A Jungian approach to facilitation, leadership and group work

Leading like a Mother Tree
A Jungian approach to facilitation, leadership and group work

When, what time and how much?

5 Mondays: Nov 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 – 2026
6.30 pm to 8.30 pm (UK time)
£180.00
Prices exclude Ticket Tailor fees

Leading like a Mother Tree

We are living through a time of profound uncertainty, fragmentation and ecological crisis. To meet these challenges, we are called to reimagine the way we lead. Rather than relying on models of authority rooted in hierarchy and individualism, this programme explores leadership as a practice of relationship, imagination and collective wisdom.

The Mother Tree is the oldest and largest tree in a forest, and she offers a powerful metaphor for a different kind of leadership. Instead of the familiar images of hero, prophet or guru, the Mother Tree invites us to lead through connection rather than control, cultivating creativity, reciprocity and belonging.

The forest is an enchanted place in myths and fairy tales around the world. Forests can be shadowy, dangerous places, but also places of magic and transformation – very much like groups. To walk in a forest is to discover trees living in a web of interdependence – a potent symbol for facilitating personal and group transformation.

A Jungian approach to leading groups

Trees in a forest are connected via a fungal underground network – a ‘wood wide web’ of communication between trees.  Drawing on Jungian psychology, this programme invites us to imagine the mycelium network as a metaphor for the collective unconscious. Through creative and reflective practices, participants learn to listen for this deeper intelligence within groups.

Who is it for?

This online programme is designed for leaders, facilitators, coaches, educators and practitioners who want to cultivate a more relational, psychologically informed approach to leading groups. Whether you work in organisations, education, healthcare, coaching or community settings, you will develop your own inner capacity as a leader alongside practical approaches for working creatively with others.

At the heart of the programme is Collaborative Imaginative Engagement, an original Jungian arts-based approach developed through four years of doctoral research and more than three decades of professional practice. This highly participative, experiential process includes visualisation, image-making, poetry, nature-based practice, peer coaching and reflective dialogue.

What will you learn?

By the end of the programme you will:

• Develop a psychologically informed approach to leading groups.
• Discover how Jungian concepts can enrich your leadership practice.
• Learn Collaborative Imaginative Engagement as a method for fostering collective imagination and creativity.

About Dr. Louise Austin

Dr. Louise Austin is a depth psychologist, arts-based researcher, senior lecturer and experienced group facilitator. She has over 30 years of experience in designing and leading professional, organisational and community development programmes. She has a PhD in Psychoanalytic Studies and an MA in Integrative Arts Psychotherapy. Currently, she works as a training group facilitator for the Association of Jungian Analysts and senior lecturer/former course leader at the Institute for Arts in Therapy and Education. She is also Honorary Fellow at the University of Essex and a senior practitioner for Artgym, an award-winning change consultancy. Stemming from her doctoral research, Dr. Austin has developed a new collaborative method for arts-based group work, research and reflective practice. 

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