A Practitioner’s Journey

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Federico Varona | USA

Federico Varona, born in Spain, has lived and taught in Central America and the USA for 35 years. He is a professor emeritus at San José State University, California. He has taught the Appreciative Research course at San José State University for over ten years. Now he writes about, publishes and delivers international webinars on the Appreciative Paradigm.

Karen Pérez Molina | RIPAPA

Karen Pérez Molina holds a master’s degree in education and is a PCC‑level coach (ICF), with 21 years of experience in public policy. She teaches at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and is the creator of Mujer Apreciativa (Appreciative Woman). Her work weaves together positive psychology, appreciative inquiry, neuroscience, and ancestral wisdom..

RIPAPA, the Iberoamerican Network of Academics and Practitioners of the Appreciative Paradigm, is a vibrant, multilingual community committed to expanding the Appreciative Paradigm and advancing the practice of Appreciative Inquiry methodology worldwide. Publishing member-generated articles in AI Practitioner, translated from Spanish, opens a global window into our ideas, innovations, and lived experiences. Through writing, we affirm our identity, share our learning, and contribute to the appreciative future we are co creating.

We open this series with Karen Pérez Molina, whose writing invites us into a deeply lived encounter between ancestral wisdom and the Appreciative Paradigm. Writing from within the Iberoamerican context, Karen brings a voice shaped by lineage, land, and lived practice, returning appreciation to its roots in memory, ritual, and relationship. By beginning the series here, we are invited to slow down, listen across generations, and sense how appreciative practice can be lived as a way of being, carried through lineage, reciprocity, and service.”

Appreciative Ancestrality: An Initiatory Path Between Karpay and the Soul’s Questions

What happens when ancestral wisdom meets a contemporary philosophy that honors what gives life? This question opens an initiatory path that weaves together the Andean cosmovision and the Appreciative Paradigm – lived not only as a conceptual framework, but as an experience embodied in the body, the heart, and the soul.

I write these words as an offering during Inti Raymi, the Festival of the Sun that marks a time of spiritual renewal, to share the testimony of a ten day initiatory retreat through the sacred lands of Peru, where I received the three Karpay of the Q’ero lineage. This journey awakened ancestral memories and revealed how the heart of the Appreciative Paradigm also lives within the Andean worldview. The Karpay are rites of transmission of energy and wisdom that activate the spiritual seed, Inca Muju, and open the path of service. The Q’ero lineage, a Quechua nation considered a living guardian of Inca knowledge, has preserved its ancestral wisdom for centuries in the high Andes until receiving the call to share it with the world.

The initiation began with an offering in the heart temple of Pachamama, near Cusco. I understood then that no spiritual path can be walked without profound respect for nature. The gesture of offering – giving, receiving, and giving thanks— – became the central axis of the process, lived as ayni, the principle of reciprocity that sustains life.

The rite unfolded as a language of the soul, awakening essential questions: What meaning do rituals hold in our daily lives? How does the ordinary become sacred? What memories are waiting to be remembered? The A rainbow accompanied this journey as a symbol of the portal that unites the three Andean worlds: Hanan Pacha, Kay Pacha, and Uku Pacha. For the Q’ero elders, it was a sign of blessing and permission to continue.

The first Karpay took place at Lake Titicaca, considered the second chakra of the world. There, in icy waters more than four thousand meters above sea level, I experienced a profound cleansing. My body trembled, my breath quickened, and my heart beat like a drum of life. The energetic transmission occurred in the temple of Pachamama on Amantaní Island. In that sacred space, I received a vision that now guides my purpose: I saw my soul descend into Uku Pacha, nourish itself in the darkness, transform into a firefly, then into a yellow flower, and finally into a bee returning to its hive. I understood that my purpose is not only to accompany, but to serve from a light that blossoms in community.

The second Karpay took place at Apu Ausangate, the tutelary mountain of the Q’ero people. Amid strong winds and eternal snows, I experienced a silent dialogue with this ancestral energy. There I understood the gentle strength of presence: life sustains us when we trust and surrender to the greater flow that holds us.

The third Karpay was carried out near Apu Pachatusán, guardian of balance. Through a healing with kuyas – living stones collected from sacred places – I received the transmission of kawsay, vital energy, and yachay, wisdom. The final consecration came, blessed by María Apaza, the last living Alto Misayoq. Her luminous presence sealed the process and confirmed my commitment to service.

This initiatory journey awakened dormant ancestral memories and re signified the Appreciative Paradigm through an embodied experience. I understood that the five phases of Appreciative Inquiry can be lived as a rite of the soul: defining the inner call, discovering the ancestral roots, dreaming from the soul, designing with ritual intention, and delivering with collective purpose.

From this experience, I name appreciative ancestrality as this deep process of remembering what is essential. To remember, in its etymological sense, is to pass again through the heart: to recognize, honor, and collaborate with the universal life force, latent across generations, that awakens within us. It is not only an individual memory; it is, but a collective and intergenerational remembering that emerges from living lineages and Indigenous peoples.

Appreciative ancestrality integrates the Appreciative Paradigm with the Andean cosmovision, understanding that everything we seek already lives within us and simply awaits being remembered. To appreciate is a profound ancestral act. I resonate with Miriam Subirana in understanding appreciation as an act of deep consciousness, and with Federico Varona in recognizing appreciative language as an ethical action that gives voice to knowledge historically silenced.

Today I integrate these learnings into my life and into my gatherings with women, through rituals, drum led visualizations, and practices that connect with the three Andean worlds. Offering is a collective act that generates life. From this awareness arises the question that continues to echo: What offering do we become for the world when we honor what gives us life?

REFERENCES AND FURTHER READING

Jenkins, J. E. (2008) Iniciación: La sabiduría viva de los Andes. Barcelona: Editorial Obelisco.

Subirana, M. (2024) Indagación Apreciativa: Un enfoque innovador para la transformación personal y de las organizaciones (7th ed.). Barcelona: Editorial Kairós.

