The conversations that carry us

Hello friends,

Lately, I’ve been sitting with this question:

What makes a conversation feel meaningful—like it’s not just skimming the surface, but changing something under it?

A few weeks ago, I hosted a gathering at The Creative Hive with nine women whose work spans healing, strategy, art, and community building. We circled up in the middle of a snowstorm, not just to talk shop, but to talk soul. And what emerged wasn’t just a conversation—it was a collective mapping of what it means to create connection in uncertain times.

Moments like that remind me that facilitation is more than managing meetings. It’s tending to the conditions where truth can emerge. It’s choosing—again and again—to show up with care and curiosity, especially when the world feels noisy.

This particular conversation resulted in six ways creative professionals can use our work to cultivate more hope and connection in our communities. I wrote about it on my Substack, in hopes that it might inspire others also engaging in creative work and community care.

Facilitation isn’t neutral (and that’s the point)

There’s a long-held myth in our field that facilitators are “neutral third parties.” But the more rooms I sit in, the more I realize: we are never neutral. Not really.

Every structure we choose, every voice we amplify, every silence we make space for—those are choices. And they’re shaped by our values.

What if we stopped pretending otherwise?

What if we embraced facilitation as a tool for justice—not just in what’s said, but in how space is made?

Where I’ve landed is that, while I may be neutral on content (because the wisdom is in the room), I’m not neutral on process. Process is power. And how we use it can either replicate the status quo or gently, insistently, begin to shift it.

So if you’ve ever wondered whether you can be a facilitator and still be bold, still be angry, my answer is yes, as long as it’s in service of something bigger than ourselves.

Upcoming events: Good Talk 2025

Our most recent Good Talk happened last week! We facilitated a conversation rooted in something tender and timely: friendship.

We gathered to explore what it means to build, tend, and hold adult friendships with care. We held space for big questions like:

• What does it mean to be a good friend, really?

• How do we make space for friendship in the busyness of life?

• And how does that kind of connection shape who we become?

This is just one example of the kinds of conversations you can expect at our events. Alongside meaningful dialogue, we share research-backed insights, personal stories, and a touch of that quiet magic that happens when strangers become story-holders.

💡 You can register for any 2025 Good Talk now! And if you want to attend more than one, buying all events as a bundle saves you some cash. Check out all events and secure your spot by selecting “2025 Good Talks”.

We’re also thinking about future topics and want your input! Keep an eye on our social media (you can find us on Instagram and LinkedIn) where we’ll be asking for your thoughts over the coming months. Or hit reply to this email and let me know what topics are on your mind.

A shift in where I write & share

I’ve been writing in a new space—one that holds the messier, more personal threads I’ve been pulling at.

Conversations in Progress is where I reflect on the in-between spaces. The ones where nuance lives, where group dynamics unfold, where connection gets complicated—and beautiful.

If you’re drawn to questions like how we gather, why we listen, and what it means to live with intention, I’d love to have you there. Lately, I’ve been writing about neutrality, wonder, and the quiet power of a well-held conversation.

You can find my latest reflections here ⤵️

Conversation starters

Some sources of inspiration and information I’ve found compelling lately:

• The Other Significant Others by Rhaina Cohen—This one’s been on our minds as we prep for the next Good Talk. Cohen explores deep, committed, platonic relationships—friendships that take center stage in people’s lives. Think co-parenting best friends, lifelong housemates, or chosen family who show up for each other in ways we’re usually taught to expect from romantic partners.

  It’s a thoughtful, beautifully written invitation to rethink what’s possible in friendship—and what it means to build a life around the people who hold us.

• We Should Get Together by Kat Vellos—If you’ve ever felt that making friends as an adult is harder than it should be, you’re not alone. In this book Vellos—an experience designer and community builder—dives into the challenges of adult friendship and offers practical, heartfelt strategies to cultivate deeper connections. Through research, personal stories, and really delightful illustrations, she provides tools to help us foster friendships in a system that can make connection difficult.

• Rest is Resistance by Tricia Hersey—This book isn’t just about naps—it’s about reclaiming our right to slow down in a world that demands constant output. Tricia Hersey (founder of The Nap Ministry) reminds us that rest is ancestral, radical, and deeply communal. It’s especially grounding for anyone doing care work, community work, or creative work in systems that weren’t built for our thriving.

A final thought

In a world that so often asks us to move fast, speak loud, and stay surface-level, I’m reminded—again and again—that depth is a choice. So is connection. We get to decide how we gather. How we listen. How we hold space for what’s hard and what’s hopeful.

Thank you for being here. For showing up with your questions, your care, and your courage.

Here’s to the conversations that change us—and the quiet ones that carry us forward.

Until next time,
Lindsay