Let's reimagine stories of relationality

Come with me as we reimagine stories of relationality and, together, weave them into human and organisational roots.
 
Stories of humans and organisations as ecologies, informed by and informing ecosystems, social systems, the more-than-human, and planetary health. Stories of a multispecies interbeing, of kinship and partnership and guardianship. Stories of seasonality and cyclicity; of birth, creativity, rest, reflection, grief, harvesting, celebration, evolution, communing, and death. Stories of responsibility and responsiveness, transparency and mutualism, repair and reconciliation. Stories of commoning and service, midwifery and place.
 
My perspectives have been moulded by twenty-five years of chronic health issues that bring my gaze to my inner world with laser focus. At the same time, living in a queering body has widened my gaze far beyond my self, into animism, interbeing, ancestry, the more-than-human, living systems, place, ecology, and the magnificent, mysterious resonance of the natural and physical world.
 
My perspectives have also been moulded by the middle space I situate as a woman that’s no longer a young adult but not quite an elder, my white skin in whiteness-dominating systems, a middle-class upbringing in a class-based England, my lack of connection to my Croation ancestry, and chocolate (less chocolate than I'd like and more chocolate than I probably deserve).
 
Living in Exeter, Devon (UK), on the cusp of Dartmoor and the Jurassic Coast, my ongoing discovery of myself as an ecological creature saturates my work, interests, and perspectives.
 

I LOOK FORWARD TO EXPLORING THIS NEW CONSTELLATION: YOU AND I, IN RELATIONSHIP.

 
 
 
 
 

 

'If you have organisational needs and are looking for a thoughtful, generative, self-organising approach, Anna-Marie is a great resource.'
Kristen Pavle, Social Technologist & Entrepreneur

'We so appreciate everything you do to help us, and others in this space.'
ReCommon team

'When Anna-Marie communicates, she finds a rare balance between kindness, completeness, and clarity. Her full body yes fuels the whole relationship like a regenerative engine. Combined with her brilliant facilitation skills, you will always know where you are at. Everything she produces has been through a cycle of consideration and care; a combination of deep listening, research, and commitment.'
Leen Schelfhout, Deep Democracy Trainer

'The Ecological Organizations Framework is an incredible tool! I have shared it with my college students to help them explore their relationships with the land and holistic organisational dynamics. The EO framework allowed students to navigate the complexity of our regional systems with hope instead of despair, and inspired them to act locally within their own organisations. Anna-Marie is also a beautiful facilitator and guide of this work, and has been inspiring to work with.'
Amie Riley, Equity-Focused Educator at Portland University

'I am so grateful to Anna-Marie for offering this space and sharing both her wisdom on this topic and her expert facilitation skills. Anna-Marie brings a huge amount of care and knowledge to her work, she created a beautifully open space for us to explore and feel freedom in sharing our experiences.'
Ellie Snowden, Senior Research Consultant at The Cynefin

'Anna-Marie has intentionally opened this space up for inquiry and craftily held it just loosely enough that each session has felt easy and natural - that in itself has been fascinating to witness and experience. It's genuine craftmanship, and a unique skill.'
Camila Todd, Nature & Circle Facilitator

'The Framework literally explains what I've been trying to do over the past year! I love the aspects prioritised here and also the fact that the different petals are further detailed by questions of inquiry, not statements or boxes you can tick'.
Ramona Fricke, Social Innovator & Lead Strategist

'She has been amazing to work with. Not only does she bring in the right (and often changing) questions and perspectives needed to chart the right strategic course for Nestr to thrive, she has a keen sense for the differentiation of relationships and work. With her boundless skill, curiosity, awareness and compassion she can support and guide any organisation through the process from idea to collective impact.'
Joost Schouten, Co-founder Nestr

'Thank you for opening up this field: rootedness in our organisations. We often see our organisations as stand alone entities. But they never are. They are rooted in systems. In land, in communities.'
Nynke Vos, Ritual Designer & Grief Faciltator

'Anna-Marie is a gentle and thoughtful facilitator who holds the space with tender curiosity. Her vulnerability and open-heartedness laid the way for our group to share their own experiences with honesty and candour.'
Participant, enquiry group

'In March 2024, we (The Heschel Center for Sustainability) arrived with a group of seniors from the Israeli education system for a short learning program at Schumacher College. One of the workshops we went through was given by Anna-Marie Swan, an organisation ecologist. Anna managed to gracefully and sensitively connect the participants to ecological thinking. The connection of learning through mindfulness, the weaving of connections and relationality, from the personal and individual level, to the levels of the system and the planet, were perceptibly precise. Thanks Anna!'
Shachar Kahanovitz Gal, The Heschel Center for Sustainability

 

My work has been fed by many authors and teachings. These, and more, form the lineage of my work and current thinking: decentralised and participatory governance and decision-making, self-organising systemsSociocracy, HolacracyCircling, authentic relating, Theory U, Doughnut Economics, animism, story telling and mythology, Deep Democracy, Liberating Structures, commons, systems thinking, living systems, the work of The Ready and percolab, emergent strategy, design thinking, and organisational systemic constellations, along with the work, words, and stories of Ken LiuSophie StrandBayo Akomolafe, Charles Eisenstein, Ruby MayMaryam Hasnaa مريم حسناSean Wilkinson, The Emerald podcast, Donella Meadows, Elinor Ostrom, Margaret Wheatley, Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg, Naomi KleinFrederic LalouxMichelle Holiday, the Institute of Relational Being, and OD for Life (among others).

 

Training: Level 1 Certificate in Systemic Coaching with Constellations Year: 2024


Course: The Body is a Doorway Year: 2023


Course: Kinship: World as Archipelago Year: 2023


Training: Sociocracy 3.0 Practitioner Level 1 course Year: 2022


Training: Sociocracy 3.0 Foundations course Year: 2022


Course: The Ready's DAO Contributor Program Year: 2022


Course: Circling and Surrendered Leadership: 6 week closed group Year: 2022


Course: Everyone Circled: 6 week closed group Year: 2022


Course: Meditation and Circling: 4 week intensive Year: 2022


Course: Tools for the Regenerative Renaissance Year: 2021


Course: Introduction to Crypto & Defi Year: 2021


Course: Microsolidarity Practice Program Year: 2020


Training: Mastering Systems in Practice OU Course Year: 2020


Course: Gaia Journey: Global Activation of Intention and Action Year: 2020


Training: Design Thinking for the Greater Good: Innovation in the Social Sector Year: 2019