Varona, F. (2025) Appreciative Paradigm. From Methodology to Paradigm: A New Paradigm for Social Change and Social Sciences. Amazon: Paperback and Kindle.

Voices from the Field

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Keith Storace | Australia

Keith Storace is a registered psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA) and an associate fellow of the Australasian College of Health Service Management (ACHSM). He works in private practice at kikuIMAGINATION®, providing counselling and psychotherapy for individuals, couples, and groups, consulting on leadership and wellbeing, and facilitating workshops. His work includes Appreciative Dialogue (ApDi) therapy, which helps people find meaning as they navigate challenges. Keith has been the editor of the Voices from the Field column in AI Practitioner since 2016

Nick Heap | United Kingdom

Dr Nick Heap was a scientist, then an OD consultant with ICI (Imperial Chemicals Industries), and has been a volunteer for The Samaritans in the UK as well as a counsellor for Relate. He is a self-employed coach, counsellor, facilitator, and trainer, and helps individuals, teams, and organisations in the charity, private and public sectors to develop. Nick has been using Appreciative Inquiry since 2004.

Over the past decade, I have enjoyed curating Voices from the Field in the Nourish to Flourish section of the AI Practitioner, featuring submissions from practitioners worldwide. Each article tells a story of practice, grounded in the realities of local contexts and lived experience. What stands out most to me is not only the variety of approaches practitioners draw on, but also how much of themselves they bring to their work with others.

Appreciative Inquiry invites us to orient towards life, possibility, and movement, even when contexts are complex or strained. That orientation is carried by those who are present to what is unfolding. When a practitioner is settled enough to listen, stay with uncertainty, and respond rather than react, something different happens in the room. People speak more freely, think more carefully, and begin to notice possibilities that were previously inaccessible.

Nourish to Flourish was created as a dedicated space within AI Practitioner to explore this area of practice. It also offers practitioners a chance to reflect on how they support themselves in demanding roles.

This raises a question I often consider: what helps us sustain the inner conditions that make good collaboration possible – presence, steadiness, and openness – especially over time and under pressure? The answers vary and evolve. What matters is the willingness to remain in relationship with the question itself, to understand how we nourish ourselves to help others flourish.

In this spirit, I am pleased to introduce a new addition to Nourish to Flourish which Nick Heap will lead: a column titled “Practices That Deepen Appreciative Inquiry: Tuning the Human Instrument”. Nick writes about a practice that has strengthened his ability to stay present and responsive in his work. His reflection offers a broader invitation to practitioners to consider the tools, disciplines, and approaches they draw on alongside Appreciative Inquiry, and how these support readiness, presence, and care in practice.

Practices That Deepen Appreciative Inquiry: Tuning the Human Instrument

The best work I’ve ever done has been when I’ve been, as Otto Scharmer would say, in a good interior condition. Then I’ve been aware and present, able to adjust to the situation, respond to what’s in the room, and make things up as I go along.

I’m thinking about some team-building work I did in Rwanda in 2009. I had people from six African countries in the group, along with an American, two Dutch participants, and another Brit. I went into it with a few scrappy notes and a simple idea. I sat people in a circle and asked them why they cared about the organisation’s work.

Creating the conditions

That initial setting created the conditions for conversations that led to a growth-full, high-energy event using Appreciative Inquiry and other tools, including “laughter yoga”. It was great fun for everyone involved, so much so that I use a smiling photograph from the end of that workshop as my LinkedIn banner.

The question is, how did I reach that state of being able to be present, of not being stirred up by the complexities of different cultures, but simply responding to people as human beings?

It didn’t happen by accident. For many years, I’ve used a peer counselling process, known by various names, such as re-evaluation counselling or co-counselling. You take turns listening deeply to each other. One person listens with full attention, offering encouragement, warmth, and love, in complete confidentiality. Nothing is repeated to the other person, let alone shared outside the pair.

The person being listened to can explore anything. They can fully express the feelings they have about whatever they’re talking about.

Every time you talk with someone who is truly present and listening, you think and feel better. Perhaps more importantly, you increase your ability to give attention to others in the moment because you’ve dealt with your own stuff. You reach a point where, if someone says or does something that stirs an old memory, you don’t need to deal with it in the moment. You note it mentally and return to it later, knowing you have trusted relationships where you can explore it safely.

Appreciative Inquiry brings life, light, and hope into a world that can appear dark and hopeless

I am looking for stories and ideas for this new column about practices that deepen the way engage with Appreciative Inquiry, stories about how we have, or can, strengthen our appreciative practice by:

1. Being in the right state to be present, loving, flexible, challenging, and creative to deliver our best work, and
2. Using other practices, disciplines, activities, processes, and ways of thinking to help clients accept and use Appreciative Inquiry.

I don’t think we can help people flourish unless we flourish ourselves.

So, I’m wondering how readers help themselves do their best work. What methods do you use to look after yourself and continue developing?

To contribute your story to my new column, ‘Practices That Deepen Appreciative Inquiry: Tuning the Human Instrument’, get in touch. I’d love to hear from you. Perhaps you’re using other tools, practices, or disciplines alongside Appreciative Inquiry – whether to support your own readiness or to strengthen your work with others.

A short reflection, a story from practice, or even a few paragraphs is enough to get started.

When we work with people, we are human instruments, and all we have is all of us. How do you make sure your instrument is in tune? We love hearing how people have enriched their practice. What else might be possible?

Voices from the Field

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Keith Storace | Australia

Keith Storace is a registered psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA) and an associate fellow with the Australasian College of Health Service Management (ACHSM). He manages a private practice at Kiku Imagination where he applies the Appreciative Dialogue (ApDi) therapy program to assist individuals move toward, strengthen and enjoy what is meaningful while dealing with the challenges they encounter along the way. Keith has been the editor of the Voices from the Field column for AI Practitioner since 2016.

