor says, "Every single version of you is a miracle. You contended with an entire ecosystem that told you you were not enough—and you desired to disrupt that."

In response, I founded Natural Inclination LLC to help organizations and communities reclaim their natural inclination for aligning values, strengths, and needs. By applying my 3D Power Tools framework, I partner with holistic thinkers and innovative leaders to co-create spaces where people feel seen, valued, and inspired to bring their full, authentic selves into their work.

It's time to push back against the normalization of burnout. Together, we can create environments where well-being is not sacrificed for productivity but is seen as integral to genuine success. Let's focus on what truly matters—our humanity—and lead the way to a more compassionate, sustainable future.

black and white image of amber after finishing her keynote to a standing ovation on authenticity, growth, and connection

“Y’all, the way Dr. Sessoms showed up this morning and poured into all of our lives! The healing that took place in this space is still so powerful!

—Nikki, Keynote Attendee

AMBER HELPS YOU LEAD AUTHENTICALLY AND BUILD COMMUNITY THROUGH:

amber giving a keynote in a sold-out room where she talks about authenticity, connection, and growth

KEYNOTES

IMMEDIATELY APPLICABLE INSIGHTS ABOUT:

√ Recognizing and disrupting the stories we tell ourselves is entirely possible

(Re)writing a new healing story that aligns with our core values, strengths, and needs

Practicing self-soothing techniques to help anchor ourselves during moments of stress

amber providing a workshop on authenticity, connection, and growth

FACILITATION

 Apply the art of compassionate curiosity to live and work in dignity-affirming spaces

   Shift from problem admiration to opportunity generation

√   Identify team strengths and challenges

Promote emotional release, community bonding, and the restoration of personal and collective well-being

WORKSHOPS, STORYTELLING, HEALING CIRCLES, AND RETREATS HELPING LEARNERS:

amber smiling with a learning cohort that finished a 10-month journey on authenticity, connection, and growth

CULTURE CHANGE WORK

ONGOING CULTURE CHANGE WORK TO:

Align with your values, strengths, and needs to live your mission out loud

Collect and analyze qualitative and quantitative data to support strategic goals, collaborative action, and progress monitoring

Get unstuck when addressing systemic issues that dishonor dignity and belonging

THE 3D POWER TOOLS FRAMEWORK

HELPING YOU EMBRACE GROWTH AND DRIVE TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE BY FOCUSING ON THREE CORE POWERS: DISCOVERY, DISCERNMENT, AND DETERMINATION

STEP ONE: The Power of Discovery asks, “What are the stories, beliefs, or narratives that have shaped how I see myself and others?” By engaging in identity reflection, applying intersectionality theory, mapping patterns of exclusion, and analyzing societal influences, learners uncover how their identities impact their sense of belonging and perceptions of "otherness." This process invites deep exploration to understand the narratives that define self-worth, community, and power dynamics, ultimately laying the foundation for authentic growth.

STEP TWO: The Power of Discernment inquires, “What values, strengths, and needs truly guide my actions, and how can I align them with how I show up in the world?” Learners identify personal and collective values, practice values-centered reflection, develop deep listening skills, and shift internal storytelling. By cultivating the awareness to challenge misalignment and harmful systems, individuals move toward clarity and deeper alignment with their core values, strengths, and universal needs, fostering a more authentic and intentional life.

STEP THREE: The Power of Determination explores, “What courageous actions can I take to transform my community, and how can I stay grounded in who I am while doing so?” Learners establish self-soothing practices, create a personal roadmap for values-driven action, nurture communities of love, and commit to continuous reflection. This phase emphasizes taking purposeful action to create meaningful change in personal and collective spaces, all while fostering emotional resilience and connection, building toward a liberated world where dignity and shared responsibility are central.

LET’S CONNECT

FIND OUT WHAT IT MEANS TO REDISCOVER POWER AND LIVE AND LEAD AUTHENTICALLY.

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