Lynn M. Horan, PhD
Leadership & Life Development
Lynn M. Horan, PhD
Flexible pathways:
In-person or remote
3 month in-depth focus | Individual follow-up sessions | Ongoing
Diverse clients:
Corporate and care-giving professionals, teachers, clergy, community builders, artists
Women-centered holistic approach:
|
Multi-disciplinary
Strength-based and inquisitive inquiry Family systems theory of self-differentiation Polyvagal theory of embodied safety Life-span spiritual formation Trauma-informed recovery Cross-cultural awareness |
Gender-conscious
Glass cliff phenomenon Systemic scapegoating Boundaries and psychological safety Institutional gaslighting Financial and legal advocacy Strategies for vocational transitions |
My Story
Like many professional women, my path to a meaningful career initially took the form of chronic perfectionism, people-pleasing, and over-achievement, traits that continue to be an unspoken prerequisite for female success but are unsustainable and damaging to our sense of self and well-being. As I've unpacked these layers of identity, I have returned to my life's passion, which is advocating for women’s voices and agency in our personal and professional lives.
My career in women’s leadership development began while working alongside indigenous women's health promotoras in Oaxaca, Mexico, where I witnessed how women's empowerment can be literally life-saving amidst immense gender inequalities. Later, as a senior health policy analyst for the New York State Senate, I navigated high-stakes political environments in order to expand community health programs for at-risk women and children.
After gaining significant leadership experience yet recognizing the ingrained gender expectations within legislative culture, I embarked on a life-changing year of volunteer work in central Peru, working as a dance and movement therapist with survivors of sexual abuse and domestic violence. By taking a supportive role alongside local human rights activists, I was able to address my own perfectionist roots of burnout and participate in authentic community-building in ways that fostered intentional work-life balance, spiritual growth, and self-awareness.
My commitment to elevating women's voices continued as a cross-cultural family counselor and director of a women and children’s homeless and recovery shelter, where my own boundaries and relationship with burnout were once again tested. Within the intense 24-hour emergency shelter, I provided strength-based life coaching to women ages 15-65, and eventually realized my own need to re-fuel emotionally and spiritually.
After completing a Master of Divinity degree in embodied spirituality and community ethics, I embarked on a decade-long path as an ordained Presbyterian clergy. I enjoyed supporting others' spiritual curiosity and need for meaningful ritual, while at the same time identifying important boundaries around my own personal and professional life. However, as the first female solo pastor of two congregations, I experienced systemic issues of gender bias among both parishioners and denominational leaders, revealing a pervasive narrative of female self-sacrifice.
With the help of some excellent spiritual directors and knowledge of family systems theory, I was able to recognize the unsustainable social systems at play and developed strategies to protect my own sense of well-being. After leaving ordained ministry, I completed my PhD in gender and organizational psychology, returning to my roots in women’s leadership development. My doctoral research focuses on interpersonal boundaries and psychological safety of empathetic women leaders, particularly those in community-oriented professions.
As a women-centered leadership and life coach, I am extremely grateful for the countless women leaders, in both spiritual and secular contexts, who have trusted me with their personal and professional journeys, their hopes and disappointments and ultimately, their unfailing commitment to listen to their own embodied wisdom. I continue this work with each of you in mind, as we endeavor to live out our deepest purpose and callings.
What people are saying...
Lynn is an engaging, empathic, and relational scholar whose interdisciplinary social science approach integrates feminist theory and sociology of the body, gender, religion, and family systems. Within her extensive knowledge base, she combines an embodied way of learning and leading, building new theory as it relates to the psychological safety and interpersonal boundaries of women leaders. Lynn’s mastery of diverse concepts, theoretical frameworks, and methods provides fertile ground for innovation as a gifted scholar, practitioner, coach, and relational leader.
Amy Rutstein-Riley, PhD, MPH
Dean, Graduate School of Leadership and Change
Antioch University
Lynn is incredibly thoughtful and insightful, full of empathy and passion, and committed to addressing change that creates more just and inclusive institutions. As Dean of the GSLG, I have witnessed hundreds of committed and engaged students, mid-to-senior level professionals from every sector, engage in rigorous interdisciplinary study as they seek to lead change for the common good. Although a scholar/practitioner program, we occasionally have students with extraordinary academic talent and Lynn is one of those. She will make significant contributions through her practice and scholarship and I am proud she is a student in Antioch’s PhD program.
Laurien Alexandre, PhD
Former Dean, Graduate School of Leadership and Change
Antioch University
Lynn’s approach to leadership is embodied and centered in engaging the full self in meaningful ritual. She understands the importance of taking a creative, holistic approach to spiritual formation and integrates contemplation and action to foster a grounded sense of self. Her integrity is evident in the outcomes of her work as well as in her relationships. Additionally, she embraces dance and movement as both an important expression of spirituality and a platform to promote understanding of social justice issues.
A.T. Moffett, MA
Executive Director
Delaware Institute for the Arts in Education
Lynn knows her field well and is exceptionally well-read. She is extremely articulate both in oral defense, and in her writing style. She communicates with clarity and purpose, and she can convey complex ideas with ease, which is supported with the deep reflexivity that she engages in within her work. I was able to witness first-hand Lynn's tenacity, commitment, strong communication skills, and deep scholarship.