Following the publication of my article Appreciative Inquiry and the Young Philosophers: Cultivating Hope and Agency in a Complex World (AI Practitioner, September 2025), many readers reached out asking for more practical guidance on how to apply the ten principles in conversations with young people. In that initial article, I described young people — who are our thought leaders of tomorrow — as “young philosophers,” because their questions, reflections, and evolving perspectives can shape the future as powerfully as their actions. This follow-up piece is a direct response to those requests. It explores how parents, mentors, coaches, educators, and counsellors can translate these principles into reflective practices that help young people deepen their self-understanding, strengthen their sense of agency, and actively participate in shaping their own unfolding stories.

The Young Philosophers, Part II: Applying the Ten Principles of Appreciative Inquiry as a Pathway to Growth

Adolescence is a time of deep transformation. It’s when questions of identity, belonging, purpose, and agency surface. Many young people, however, are expected to have answers before they have had the time or space to explore these questions for themselves. In a world that values speed, reaction, and surface engagement, taking time to reflect can feel countercultural – but it is exactly this slowing down that enables deeper insight and growth.

Reflection is more than just introspection; it is an active, constructive process. It creates coherence in the stories young people tell about themselves. It uncovers strengths that might otherwise go unnoticed. It sheds light on choices in situations that seem limited. Most importantly, it shifts the sense of meaning from something to be found “out there” to something that can be created from within.

The ten principles below have been adapted from the original framework of Appreciative Inquiry, first developed by David Cooperrider and Suresh Srivastva (1987) and further elaborated by Jeanie Cockell and Joan McArthur-Blair (2012), and Lea Waters and Mathew White (2015) to support reflective practice in therapeutic, educational, and developmental contexts.

1. Constructionist principle: Language shapes experience

The stories we tell ourselves become the reality we live in. Language doesn’t just describe our experience – it actively shapes it. For young philosophers, learning to listen to their internal dialogue and reshape it is a key act of agency. Changing the words they use can alter how they interpret challenges, how they see themselves, and how they approach growth.

Reflective process:

• Notice the phrases you use when talking about yourself, especially during tough times.
• Try using language that views your situation as evolving rather than fixed.
• Reflect on how one change in words can shift how you feel and what you believe is possible.

Example: If a young philosopher notices they often say, “I’m failing”, they can reframe this to “I’m learning”. This isn’t about sugarcoating reality – it’s about recognising that language influences belief. As words move from self-blame to a growth mindset, internal stories become more positive, creating space for persistence and creativity.

2. Simultaneity principle: Curiosity itself is an action

Change does not wait for the future – it starts the moment a new question is asked. In Appreciative Inquiry, inquiry itself is a generative force. For young philosophers, learning to ask different questions is a way to redirect focus, shift perspective, and unlock movement where there once was stagnation.

Reflective process:

• Become aware of the types of questions you ask when things feel tough.
• Replace questions that shut down thinking (“Why can’t I…?”) with ones that open it up (“What might help here?”).
• Notice how your mood, behaviour, and outlook change as soon as curiosity enters the situation.

Example: In a moment of frustration, a young philosopher might ask, “Why is this going wrong?”. If they instead ask, “What matters most in this situation?” the question itself begins to reorient their focus towards priorities and strengths. The very act of inquiry becomes the first step towards meaningful change.

3. Anticipatory principle: The future takes shape in the images we hold of it

The future doesn’t just happen – it is rehearsed in the present through imagination. The stories young philosophers tell about what lies ahead directly shape their choices today. When they become conscious of these imagined futures, they gain the power to choose and cultivate the ones they want to grow into.

Reflective process:

• Bring awareness to the future scenarios running silently in your mind.
• Notice how any negative rehearsals (like anticipating failure) shape current behaviour.
• Practise rehearsing qualities like courage or kindness and observe how they influence the choices being made right now.

Example: If a young philosopher repeatedly imagines themselves failing at a new task, their body may respond with anxiety and avoidance. But if they imagine themselves navigating challenges with determination and calm, they start to behave in ways that make that outcome more likely. The future they visualise becomes a self-fulfilling map for the present.

4. Poetic principle: What we choose to notice becomes the story we live

Our experiences are vast, yet we only live within the parts we choose to notice. This principle teaches young philosophers that where they place their attention determines the narrative they build around themselves. Expanding their field of attention helps them construct richer, more balanced stories of who they are and how they are growing.

Reflective process:

• Notice what moments you highlight when reflecting on your day.
• Explore how including different details – not just the hard ones – changes the story.
• Reflect on how your chosen focus shapes your thinking and understanding.

Example: A young philosopher might initially describe their day as “a disaster” because they stumbled during a presentation. But when they also notice the encouragement they received and the progress they made, the narrative becomes more nuanced. They see not just a mistake but also resilience, support, and growth – all of which are equally true and more empowering.

5. Positive principle: Recognise what strengthens rather than what drains

Human beings, like plants, tend to grow towards what gives them life. Paying attention to sources of strength and vitality is not about ignoring problems – it’s about building the energy needed to address them. For young philosophers, cultivating an awareness of what sustains them lays the groundwork for resilience and agency.

Reflective process:

• Identify the moments in your day when you felt most engaged, alive, or connected.
• Explore what conditions made those moments possible.
• Consider how to create more of those conditions in your daily life.

Example: A young philosopher might recall that they felt most energised while mentoring a peer. Recognising this as a strength – the ability to connect and support – helps them see new ways to contribute meaningfully. These strengths-based insights become stepping stones for purposeful action.

6. Wholeness principle: How we value every part of ourselves and see how it belongs to the whole

Wholeness is the practice of welcoming all aspects of the self – including the parts we would rather ignore or hide. Growth occurs when young philosophers learn that vulnerability, uncertainty, and doubt are not weaknesses to suppress but parts of a complete, authentic identity.

Reflective process:

• Identify parts of yourself you often silence or ignore.
• Reflect on how these parts might have wisdom or value.
• Practise integrating them into your self-understanding rather than pushing them away.

Example: A young philosopher might resent their cautious side, believing it holds them back. But when they recognise that caution also helps them make thoughtful decisions, they begin to see it as a strength. This integration reduces internal conflict and builds a more coherent, compassionate sense of self.

