Active Hope Workshop

Find support, connection and inspiration in these difficult times through the powerful group practices of "The Work That Reconnects", developed by eco-philosopher Joanna Macy. Together, we move through processes of gratitude, grief, expanded identity, to take us out of overwhelm and into a healthy sense of belonging.

We are living through an extraordinarily difficult time, both heartbreaking and scary. The scale of what is unraveling — ecologically, socially, politically — leaves many of us overwhelmed, isolated, or numb. We know something is deeply wrong, and yet we often feel too small, too tired, or too afraid to meet it fully. We don't know where to start.

The Work That Reconnects was developed over four decades by eco-philosopher and Buddhist scholar Joanna Macy, and it offers something precious: a tried and tested, deeply human framework for navigating our times — and finding that feeling that we are all looking for: meaning.

Drawing on systems theory, deep ecology, and Buddhist thought, an Active Hope workshop guides participants through what Joanna Macy called the Spiral of the Work: four stages that together form a complete journey through which we learn to cycle, over and over. This will keep us balanced.

The four movements of the Spiral

• Gratitude — We begin not with the crisis, but with what we love. Connecting to what makes our heart beat opens us to the nourishing feeling of gratitude, and reminds us what is at stake.
• Honouring Our Pain for the World — We make space for the grief, fear, anger, and despair that so many of us carry about the state of our world, but rarely connect to or speak aloud. This is not wallowing — it is the crucial stage of discovering what we are capable of. What we can face, we can begin to work with.
• Seeing with New Eyes — Stepping beyond our ordinary, individual perspectives, we explore viewpoints that help us see ourselves as part of something much larger: a living system with its own intelligence and resilience. A lost sense of trust can reemerge. Our identity shifts. And our sense of what is possible shifts with it.
• Going Forth — We return to our lives — our families and friends, our work, our daily choices — with renewed clarity, and a purpose that is softly held: purpose not built on fear or obligation, but on our deep understanding of our unique position.

How I offer this work

I offer workshops on demand, tailored to the needs of the group — whether that is a team, a community, an organisation, or a gathering of individuals navigating this time.

Workshops can take many forms:

• A taster session of as little as two hours offers a first encounter with the work — a taste of the Spiral and a felt sense of what becomes possible when we stop pretending everything is fine, and meet each other there instead.
• A single full workshop of a day or a weekend allows for a more complete journey through the Spiral, with time for depth, integration, and the particular magic that arises in a group that has genuinely been somewhere together.
• For those who want to go deeper, I offer a Spiral series — typically four recurring sessions over weeks or months — which follows the full arc of the work across time. This is where the most lasting transformation tends to happen: between sessions, participants carry the work into their lives, and return changed.
• For groups committed to a sustained practice of reconnection, I offer a six-month programme of regular workshops, weaving the Spiral into an ongoing container for collective healing, learning, and action.

All formats are available in-person or online. I am happy to discuss what would best serve your group.

My teachers

I am grateful to my mentor Jess Serrante, a dedicated facilitator and teacher of this work whose guidance has shaped how I offer it.