There are stories that define your life.

Most likely, you didn't fully choose them. Parts of the narrative are inherited, passed down to you from the generations that came before you. Other parts were written when you were very young, trying to make sense of the world and to keep yourself safe. Over time, these stories add up to the life you live. And, if you're not paying attention - they run the show.

The question is: can you see the stories, the hidden patterns, that you're living?

Once you see them clearly - how do you make sense of them?

And, when necessary, how do you break free from old patterns and write a new story that's more true to who you are?

a note from Neil:

A few years ago, I was having trouble making sense of a few things in my life. Why did I seem to be repeating the same kinds of experiences over and over? Why was I stuck and having trouble moving forward? What was I missing? It was hard to understand, because I had done so much growth work, and knew how to process and move past deep emotional obstacles. But something wasn't working - and I needed a new approach. It felt like if I could only just get some perspective, a key insight, then things might fall into place.

And that's when I came across the work of Megan Macedo.

Megan introduced me to a process of uncovering the raw materials of my personal narrative. The little pieces that, on their own, might not seem like much. Or might not seem related to each other. But as we stepped back to look at the bigger picture, something emerged from the jumble. A narrative that I was living into, repeating unconsciously, but that my body could no longer tolerate.

It was the clarity I was missing. Suddenly it became obvious why, despite my best efforts, my momentum had totally stalled - why I was holding myself back. And it also became obvious what work I needed to do. I had a new way to apply everything I knew about growth and change to the unique places that would make the biggest difference.

Eventually I was able to resume my podcast, teaching again, and coaching more than ever before. And, more importantly, the creative fire in me was set free, and I felt empowered

Months later, I interviewed Megan for Relationship Alive, and we realized that there was some real synergy in our work - uncovering narratives and processing the ways that those stories live within us, so that we can reclaim our agency. A few more conversations happened.

And we decided to join forces for this unique workshop experience - The Stories We Live.

Two different approaches - combined for one powerful journey.

You don't need to be a writer to have a story. Or to take this workshop!

Megan's expertise will guide you into the raw materials that help you see the narratives under your actions. To face the past with clear vision. To reassemble the stories in ways that might serve you better. Through curated writing exercises, your unique voice, and experience, gets the focus, and your inner world will be revealed to you.

This work can be deep, and emotional - it lives in your body - and that's where Neil comes in. First, you'll develop a solid sense of your baseline - a safe place within you that you can return to, no matter how challenging the emotions that get stirred up are. You'll learn how to sense when an element of the narrative brings something up in you. And, through a combination of somatic exercises and developing your relationship with the different parts within you, you'll experience what it's like to move through something big and get safely to the other side. More importantly, you'll feel the inner fire and confidence that comes from having taken ownership of your own story, and transformed it into something that fuels your life now - and towards your vision of the future.

This is a unique opportunity to dive deep, through your writing, and to develop your resilience and agency through working with the emotions and sensations that arise. Skills and capacities that will be alive in you from here on out.

We'll begin by exploring some of the core ideas that underpin our work together: story cycles, patterns, metanarratives, and the relationship between story, emotions, and the body.

Through a series of writing exercises and guided reflections with Megan, you'll begin to surface the tensions, blocks, unresolved feelings, or recurring patterns that you want to shift. Neil will introduce some simple practices to help you notice what is happening in your body and stay present with whatever emerges.

By the end of this session, you'll have identified a knot, pattern, or story that you would like to explore more deeply, as well as some tools and prompts to continue the process between sessions.

During the week between sessions, you'll continue writing and noticing. In our second session, we'll use what has emerged to explore the stories underneath the pattern.

Megan will help you identify the narratives, assumptions, and metanarratives shaping your experience. Neil will introduce ways of working with protective patterns, emotional responses, and parts of ourselves that often arise when we begin to examine an old story.

We'll also explore the grief that is often hidden beneath our stuckness: what the old story offered, protected, or promised us, and what may need to be felt or released in order to begin living a new pattern.

In our final session, we'll explore what happens when a story expands. Rather than replacing one story with another, we'll look at how a story can become large enough to hold more truth, more complexity, and more of who we actually are. Through writing exercises, reflection, inner parts work and somatic practices, we'll begin the process of living into that more expansive story; one that supports rather than contorts us.

You’ll leave with writing, inner parts work, and somatic practices to help you stay with the process of living into a new story and a new pattern, so that you are able to continue this work long after our time together ends.

Lifetime access to the recording of the live workshop.

Neil Sattin is a coach, educator, and host of the Relationship Alive podcast. With more than 7 million downloads, Relationship Alive has featured interviews with leading experts in the field of relationships, intimacy, attachment, and trauma recovery for the past decade. Along with the podcast, Neil’s research and work have had a positive impact on thousands of individuals and couples worldwide over the past 15 years. His mission is to synthesize the best-of-the-best relational wisdom, making it useful and practical for as many people as possible. Neil recently developed the "Regulate to Communicate" framework, which he co-taught with Peter Levine.

Who is this workshop for?

If you want to learn more about yourself and your patterns - to make sense of things, get unstuck, transform situations that no longer serve you, and build on narratives that help you thrive - then this workshop is for you.

Do I need to be a writer?

You don't have to be a writer. We'll use writing exercises geared towards arriving at a deeper self-understanding. If you are a writer then you'll be able to deepen your practice. And if you're concerned about "writer's block" don't worry - our work together will help you access the parts of you that can write and express freely (and uncover - and transform - what's keeping you stuck).

How long does the workshop last?

Three sessions, each two hours long, on Wednesdays in July. Recordings will be available soon after each session if you're not able to attend live.

I'm not in a relationship. Is this still relevant?

Absolutely. This is a workshop about you, your relationship to your own life, and the stories that you've lived along the way.

Do I have to share in the group?

While there will be opportunities to share, and to be supported directly by Neil and Megan, it's not required. There's plenty to learn by witnessing others' process, and you'll gain insights from others that you might not have discovered otherwise! That being said - if you DO want to share, and to be guided, and supported with care on your journey - we welcome your participation.

If you have other questions, please email me directly at neilius [at] neilsattin [dot] com – happy to help out!