7. Enactment principle: How we live our values now is already a step towards the future we want

“Becoming” is not a distant event – it is something we practise now. Every action taken today that reflects the values of the future self helps bring that version of the self into being. For young philosophers, this means they don’t have to wait to “become” – they can begin right now.

Reflective process:

• Identify a quality or role you aspire to embody in the future.
• Choose a small action today that reflects that aspiration.
• Reflect on how these actions influence how you see yourself.

Example: A young philosopher who wants to lead with kindness might make a conscious effort to listen deeply to a friend today. This act is not a rehearsal – it is leadership in action. By living a small part of the future now, they begin to embody the person they wish to become.

8. Narrative principle: See that the stories we tell can open or close possibilities

The stories we tell about ourselves shape what we believe we’re capable of. They can quietly set boundaries or open up new directions, influencing the choices we make and the risks we’re willing to take. When young philosophers learn to question and rewrite those stories, they realise that identity isn’t fixed – it’s something they can shape and reshape as they grow.

Reflective process:

• Identify the recurring stories you tell about who you are.
• Ask yourself if those stories are complete or if new perspectives could be added.
• Experiment with telling a story that emphasises growth, effort, and change.

Example: A young philosopher who often says, “I’m not the type to speak up”, can challenge this story by recognising times they did express their views. By rewriting their narrative as, “I’m learning to share my voice more often”, they expand their identity and the range of choices available to them.

9. Free Choice principle: Notice where choice is still possible, even in small ways

When life feels beyond our control, there are still decisions we can make – about how we respond and where we direct our energy. Recognising these small but meaningful choices reminds young philosophers that, while they may not shape the situation itself, they can shape their experience within it.

Reflective process:

• Identify areas, however small, where there is still a choice.
• Make intentional decisions in those areas.
• Reflect on how those decisions change the experience of the situation.

Example: A young philosopher might not be able to change a difficult assignment, but they can choose how they approach it – with resentment or with curiosity. That choice alone can shift their energy, engagement, and the meaning they attach to the experience.

10. Awareness principle: Acknowledge the full range of what we feel without turning away

Awareness invites young philosophers to approach their inner world with openness and curiosity. Instead of avoiding uncomfortable feelings, they learn to see them as signals – messages about what matters most. Emotional literacy deepens their capacity for empathy and resilience.

Reflective process:

• Pause and notice emotional responses without judgement.
• Ask what each feeling might be trying to communicate.
• Practise holding multiple emotions together without rushing to resolve them.

Example: A young philosopher might feel both sadness and excitement before moving to a new school. Instead of trying to push one feeling away, they can acknowledge that sadness honours what they’re leaving behind, while excitement celebrates what’s ahead. Holding both allows for a richer, more integrated experience.

Living the principles

These ten principles form more than a reflective framework: they are a way of being. They teach young people that language shapes identity, that questions create change, that the future is already unfolding, and that their stories are theirs to rewrite. They remind them that every part of themselves belongs, that choice is always possible, and that emotions carry wisdom rather than weakness.

When we guide young philosophers through these pathways, we help them move beyond passive reflection into active authorship of their lives. In doing so, we give them more than tools for coping – we nurture their capacity for meaning, agency, and connection in a complex and changing world.

Voices from the Field

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Keith Storace | Australia

Keith Storace is a registered psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA) and an associate fellow with the Australasian College of Health Service Management (ACHSM). He manages a private practice at Kiku Imagination where he applies the Appreciative Dialogue (ApDi) therapy program to assist individuals move toward, strengthen and enjoy what is meaningful while dealing with the challenges they encounter along the way. Keith has been the editor of the Voices from the Field column for AI Practitioner since 2016.

Much of my work with young people centres on one question: how do I help them pause long enough to notice their own strengths and possibilities? Appreciative Inquiry and the Young Philosophers – Cultivating Hope and Agency in a Complex World explores how the principles of Appreciative Inquiry can support young philosophers to reflect more deeply and discover their own strengths, meaning and possibilities. It’s about nurturing hope, agency and the reflective practice that shapes future leaders.

Appreciative Inquiry and the Young Philosophers: Nurturing Hope and Agency in a Complex World

Young people are the thought leaders of tomorrow with the capacity to create futures of meaning, resilience and hope.

In a time when the world feels increasingly complex and rapidly changing, I like to encourage young people to think of themselves as young philosophers. They’re not only dealing with the personal challenges of growing up but also living at the threshold of a global landscape increasingly shaped by technology, uncertainty and cultural change. Artificial intelligence, climate disruption, political instability, and the constant noise of social media create an environment that – to a large extent – influences how their identities are formed and how their futures are envisioned.

Within this environment, their curiosity, restless questioning and willingness to explore what matters are not just signs of youthful searching, but practices that shape who they are becoming. When young people notice that their reflections and inquiries are already influencing how they see themselves and relate to others, they begin to understand that philosophy in everyday life is also the early work of leadership.

Appreciative Inquiry as a guide for young philosophers

Modern life often leaves little time for reflection. Information arrives in a constant stream, and the world presses young people to respond quickly, rather than to pause and think. However, it is precisely this pause – the willingness to ask deeper questions – that builds resilience and vision.

In my psychology and consulting work, I often draw on the principles of Appreciative Inquiry, first introduced by David Cooperrider and Suresh Srivastva (1987). Over time, these principles have been further elaborated by others within the field and I continue to use them in practice as reflective tools, particularly when engaging with young people. They serve either to frame a conversation or as prompts that encourage deeper reflection. In doing so, they help shift the focus from reacting to immediate pressures towards recognising personal strengths, noticing emerging possibilities, and attending to what truly matters.

Lea Waters and Mathew White (2015), in Case Study of a School Wellbeing Initiative: Using Appreciative Inquiry to Support Positive Change, demonstrate how Appreciative Inquiry at St Peter’s College in Adelaide, Australia, enabled students to become active participants in shaping a culture of wellbeing and to see themselves as contributors to positive change. Similarly, Jeanie Cockell and Joan McArthur-Blair (2012), in Appreciative Inquiry in Higher Education: A Transformative Force, show how Appreciative Inquiry can enhance the educational experience by highlighting strengths, successes and aspirations, helping students to view their learning less as a burden and more as an opportunity.

