How It Works

Change is possible through strengthened relationships

Roots of Change begins with people like you and me. The journey involves participating in a small group we call a “root community.” It is a place where you make a covenant with others to share honestly and practice the insights we gain. In the root community you commit to being present, telling the truth and keeping everything in confidence. These commitments are required in order to begin practicing new skills. Without this environment of authenticity and confidentiality, the learning we experience will lack any grounding in our present reality. But by participating in an authentic learning community, people often have transformative experiences.

The material we present provides some insights that are not common knowledge in the public discourse. We have drawn from an eclectic group of theories and cutting edge ideas that are unlikely to seem familiar. But past participants often express how this material has given them the language and perceptions to manage aspects of their personal and interpersonal experiences in much more fulfilling ways than they did previously. This process can deeply impact emotional health in every place where we interact with others.

For organizations or corporations we focus on the emotional realities of the workplace and the goals of the organization. In schools we focus on the emotional component in the learning process and the kind of environments that are supportive to learning. For faith groups we focus on the human condition and current scholarship.

The content we provide is drawn from theologians, philosophers, psychologists and authors who have struggled with the questions facing humans for many years. We share insights from the works of Walter Wink, Rene Girard, Sam Keen, Alfred Korzybski, David Bohm, Jon Dominic Crossan, Silvan Tomkins and Donald Nathanson. Understanding our own emotional vocabulary is a central aspect to the experience.