Sara Heppner is a deep listener, drawn to helping others find their place in the world. Through visual and creative processes, she works with individuals and groups, both in-person and virtually, to facilitate one-on-one conversations, workshops, retreats or on-going internal practices with a team. Sara cultivates awareness-based cultures that nurture connection, safety, growth and co-creation.
By listening to both of our brains, the one in our head and the one in our heart, our whole self emerges. Our ‘inner work’ is as important as our ‘outer work’ in order to be effective within a team, an organization and the community at large. Through this systems-thinking lens, we are empowered to find solutions to difficult problems together.
Clarity
Misunderstood feelings and unmet needs can often stop us from reaching our full potential. Uncovering the essence of who we are provides the clarity to change our stories and live in an authentic, fulfilling and productive way.
This custom-designed journal was created as a tool to help participants develop their personal mission/ vision/values and how their way of being contributes to the success of their organization.
Co-Creation
Humans are, by nature, social beings. Although independence is essential, we thrive through connection and cooperation. It is only by coming together that we can bring about change.
Sara co-facilitated this workshop where participants practiced Nonviolent Communication, a process of interpersonal communication designed to cultivate compassionate connection with others.
Cultivating Corporate Culture
The success of a company is often defined by the sense of fulfillment of its employees. The hierarchical, siloed cultures of yesterday are being replaced with cohesive groups of empowered citizens who embody the values necessary to reach a common goal.
Sara led this company on a journey to develop their strengths and build collective leadership skills.
Communication
Communication skills are key to relationship-building. Listening with attention, speaking with intention, suspending judgement and embracing a spirit of curiosity create safe spaces where we are able to lean in, be vulnerable and have meaningful conversations.
Sara co-facilitated this group that explored how to change their old patterns of communication in order to build a culture based on safety and trust.
Creativity
Fun. Joy. Essence. We are often so caught-up in our day-to-day busy’ness that we don’t take the time to open up to other ways of being and expressing ourselves. Stepping into the unknown, getting out of our heads and using all of our senses allow us to have Aha! moments of clarity and self-discovery.
Sara led participants at a systems change retreat in a creative self-exploration, allowing them to express themselves in an intuitive rather than logical way.
Collective Consciousness
We live in a world governed by deeply engrained patterns, where we are barely aware of how we are thinking and acting in the world. By nurturing deeper levels of awareness, we begin to understand the power of our connections and our collective ability to shape our future.
Graphic recording of a keynote introducing the foundations of awareness-based systems change and how to create change in the world.