Ten principles for young philosophers

These ten principles for young philosophers, inspired by Appreciative Inquiry, serve as a guide for reflection. Each principle provides a way of viewing experience that fosters curiosity rather than judgement. By posing new questions about themselves and their world, young people can learn that reflection is not a passive exercise but an active shaping of identity, meaning, and possibility.

1. Constructionist principle

Reflection Language shapes experience.

A young philosopher might wonder: If I say I am “stuck,” do I block out the possibility that I’m simply pausing, gathering my thoughts, or preparing? What changes when I say, “I’m learning” instead of “I’m failing”?

2. Simultaneity principle

Reflection Curiosity itself is an action.

A young philosopher might consider: What if, during a moment of tension, I asked not “Why is this going wrong?” but “What matters most here?” That single question could already be a step toward change.

3. Anticipatory principle

Reflection The future takes shape in the images we hold of it.

A young philosopher may wonder: What future is already running in my imagination? If I rehearse fear, my body tenses as though it’s real. If I rehearse courage or kindness, those qualities begin to grow in me now.

4. Poetic principle

Reflection What we choose to notice becomes the story we live.

A young philosopher might ask: What am I choosing to underline in today’s story? Do I highlight the moments of laughter, the mistakes, the kindness I received, or all of them?

5. Positive principle

Reflection Recognise what strengthens rather than what drains.

A young philosopher might ask at the end of the day: When did I feel most alive, even for a moment? By collecting these sparks, I learn that resilience is built from taking the time to notice the energy-giving moments, not in pretending that everything is fine.

6. Wholeness principle

Reflection How we value every part of ourselves and see how it belongs to the whole.

A young philosopher might wonder: What would happen if I allowed the quiet or uncertain part of me to speak, instead of keeping it hidden? Wholeness is less about perfection and more about letting the many sides of myself be heard.

7. Enactment principle

Reflection How we live our values now is already a step toward the future we want.

A young philosopher might ask: If I hope to be a kind leader one day, how have I already practised even a small fragment of that today? Each choice carries the echo of the future.

8. Narrative principle

Reflection See that the stories we tell can open or close possibilities.

A young philosopher might catch themselves saying, “No one cares what I think”, and then ask: Is that the whole story? What other chapters might I write that show my voice does matter?

9. Free Choice principle

Reflection Notice where choice is still possible, even in small ways.

A young philosopher might ask: What is still mine to decide here, however small? It may be choosing my words in response to criticism or meeting harshness with gentleness.

10. Awareness principle

Reflection Acknowledge the full range of what we feel without turning away.

A young philosopher might reflect: Can I notice my excitement without ignoring my anxiety, or acknowledge grief without losing sight of joy? Awareness is about allowing each feeling to be seen for what it is, without rushing to erase it.

The words we choose, the stories we tell, the futures we imagine, and the choices we make are all acts of philosophy. Through the principles of Appreciative Inquiry, reflection becomes a practice of seeing differently, recognising strengths, exploring uncertainty, and nurturing the agency to contribute to change.

The leaders young people are becoming

The journey of young people through Appreciative Inquiry isn’t about providing them with ready-made answers but about offering them a way of seeing themselves and the world with greater depth. Reflection becomes both a foundation and a direction – helping them pause amid the noise, recognise the threads of strength already there, and imagine futures that build on those strengths. In this way, philosophy isn’t just an abstract idea, but a lived practice, shaping how young people navigate relationships, communities, and the unfolding challenges of their time. They are the thought leaders of tomorrow, with the capacity to create futures of meaning, resilience, and hope.

REFERENCES

Cockell, J. & McArthur-Blair, J. (2012) Appreciative Inquiry in Higher Education: A transformative force. Jossey-Bass.

Cooperrider, D. L. & Srivastva, S. (1987) Appreciative Inquiry in Organizational Life. Research in Organizational Change and Development, 1(1), 129–169.

Waters, L. & White, M. (2015) Case Study of a School Wellbeing Initiative: Using Appreciative Inquiry to support positive change. International Journal of Wellbeing, 5(1), 19–32.

In a time when climate anxiety threatens to thwart collective action, Shaun McInerney’s case study, “Applying Appreciative Inquiry to Our Own Climate Action”, offers a refreshingly hopeful and practical perspective through his use of Appreciative Inquiry (AI) in educational and sustainability contexts. Drawing on his experience as a school leader and facilitator of system-level change, McInerney explores how shifting from deficit-based narratives to strengths-based, system-aware engagement can reframe our approach to the climate crisis. His reflective account illustrates how the emergent principles of AI – Wholeness, Enactment, Free choice, Awareness and Narrative – can support personal insight and collective resilience. What makes this piece especially heartening is its ability to inspire possibility in the face of complexity, inviting us to act not from fear, but from a place of connection, curiosity and shared purpose. It’s a pleasure to welcome Shaun as a contributor to this issue of AI Practitioner, and I invite readers to engage with and enjoy his article.

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Keith Storace | Australia

Keith Storace is a registered psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA) and an associate fellow with the Australasian College of Health Service Management (ACHSM). He manages a private practice at Kiku Imagination where he applies the Appreciative Dialogue (ApDi) therapy program to assist individuals move toward, strengthen and enjoy what is meaningful while dealing with the challenges they encounter along the way. Keith Storace has been the editor of the Voices from the Field column for AI Practitioner since 2016.

Shaun McInerney | United Kingdom

Shaun McInerney is a former school principal with leadership experience in innovative inner-city schools in the UK and abroad. Now at the University of Worcester’s Institute of Education working as the Strategy and Programme Lead for the School Effectiveness Team, Shaun designs and delivers leadership development, coaching school and system leaders to meet the evolving needs of young people in a fast-changing, complex world.

