Courageous Conversations
- in a time of Metacrisis*
The story that has led us to this course...
When we started this course (then called ‘Courageous Coaching’), we focused mostly on the climate and biodiversity crises and our main target audience was coaches, particularly in Ireland. Our intention was to help people reflect on their practice in the context of the crises we are in and to find new ways forward.
What we found was that many other people were attracted to the course (leaders, activists, people changing careers, people all over the world!) and also that the conversations we were having were much more diverse than just about climate and biodiversity. Different people were talking about deep sadness, a lack of sense of purpose, what they wanted for their children, being confused and having no-one they could talk to about what they were confused about, wanting to make a difference, but not knowing how etc etc People loved the diversity of the course – having great conversations with people they would never normally get to talk to. People loved the breadth of the conversations – the opportunity to make connections between things that may not have at first seemed connected. People loved the grounding of mindfulness and walking in nature. (And thankfully, the coaches who turned up did indeed find that their practice was transformed and supported to go in new directions)So, here we are in 2025. The interconnections between various crises are becoming more obvious. And it is clearer and clearer that we (humanity) find it difficult to talk about all this stuff well. Let’s go for it !! As they say, if not us, then who? If not now then when?
‘Courageous Conversations in a time of Metacrisis’ has arrived. We are the people we have been waiting for. Let’s talk about what we really need to talk about.
* We are using the term metacrisis to reflect not just that humanity currently has many crises that are connected to each other (e.g. climate, biodiversity, mental health, social cohesion, etc etc), but that also, we have a fundamental underlying crisis around what it means to be a human being in this world, in a society that is not in a balanced relationship with nature.The metacrisis represents a coming together or many different crises climate, biodiversity, mental health, social cohesion, meaning and more. An underlying crisis of what it means to be human in a society that is not in a balanced relationship with nature.
“In a BANI – brittle, anxious, non-linear, and incomprehensible – world, systems are fragile, people are anxious due to uncertainty, cause and effect relationships are non-linear, and complexity can be overwhelming.” – Jamais Cascio (Futurist)
So what do we do?
“The greatest breakthroughs of the 21st Century won’t occur because of technology. They’ll occur because of an expanding concept of what it means to be human.” – Giles Hutchins (Leadership Coaching)
Who is this course for?
This course is for leaders, coaches, business owners, school principals, activists, people changing careers, anyone who wants to make a difference at this critical time. It’s for people who wish to step into their power, (re)claim agency and encourage others to do the same. Participants are invited on a journey of discovery over 6 months which will challenge their habitual ways of thinking, acting and being. .
What are the foundations for the course?
Drawing on an ecology of practices from nature, wisdom traditions, the attitudes of mindfulness, neuroscience and systems thinking amongst others, this course supports you to deepen your own inner work, and also invites you to cultivate curiosity, compassion and courage, foundational traits for doing this work.
“The major problems of the world are the result of the difference between how nature works and the way people think” – Gregory Bateson
The Courageous Conversations in a time of metacrisis course provides a safe space for participants to have the conversations they yearn for. In 6 x 3 hour online modules over 6 months you will have opportunities to:
→ Dive deeper into big existential questions (e.g. “What does it mean to be human during this time? Who are we in relation to each other?” “How can we be good ancestors?” “What’s mine to do?”)
→ Deepen your connection with yourself, others and nature through various mindfulness & (self) compassion practices, nourishing nature practices
→ Connect at a deeper level with other participants, supported by peer Walk & Talk coaching style conversations between modules
→ Challenge yourself and support each other to clarify ‘What’s my calling? What’s my contribution?
→ For coaches we will support you to consider how your role and practice needs to adapt to the contexts we find ourselves in
→ Explore why what you do matters as you move to ‘wise action’
“The time for the lone wolf is over. Gather yourselves! Banish the word struggle from your attitude and your vocabulary. All that we do now must be done in a sacred manner and in celebration. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for ” – Hopi Elder
Course Dates
3-hour online sessions on Tuesdays
14:00-17:00 GMT* (15:00-18:00 CET)
Courageous Conversations in a Time of Metacrisis Spring 2025:
March 4th
March 25th
April 15th
May 6th
June 3rd
June 24th
*Time remains the same when daylight savings time ends
Course Outline
This course draws from leading-edge practitioners including: Otto Scharmer, author of Theory U and Leading from the Emerging Future: From Ego-System to Eco-System Economies; Regenerative Leadership by Giles Hutchins and Laura Storm; Immunity to Change by Robert Kegan; The Work that Reconnects by Joanna Macy; and interweaves mindfulness and nature practices throughout the course.
Between sessions, you will have opportunities for:
→ Peer to peer conversations
→ Experimenting with different coaching practices (e.g. Walk ‘n Talk)
→ Bringing nature practices into conversations
→ Integrating the attitudes of mindfulness
→ Building a connected community
Course work:
There will be suggested reading and a variety of practices and materials provided for all sessions to help you maximise the value of your participation in the course.
Pricing
Early Bird (before Feb 14th): individuals €695, organisations (per participant) €1,100
Regular Price: individuals €795, organisations (per participant) €1,250
(includes course materials, support emails, and peer coaching)
Our intention is to make this programme available to people drawn to do this work. If cost is a barrier, we have a Scholarship Rate. To find out more please contact us.
To register or make further enquiries please contact
Grattan Donnelly | T: +353(0)86 225 2737 | E: grattan@grattandonnelly.com
Why Previous Participants Recommend This Course
I believe coaches can play a vital role in holding spaces to be 'courageous' and help support others to find ways to navigate to 'safer ground.' I highly recommend this programme, which is sensitively held by Grattan Donnelly and Chris Chapman to help find your own pathway and start the journey toward a regenerative future."
Go for it!"
Course Facilitators
Grattan Donnelly is a highly experienced coach, facilitator and trainer, passionately interested in how we can create a better world for all life.
With a background in leadership and management development, Grattan has been coaching since 2006 and a leading figure bringing mindfulness into coaching since 2014.
He integrates neuroscience, mindfulness, somatic and nature practices into coaching, facilitating the people he works with to do deep transformational work and be at their best to contribute to a more peaceful world and healthier planet.
He is a faculty member with both Dublin Business School and the Irish Management Institute and a keen sailor and dog walker.
Grattan is an Honorary Life Fellow and a Founding Council Member and former Chair of the Association for Coaching, Ireland. He is a Board Member of Mindful Nation Ireland and a member of the Climate Coaching Alliance.
Chris Chapman is an experienced systemic facilitator, working particularly with large diverse groups and communities of interest that go beyond single organisations.
Most of Chris’s current work is in the fields of education and sustainability. He has an MSc in Change Agent Skills and Strategies from the University of Surrey Business School and a particular interest in the relationship between adult development and our collective capacity to work well with complexity and uncertainty.
Chris leads facilitation work at the beautiful Burren College of Art, helping organisations and systems to find creative approaches to complex challenges.
“As coaches, we need to do our own inner work before we invite our clients to do theirs.”
This course has been developed and is being delivered in association with ReSource@BCA. ReSource is a dedicated centre at the Burren College of Art that facilitates organisations and systems find creative solutions to complex issues.
