Empowering Women in Business Through Spiritual Leadership
Background & Rationale
Women in business today face unique challenges in balancing professional success with personal well-being. Research shows that integrating spiritual and philosophical practices into leadership can foster resilience, ethical decision-making, and long-term success. Dr. Toula Gordillo’s Story Image Therapy (SIT®) program combines ancient and modern psychology, spirituality, and philosophy with contemporary business strategies to empower women in leadership.
Spirituality can be viewed as a form of capital, grounded in personal values and the development of human potential. Since the early 2000s, researchers such as Ashar and Lane-Maher have highlighted how spirituality and business success form a new paradigm. [Ashar & Lane-Maher, 2004; Margaça et al, 2022.] Other notable researchers who have explored spirituality as a form of capital linked to personal values and human potential development include Abraham Maslow (through transpersonal psychology) and David G. Benner (by highlighting how spirituality enhances psychological well-being and transformation). These scholars view spirituality as a valuable resource that contributes to deeper self-understanding and human potential. Many women entrepreneurs also find that their spiritual beliefs fuel motivation and perseverance, thereby enhancing their business success and career persistence. [Lee et al, 2024.] [Chen, Klyver & Zhang, 2023.].
Success with Story Image Therapy
Jungian psychology, delivered via evidence-based Story Image Therapy (SIT®) tools such as poster images, books, audiobooks, handouts, and archetypal cards, offer powerful resources for women seeking business success. The ‘shadow’ in Story Image Therapy Shadow Work™ represents the unconscious aspects of the self—including suppressed thoughts, feelings, memories, and behaviors. By confronting and integrating their shadow, women can unlock deeper self-awareness and emotional intelligence through:
Authentic Leadership: SIT Shadow Work encourages women to embrace hidden traits, fostering a more authentic leadership style that aligns with their true selves.
Emotional Intelligence: Integrating the shadow improves self-regulation and conflict resolution, making women more effective in business interactions.
Empowered Decision-Making: By confronting fears and limiting beliefs, women can make bolder, more empowered decisions without self-doubt holding them back.
Creativity & Innovation: SIT Shadow Work uncovers untapped creativity and fresh perspectives, leading to innovative solutions and entrepreneurial success.
Resilience: Acknowledging and learning from setbacks helps women build resilience, viewing challenges as opportunities for growth.
By engaging in Story Image Therapy shadow work, women become more effective leaders, unlocking their potential, and navigating business challenges with confidence and clarity.
Balanced Business Leadership
Taoism further offers a spiritual approach that encourages women to embrace balance, flow, and harmony for sustainable achievement and success.
Flow Over Force: Taoism’s principle of Wu Wei teaches women in SIT to act with ease, adapting to challenges (like water) instead of forcing outcomes (like solid trees).
Inner Harmony: Taoism emphasizes balance between ‘frog’ and ‘scorpion’ Yin and Yang, allowing women to integrate strength and flexibility for effective leadership.
Trust in the Process: Taoist wisdom encourages patience and trust, helping women align with natural opportunities and lead with grace.
Embracing the Taoist principle of balance, harmony, and flow enables women to achieve success with less struggle—cultivating leadership that is both wise and adaptive.
Empowering Women Through Spiritual Stoicism
Integrating Stoic philosophy with spirituality helps women build a strong foundation for resilience, clarity, and leadership. It achieves this through:
Resilience in Adversity: Stoicism teaches that challenges are opportunities for growth, fostering perseverance and adaptability in demanding environments.
Focusing on Controllables: Stoicism encourages focusing on what is within one’s control, helping women to make healthier decisions and reduce stress.
Emotional Regulation: Stoic practices, like reflection and rational thinking, align with spiritual methods such as meditation to promote self-awareness and emotional balance.
By combining the natural laws of Stoic and Taoist philosophy with spiritual insight, women can cultivate resilience, focus, and emotional mastery. The SIT leadership program harnesses these insights and natural laws to empower women to thrive in business and leadership.
Research Insights
About the Presenter
Dr. Toula Gordillo is a clinical and transpersonal psychologist with over 30 years of experience. As a former teacher and member of high school administrative teams, she is the originator of Story Image Therapy (SIT®), SIT Shadow Work™ and Jungian action research. Dr. Gordillo combines symbolic storytelling with Jungian action research to help clients integrate unconscious patterns and improve emotional intelligence, resilience, and business success.
Through her holistic health and training organization, Shadow Work Solutions, she helps individuals to integrate their unconscious patterns for healthier, more balanced lives. SIT® achieves this goal by employing transpersonal psychology, symbolic storytelling, and imagery to foster emotional intelligence, resilience, and business success.
Transpersonal Psychology
The Fourth Force in Psychology: Recognized as the ‘fourth force’ in psychology, transpersonal psychology integrates spiritual and transcendent dimensions into psychological practice. This approach extends beyond cognitive and emotional development to include self-awareness, meditation, and guided visualization, promoting ethical leadership and holistic success in business settings.
Story Image Therapy and Transpersonal Psychology: Story Image Therapy (SIT®) is a transpersonal psychology teaching and counseling method. Grounded in extensive academic and practical Jungian action research, Dr. Gordillo combines symbolic storytelling, ancient philosophical and spiritual practices with contemporary research. SIT® helps individuals uncover unconscious thoughts, feelings, memories, and behavioral patterns, enhancing self-awareness and leadership effectiveness. This approach strengthens emotional intelligence and problem-solving skills, improving workplace dynamics and corporate culture.
The Story Image Therapy leadership program for women is designed to empower business professionals and entrepreneurs. Guiding them through career transitions and start-up challenges, business growth is achieved through powerful symbolic imagery and storytelling.
SIT Program Objectives
Enhance mental well-being and reduce stress.
Develop leadership skills with emotional intelligence and ethical decision-making.
Achieve work-life balance and professional fulfillment.
Build a supportive network for shared growth.
Key Components
Workshops & seminars on psychology, philosophy, and leadership.
Personalized executive coaching for integrating spirituality into business.
Online resources and corporate training to enhance company culture.
Expected Outcomes
Improved stress management and resilience in all areas impacting business success.
Greater innovation and problem-solving abilities to handle high stress, pressure, and conflict.
Stronger ethical leadership inspired by Jung, Stoic, and Taoist philosophers.
A more inclusive, engaged workplace culture (known as the boardroom in SIT).
Conclusion
This Story Image Therapy program integrates psychology and spirituality into business, fostering mental health, professional growth, and authentic leadership. This proposed program empowers women to thrive in their careers and personal lives.
Next Steps
References
Ashar, H. & Lane-Maher, M. (2004). Success and Spirituality in the New Business Paradigm. Journal of Management Inquiry, 13(3), 249-260. https://doi.org/10.1177/1056492604268218
Margaça, C., Sánchez-García, J. C., Cardella, G. M., & Hernández-Sánchez, B. R. (2022). The role of spiritual mindset and gender in small business entrepreneurial success. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 1082578. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1082578
Chen, Y., Klyver, K., & Zhang, H. (2023). Altruistic entrepreneurs: How does religious belief affect entrepreneurial career persistence? Journal of Small Business Management, 62(5), 2638–2669. https://doi.org/10.1080/00472778.2023.2248496
Lee, Y., Liguori, E. W., Sureka, R., & Kumar, S. (2024). Women’s entrepreneurship education: A systematic review and future agenda. Journal of Management History, 30(4), 576–594. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMH-11-2023-0117