Applying Appreciative Inquiry to Our Own Climate Action | A Case Study

As a former principal of an innovative school in England, I was once asked for one wish to shift us towards a more relevant, responsive and resilient education system. My attention immediately turned to the deficit-based thinking that currently dominates our policy and practice. Imagine if we could shift to more positive, asset-based, appreciative default setting. What might be possible then for the hopes, dreams and aspirations for all young people within schools, and for the collective regenerative action we need to shift wicked problems outside them?

Alex Arnold’s article in AI Practitioner in November 2023 brough me back to this moment because she applied the principles of Appreciative Inquiry (AI) to climate action. This resonated because in November 2023 I was engaged in a Sustainable Leadership Summit, organised by The Edge Foundation and Schools of Tomorrow in the UK, which convenes school leaders and their students to learn and co-create together. I was asked to contribute a plenary session to this day, informed by my role at the University of Worcester where I support school and system leaders to lead change in the education system and in my role as a trustee at The Impact Trust which supports our transition to a world of collective resilience. In this column I want to unpack my own motivations for engaging Appreciative Inquiry for this particular project; explore my choice of tools and reflect on my own learning and the emerging impact of the project.

Alex’s piece was framed around the five core principles of Appreciative Inquiry which I will use to consider my own enactment. These are summarised in Quinney and Slack (2017) as: the Wholeness principle; the Enactment principle; the Free choice principle; the Awareness principle and the Narrative principle. These emergent principles encourage us to use AI reflexively, i.e. as a way of understanding ourselves in relation to the wider system as we do our work in the world.

This seems an appropriate lens when applying Appreciative Inquiry to our own climate action because making our own contribution relies on us growing through the action we are taking so that we can both think and act differently as we address issues that are of common concern and need collective action. In this sense climate action isn’t solving a problem; we are the problem to be solved. Working with these emergent principles may help shine some light on this.

The challenge and choices

When it comes to the climate crisis, despondency is the default position for most people. However, young people can be powerful agents of environmental change and adults have a responsibility to support this while not passing the responsibility for an older generation’s failures onto this next generation to remedy (Bandura & Cherry, 2020). For this reason, Appreciative Inquiry has become my default approach when working with schools and young people around this issue. The wellbeing impact of AI is well documented (Orem et al., 2007). Moreover Schwarz et al. (2022) have outlined that collective action can act as a buffer against serious mental health issues arising from eco-anxiety.

The Free choice principle: Wake up, show up and grow up!

The focus of the 45-minute session I was asked to facilitate was ‘Designing a More Sustainable Future for Your School’. The purpose of the session was to use appreciation to help us reflect on our next steps so we can build on what we have learned and start to turn it into purposeful action. I organised the session in three parts using Appreciative Inquiry as an anchor.

Part 1 Grounding the learning from the day in positive appreciation;

Part 2 Setting up a “strengths, opportunities, actions resources” (SOAR) activity that enabled each group of young people alongside their teachers to plan forward; and

Part 3 Setting out a “promises activity” that invited participants to commit to a personal promise to themselves and one to their school.

I framed the session by drawing a link from the powerful learning that had occurred through the day and extending this into the realm of action. I used a provocation based on the choices we all face: to act or not act; to engage or not engage. We all, particularly the adults in the room, have a choice to “wake up; to grow up and to show up” – or not.

The Wholeness principle: Thinking in systems

I started the session with an image of traffic and the popular yet provocative aphorism: we are not “in traffic” we are the traffic. Reframing our perspective to encompass the wider systems of which we are a part is one of the most significant challenges of the current education system, which is focused on transmissive learning that largely ignores the appreciation of nested system within which we are all embedded (Sterling, 2007, p. 51). Addressing climate issues needs to adopt a wider and more holistic pedagogy.

Appreciative Inquiry is an ideal underpinning because it is grounded in social constructivism, which is also a core component of systems thinking. To see ourselves within the systems we inhabit, we first need to bring awareness to ourselves, then to the system, and then to integrate these so we can see ourselves within the system and imagine the potential contribution we might make. The Wholeness principle is evident in this reframe towards a more holistic, inclusive, integrated and deeper understanding of what is.

The Awareness principle: Appreciative post-its

The second phase of the session invited participants to identify one person who has inspired you today. What did they do? To frame the activity, my colleague Malika Dahl from Schools of Tomorrow related instances from her own life where the building of community through action helped her manage her feelings around the ecological and climate emergency. We used a sentence stem: “To…Thank you for…From….” and displayed participants’ post-its to help make the appreciation visible and build relationships through the activity. Making thinking visible is an important metacognitive learning strategy that allows us to surface the role of others in our own learning process. The Awareness principle opens up a deeper understanding because it introduces a relational dimension to our understanding; one that acknowledges our emotions and intuition.

The Enactment principle: SOAR

We become who we are with and through others. The core activity for this session was a SOAR activity that encouraged teachers and their students to identify what they wanted to build on from the learning that they had done that day. The questions were framed to foster collaboration, discussion and to be accessible to participants who ranged from age ten to adult.

Strengths What strengths do you have in your team that you can use?

Opportunities As you look at your own school, what opportunities might there be for you to make a difference?

Aspirations What difference would you like to make through this? What will be different after your project?

Resources What will you need to make this a success? Who can help you?

The Narrative principle: Promises postcards

We change the world one conversation at a time. Understanding that our reality is socially constructed affords us the possibility of creating our own narrative to support the action we want to take. The third phase was a “promises activity”’ suggested by my co-presenter, Malika, with the intention of helping people scaffold their own narrative. Offering time and space for the teams to agree promises for themselves and in relation to their school was a way of planning forward and encouraging them to build on their momentum for action.

The sentence prompts were: My promise to myself is … ; My promise to my school is … . This is reminiscent of the 5D process that connects us to the deeper purpose to our work by Defining, Discovering, Dreaming, Designing our preferred future, which is our Destiny. We invited each group to reflect on the Destiny phase of their project by sending them their promises postcards six months later.

