What might we see when we put down the traditional /classic ways of considering endings and beginnings in our organisational work – and look instead through some decidedly non corporate lenses?

I’ve been wanting to develop this workshop for ages. Now, 18 months into a training as an end-of-life doula I can see so many ways that an exploration of death and dying, and the filed of palliative care, can be really helpful when considering endings (and beginnings) in organisational life. And so when I add that to my experience with shadow work, systemic constellations and more … then some ideas for a workshop started to form.

And Friday 6 Feb is a good time to look at these themes. It’s a betwixt-and-between time. We’ll be a few days past Imbolc, traditionally the first day of Spring here in the Northern hemisphere – but it will probably feel for most of us that we’re still in Winter. So a balance point between the pruning back of the old season and the new growth of the coming one.

The session will give space to explore and think about:

· your own relations with endings and also beginnings, and how that shows up in your organisational practice (becuase we lead, coach etc out of our own autobiography)

· what’s ending and what’s beginning in our close and immediate lives, as well as in wider macro life – and the extent to which we can consider a ‘small’ ending or beginning without putting it in its biggest global/mythic context

· what makes for a good ending and a good beginning – and how might we know when things are beginning or ending

· what models and frameworks support us in as we move between old and new, or when we are dealing with endings and beginnings happening at the same time

· ‘In the beginning …’ and the importance of the stories we tell about our origin and about what’s emerging, as well as falling away

· The emotional life of transitions and in the ways that we ebb and flow

· Portals and thresholds: how we mark endings and beginnings and the role and importance of ritual in our working lives.

In the workshop I’ll be drawing on:

· models and frameworks that are ‘organisationally familiar’ but that go beyond the Change Curve – and some that are not organisational at all

· my current training in end-of-life doula work, as well as 2 years of exploring death and dying and far longer in being interested in ‘collapse’ thinking

· the wisdom and practices of systemic constellations

· Francis Weller and Sophy Banks’s work on grief and loss

· What nature and regenerative practices teach us about ending and beginning …

As ever in my workshops, there will be short writing bursts; ideas and input from me with breakouts to explore what I’m offering for yourselves; back in the large group to share what feels insightful or useful; and (inevitably) some poetry and beautiful words from other people.

You might be interested in this if you’re:

· In the middle (muddle?) of your own endings and beginnings, whether personally or professionally

· Interested in doing endings and beginnings well or better, or at least attending to them more than you might do now, for yourself and in organisational life

· A coach or consultant wanting some new / practical ideas for working with transitions in your client work

· In a leadership role and want to help your teams feel a little more ‘held’ as things are changing around them

Notes

• This is an online session. I’m likely to run an in-person one later in 2026 if it feels like there might be interest.
• I’ll send the Zoom link a day or so before the event. Please make sure you have helena@helenaclayton.co.uk saved in your contacts, so that the email doesn’t go to Spam!
• I might send you some pre work/reflection work ahead of time if something occurs to me as I’m designing the session.
• I’m keeping the fee low, as this is a pilot, but please do get in touch if cost is a barrier and we can see what might be possible.
• If you’re a consultant in a client system, this could be a good session to book two tickets and bring someone from that client system with you so you can work on things together and have a shared understanding in your ongoing work.

Helena Clayton

· 25 or so years working in organisations in all sectors – leadership development, organisational development, change and culture change, team development.

· Coach and coach supervisor.

· Pioneering work since 2018 exploring love and the role it could and arguably should play in organisations and beyond – research, writing, workshops.

· Parallel track of deep personal growth and organisational learning, including shadow work, grief tending, systemic constellations, end of life doula training and more.

· Website here and LI profile here.

Hope to see you there.

Helena x