PRACTICE SPACES / COHORTS
Small groups.
Long thinking.
Cohorts are live, structured groups for people who want to understand how they function in relationships — and to practice doing it differently. We meet over time, in small numbers, grounded in family systems thinking.
LIVE & SYNCHRONOUS | SMALL GROUPS | NON-CLINICAL | THREE COHORTS AVAILABLE
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Cohorts are not psychotherapy and are not a substitute for clinical treatment. They do not include diagnosis, treatment planning, or crisis services. If you are unsure whether a cohort or psychotherapy is appropriate, begin with an inquiry.
ABOUT THE COHORTS
Structured spaces for serious thinking
Each cohort is a small, live group that meets regularly over a defined period. We read, discuss, and apply ideas — not to accumulate knowledge, but to think more carefully about how we actually live in our relationships, families, and work.
The work is grounded in family systems thinking — the idea that how a person functions is shaped by the relational patterns they were formed in, and that those patterns can be understood and gradually changed through intentional practice.
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Cohorts are open to anyone. You do not need a clinical background or a diagnosis. You need genuine interest in self-observation and the willingness to engage seriously with others over time.
What a typical session looks like
Opening
A brief check-in and orientation to the session's focus — a concept, a pattern, or a question drawn from the cohort's current thread.
Discussion
We examine the idea together — what it means in theory, what it looks like in practice, where it's difficult to apply.
Application
Participants bring real situations. We use them as material for thinking — not advice-giving, not processing, but careful observation.
Closing
A specific observation or intention to carry into the following weeks.
FINDING YOUR STARTING POINT
Which cohort is right for you?
Not sure where you fit? Send us a brief note and we'll help you identify the right starting point.
COHORT 01 · FOUNDATIONAL
Family of Origin:
A Systems Primer
An introductory cohort for anyone who wants to understand how relationship patterns form in a family — and how those patterns continue to shape adult functioning long after childhood ends.
FORMAT
Live video
DURATION
8 weeks
FREQUENCY
Weekly, 90 min
GROUP SIZE
6 - 10
PREREQUISITES
None
ENROLLMENT
Forming now
wHAT A SESSION FEELS LIKE
Sessions are structured, not scripted. We open with a concept — differentiation, triangles, the role of anxiety — examine it carefully, and then use real situations from participants' lives to see how the idea actually operates. The goal is a change in how you observe yourself and the people close to you.
WHAT WE COVER
How chronic anxiety moves through a family system
Differentiation of self: what it means and what makes it difficult
Mapping your family using a family diagram as a thinking tool
Triangles: how tension between two consistently involves a third
Patterns of pursuing, distancing, over-responsibility
Emotional cut-off and what real change requires
COHORT 02 · INTERMEDIATE
Defining Self
in Relationship
A cohort for people ready to move from understanding relational patterns to actively practicing something different within them — self-definition, reducing reactivity, maintaining genuine contact without losing yourself.
FORMAT
Live video
DURATION
10 weeks
FREQUENCY
Weekly, 90 min
GROUP SIZE
6 - 8
PREREQUISITES
Primer or equivalent
ENROLLMENT
Forming now
wHAT A SESSION FEELS LIKE
This cohort works with more friction than the Primer. Participants bring specific situations — a difficult conversation, a recurring conflict, a relationship they keep managing instead of inhabiting — and we use them as practice material. The emphasis shifts from observation to action.
WHAT WE COVER
I-position thinking: speaking from a clear stance without demanding agreement
Working with reactivity — the pull to defend, appease, or escalate
De-triangling: staying in direct contact without carrying others' tension
Distinguishing principle-based action from anxiety-driven action
Your "signature moves" under stress
Staying present when others are disappointed or demanding
COHORT 03 · ADVANCED · YEAR-LONG
The Systems-Work
Intensive
A year-long cohort for those committed to sustained practice — tracking functioning across seasons, not just moments. A long container for careful observation, honest reflection, and the slow work of becoming more yourself over time.
FORMAT
Live video
DURATION
12 months
FREQUENCY
Bi-weekly, 90 min
GROUP SIZE
5 - 7
PREREQUISITES
Application required
ENROLLMENT
Limited seats
wHAT A SESSION FEELS LIKE
The Intensive operates on a different timescale. Patterns that are invisible in eight weeks become visible over a year. The group functions as a disciplined mirror — not a support group, but a committed set of people watching how they each function as anxiety rises and falls across the seasons of real life.
WHAT WE COVER
Long-range observation across multiple domains of life
Tracking how functioning shifts as anxiety rises and falls over months
Using the group as a mirror — no fixing, no advice culture
Developing a personal systems-work practice to sustain beyond the year
Building capacity to hold tension and remain yourself
Revisiting core questions repeatedly across the year
COMMON QUESTIONS
Before you inquire
Do I need a therapy background to join a cohort?
No. Cohorts are open to anyone — whether you've been in therapy for years, have never seen a therapist, or are a clinician yourself. The only requirement is genuine interest in how you function in relationships.
Are cohorts a substitute for therapy?
No. Cohorts are not psychotherapy and are not a substitute for clinical treatment. If clinical support would be appropriate for your situation, psychotherapy is the right starting point.
Must I complete the Primer before the other cohorts?
The Primer is the recommended starting point for anyone new to systems thinking. If you have equivalent background — through therapy, professional training, or serious reading — you may be ready for the Defining Self level. Mention your background when you inquire.
What is the time commitment outside sessions?
There is no required homework in the traditional sense. Some cohorts include brief reading. The more significant commitment is the ongoing practice of self-observation — noticing how you function in your relationships and bringing that material into the group.
Are sessions recorded?
Sessions are live and synchronous, and are generally not recorded. The live format is intentional — the work depends on presence, not consumption.
How do I apply for the Intensive?
The Intensive requires a brief application — typically a short inquiry and a conversation before enrollment. Begin by sending an inquiry with a note about your background and what draws you to the Intensive.