Reflection and reflexivity

It is a rare opportunity for teachers and students to genuinely co-create. An appreciative approach creates conditions of mutuality and connection, and this was evident through smiles and animated conversation. Formative questions emerged, with participants enquiring: how do we give ourselves permission and seek permission from others to take this project forward? How do we engage people with influence to support us? How might we integrate our project into the day-to-day life of our school so it can impact our sustainability? Participating as facilitator, I sensed what was emerging in the Appreciative Inquiry field; I noticed how participants comments reflected this:

The space opened up a sense of wonder: “I appreciate the sounds of the nightingales and storks that have returned to East Sussex”.

Perspective-taking grows as we hear the experience of others: “It has inspired me to care more about the earth … I am grateful for the opportunity to zoom out and take a wider perspective”.

Collaboration builds individual confidence and collective efficacy: “I appreciate everyone’s emphasis on the importance of staying positive in the face of a climate crisis”. “I now feel confident to talk about sustainability in school.” “I appreciate the work others have already carried out to help guide others to get started on their sustainability journey – it inspires hope!”

Coping with the climate transition with fortitude needs to be a triumph of both hope and experience. The kind of hope we need is not one that creates false optimism, but a commanding hope that is astute and realistic (Homer-Dixon, 2021). And the experience of collaboration and growth is one that can, done well, give us connection, collective resilience and a sense of inclusive renewal.

More work needs to be done to create a deeper understanding of the potential for Appreciative Inquiry in schools. As an asset-based approach, it builds resources by strengthening the rich vein of learning and experience students and teachers have within them, and connects them to their own sense of possibility and agency. This lends itself to deeper and more holistic learning that is truly regenerative because it allows us to deepen our knowledge through action as we learn and grow, and renew, together.

REFERENCES AND FURTHER READING

Arnold, A. (2023). Climate Action Starts from Within. AI Practitoner, 25(4), 98–103. https://aipractitioner.com/2023/11/07/bringing-it-home-the-positive-principle-3-2/

Bandura, A. and Cherry, L. (2019) Enlisting the Power of Youth for Climate Change. American Psychologist, 75(7). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0000512

Homer-Dixon, T. F. (2021) Commanding Hope : The power we have to renew a world in peril. Vintage Canada.

Lertzman, R. (2019) How to Turn Climate Anxiety into Action. www.ted.com/talks/renee_lertzman_how_to_turn_climate_anxiety_into_action

Orem, S. et al. (2007) Appreciative Coaching : A positive process for change. Jossey-Bass/Wiley, 2007.

Schwartz, S. et al. (2022) Climate Change Anxiety and Mental Health: Environmental activism as buffer. Current Psychology, 42. link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12144-022-02735-6 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-022-02735-6

Quinney, S. (2017) REFLECTIONS : Realising the power of Appreciative Inquiry. Wordscapes.

Sterling, S.(2001) Sustainable Education : Re-visiting learning and change. Green Books.

Through the Doctorate in Educational, Child and Adolescent Psychology program at Queen’s University Belfast, Dr Carol Strahan and Dr Hassan Regan incorporated Appreciative Inquiry in nurturing the development of early-career Educational Psychologists. Their column examines their use of nature-inspired metaphors along with Appreciative Inquiry’s role in fostering growth by focusing on individuals’ positive cores and creating a collaborative ecosystem. The approach emphasises building on strengths, inclusivity and shared ownership of change, fostering a constructive mindset and enhanced communication among participants. It’s my pleasure to introduce Carol and Hassan as our voices from the field in this issue of AI Practitioner.

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Keith Storace | Australia

Keith Storace is a registered psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA) and an associate fellow with the Australasian College of Health Service Management (ACHSM). He manages a private practice at Kiku Imagination where he applies the Appreciative Dialogue (ApDi) therapy program to assist individuals move toward, strengthen and enjoy what is meaningful while dealing with the challenges they encounter along the way. Keith Storace has been the editor of the Voices from the Field column for AI Practitioner since 2016.

Carol Strahan | Northern Ireland

Dr Carol Strahan is both an occupational and educational psychologist. She is the director of Cavehill Psychology where she seeks to enhance staff and student wellbeing as well as growing potential through her training and supervision. Carol is based in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Hassan Regan | Northern Ireland

Dr Hassan Regan is an educational psychologist with the Education Authority in Northern Ireland. He also serves as a professional and academic tutor for the Doctorate in Educational, Child, and Adolescent Psychology programme, where he trains early-career Educational Psychologists. Hassan’s professional interests include equity, diversity and inclusion, the impacts of trauma, and supporting individuals seeking sanctuary.

Cultivating a Habitat for Early-Career Educational Psychologists to Thrive

Our collaboration using Appreciative Inquiry (AI) began with a unique opportunity to work with early-career Educational Psychologists (EP) through the Doctorate in Educational, Child, and Adolescent Psychology (DECAP) programme at Queen’s University Belfast. These psychologists, with a wealth of experience, skills and qualities were at a pivotal stage in their careers, and the DECAP programme was designed to nurture and develop their potential to make a meaningful impact on the people, systems and structures they encounter.

Although our paths to AI were different, they were complementary. Carol was drawn to AI with a focus on integrating its principles into organisational change and wellbeing training within her private practice. Hassan, on the other hand, was inspired to apply AI in supervisory relationships and in navigating challenging conversations about differences. Despite these different starting points, our shared goal has remained consistent: to harness the positive core of individuals and foster meaningful, lasting change.

This article delves into our experiences with AI, highlighting its transformative potential in educational psychology and beyond.

Stepping into the forest – The use of metaphor

We chose trees, forests and associated concepts for three key reasons: our shared love of nature, their vital role in our ecosystem, and their rich potential as narrative tools to explore and share our experiences.

We had the opportunity to work with the skills and expertise of early-career EPs to positively impact on the people and ecosystem around them throughout their lives. We consider our use of AI as a way of preparing and helping people grow rather than having the growing done to them or on their behalf of them – we consider this to be a collaborative and generative approach akin to cultivating.