Sarah-Jane Page, PhD
Professor of Sociology and Social Policy
University of Nottingham, UK
Lynn is among the most gifted of our graduates, with evident strength in academic study and practical gifts for creative service and leadership, as well as a rare and graceful capacity for integration of the two poles of theoretical concentration and practice. She is a significant leader with and among her colleagues, forging strong bonds and supporting others in ways that strengthen the common work we seek to do. She demonstrates a spirit of exploration and collaborative discovery that pushes into new areas of creative engagement.
Christopher Elwood, PhD
Professor of Theology
Louisville Theological Seminary
Lynn's research looks at a deep, understudied, often unspoken-about lived experience, one that sits in trauma – and brings it forward, holding it with care, navigating its complexity, and through this work has and will help others heal, while challenging systems and destructive cultural norms. And this, will lead to humanizing change.
Harriet Schwartz, PhD
Professor for Leadership and Relational Practice
Antioch University
Occasionally, someone like Lynn comes along who is doubly blessed – not only with a strong professional background but someone with obvious academic talent as well. She approaches her work on boundary leadership with uncommon assurance, weaving together other nascent leadership theories in the best traditions of integrative scholarship. Her work is quite possibly to best of its type I’ve ever read.
Jon F. Wergin, PhD
Professor of Education Studies
Antioch University
Lynn’s scholarly excellence is on display with her depth and nuance of analysis. She connects philosophies with empirical work in a variety of areas, bringing together current strands around feminism, boundary work, and psychological safety and connecting with mimetic theory and embodied leadership. Lynn’s writing is clear, concise, and a pleasure to read. Her thinking is every bit as good as her writing.
Beth Mabry, PhD
Professor of Leadership and Change
Antioch University
Amy Rutstein-Riley, PhD, MPH
Dean, Graduate School of Leadership and Change
Antioch University
Lynn is incredibly thoughtful and insightful, full of empathy and passion, and committed to addressing change that creates more just and inclusive institutions. As Dean of the GSLG, I have witnessed hundreds of committed and engaged students, mid-to-senior level professionals from every sector, engage in rigorous interdisciplinary study as they seek to lead change for the common good. Although a scholar/practitioner program, we occasionally have students with extraordinary academic talent and Lynn is one of those. She will make significant contributions through her practice and scholarship and I am proud she is a student in Antioch’s PhD program.
Laurien Alexandre, PhD
Former Dean, Graduate School of Leadership and Change
Antioch University
Lynn’s approach to leadership is embodied and centered in engaging the full self in meaningful ritual. She understands the importance of taking a creative, holistic approach to spiritual formation and integrates contemplation and action to foster a grounded sense of self. Her integrity is evident in the outcomes of her work as well as in her relationships. Additionally, she embraces dance and movement as both an important expression of spirituality and a platform to promote understanding of social justice issues.
A.T. Moffett, MA
Executive Director
Delaware Institute for the Arts in Education
Lynn knows her field well and is exceptionally well-read. She is extremely articulate both in oral defense, and in her writing style. She communicates with clarity and purpose, and she can convey complex ideas with ease, which is supported with the deep reflexivity that she engages in within her work. I was able to witness first-hand Lynn's tenacity, commitment, strong communication skills, and deep scholarship.
Sarah-Jane Page, PhD
Professor of Sociology and Social Policy
University of Nottingham, UK
Lynn is among the most gifted of our graduates, with evident strength in academic study and practical gifts for creative service and leadership, as well as a rare and graceful capacity for integration of the two poles of theoretical concentration and practice. She is a significant leader with and among her colleagues, forging strong bonds and supporting others in ways that strengthen the common work we seek to do. She demonstrates a spirit of exploration and collaborative discovery that pushes into new areas of creative engagement.
Christopher Elwood, PhD
Professor of Theology
Louisville Theological Seminary
Lynn's research looks at a deep, understudied, often unspoken-about lived experience, one that sits in trauma – and brings it forward, holding it with care, navigating its complexity, and through this work has and will help others heal, while challenging systems and destructive cultural norms. And this, will lead to humanizing change.
Harriet Schwartz, PhD
Professor for Leadership and Relational Practice
Antioch University
Occasionally, someone like Lynn comes along who is doubly blessed – not only with a strong professional background but someone with obvious academic talent as well. She approaches her work on boundary leadership with uncommon assurance, weaving together other nascent leadership theories in the best traditions of integrative scholarship. Her work is quite possibly to best of its type I’ve ever read.
Jon F. Wergin, PhD
Professor of Education Studies
Antioch University
Lynn’s scholarly excellence is on display with her depth and nuance of analysis. She connects philosophies with empirical work in a variety of areas, bringing together current strands around feminism, boundary work, and psychological safety and connecting with mimetic theory and embodied leadership. Lynn’s writing is clear, concise, and a pleasure to read. Her thinking is every bit as good as her writing.
Beth Mabry, PhD
Professor of Leadership and Change
Antioch University