Habitat reflects the idea of a natural home or state, as we believe that people’s natural states are inherently well intentioned and positive – the positive core.

Reforestation is the process of replanting an area with trees, an area that has once been forested; the term reflects how we are drawing on and using a resource that was already there, at least in essence. However, it is not just about replanting; we have to consider the diversity of the environment, the impact we have on those around us and then pick the right place to reforest.

As part of our training in AI, we worked together and supported each other in putting the principles and approaches into action through interrelated projects. There are parallels here with the natural phenomenon of inosculation where trees can grow independently yet together and become intertwined – in our case as practitioners, our separate paths to AI, and our use of AI together.

Making connections in the forest – Introducing AI throughout the DECAP programme

We wanted AI to take root in our practices as psychologists. With a supportive team around us, we had the opportunity to introduce early-career EPs to the approaches and principles underpinning AI through teaching and learning sessions. We also did this in other subtle ways: making use of the SOAR approach, for example, incorporating appreciative conversations during supervision sessions, and using AI to inform questions for feedback, interviews, surveys, research projects and so on.

An assisted, natural approach to reforestation – Using the AI 5D cycle

Focusing on one of the ways that we worked together to cultivate and assist reforestation, we used the AI 5D approach as an interactive way to learn about AI and contribute to the growth and development of early-career EPs on the programme. The framework provided a constructive and inclusive process for exploring student wellbeing.

During sessions, we shared our own experiences of AI and our journey as practitioners, discussed tools such as appreciative journalling, appreciative conversations, how we have used AI in our day-to-day interactions, and our use of SOAR. We made use of a range of AI-related materials and activities to promote thinking, talking and sharing with each other – we, as facilitators, modelled AI in our approach, our thinking and actions. Each cohort had a slightly different though related and ultimately connected area of inquiry:

Year 1 – Being the early-career EP we want to be

The beginning of the course focussed on what theparticipants brought to the course, what they hoped to learn and achieve and, most importantly, how they wanted to be as early-career EPs. This was one of the first things they took part in on the training course to encourage group coherence and integration, as well as being thoughtful and intentional about what they hope to achieve in their training.

Year 2 – Wellbeing: Developing a healthy culture in the DECAP programme

The midpoint of the course in which their area of wellbeing was identified by the trainees themselves. We opted to explore how to develop a healthy culture while in DECAP – looking at what they were already doing, what was working well and what else could be done. The reflective component of this is particularly important as our professional competencies and fitness-to-practise considerations include that we actively engage in ways to support and develop our own strategies for wellbeing. Recognising and addressing challenges can positively impact not only the individual student but also the broader educational community – their habitat.

Year 3 – Being the EP we want to be

The final year of the course in which the area of inquiry was reflecting on experiences and skills they have developed thus far, and considering what they wanted to bring from the past to their future role. We considered what steps people would be taking to become the EPs that they wanted to be. This was one of the last activities that they took part in on the programme, giving them a positive end point to their time on it before the next stage of their journey as qualified practitioner psychologists.

Did we cultivate a habitat for early-career EPs to thrive in?

We agreed that it is challenging to be sure that an individual will thrive in the long term; we remained mindful, hopeful and positive and were attentive to markers of engagement and change. We noticed how engaged people were during the activities. It was positive to hear them laughing and collaborating with each other during and after the activities. Hearing them discuss the AI principles, or talking in appreciative ways, was a positive experience for all of us – a marker that AI ideals were taking root, while helping to cultivate our own feelings of satisfaction and achievement, and to an extent self-efficacy.

Some early-career EPs remained sceptical about the AI approach; however, most were interested in pursuing training to equip them to practice AI themselves as they liked how it fitted with their world views and habitat. They could see how they could contribute to cultivating change in other situations.

Reforestation takes root

Applying AI’s 5D cycle to student wellbeing promoted a positive and inclusive approach, focusing on strengths and aspirations rather than problems and deficits, contributing to a supportive educational environment, something that could be brought forward into their careers. We considered these to be signs that the cultivation and reforestation had started to take root.

We encouraged them to develop personal action plans, important as part of being reflective and reflexive practitioners. We hoped they would become self-sustaining. We also emphasised the importance of considering their plans and revisiting them, reflecting on their responsibility for their own habitat as well as contributing to reforestation in their ecosystem. We hope that they will be sufficiently empowered to do so.

Minimising the climate chaos in our own habitat – Some further reflections

We have ourselves learnt much on the journey of incorporating AI into our work, in navigating and minimising some of the climate chaos inherent in our own habitats and ecosystems. Some key learning points include:

The importance of framing questions positively to elicit constructive responses; the power of storytelling in conveying values and experiences; and the need for ongoing communication to sustain positive change.

By focusing on what was already working well, early-career EPs learnt to appreciate and build upon existing strengths rather than dwelling on problems. It created a more constructive mindset among students.

It encouraged open communication, active listening and shared problem-solving. It fostered a sense of inclusivity and a shared ownership of the change process rather, than the responsibility being with the tutors.

Being part of early-career EPs development emphasised the AI values of diverse perspectives and experiences and reminded us how the strengths of an organisation lie in its people and thei diversity. We also learnt to acknowledge and accept that AI may not suit everyone.

Actively facilitating the AI process has honed our facilitation skills. We have developed a deeper understanding of group dynamics, communication strategies and effective ways to guide participants through each stage of the inquiry, ensuring meaningful engagement and collaboration.

The project has been a transformative learning experience, enriching our AI practice through hands-on application, adaptability, ongoing reflection and an expanded toolkit. We had the opportunity, the means and the motive to do our best to cultivate a habitat for early-career EPs to thrive, and we sincerely hope that we have gone some way to achieving this.

It’s my pleasure to introduce Helen Hunt as our voice from the field and her article, “What’s Your Theme Tune?” illustrating how Appreciative Inquiry (AI) can be a powerful tool in healthcare by shifting the focus from errors to excellence, Helen’s narrative details a personal evolution – from rigid institutional thinking to embracing the adaptable, human-centred principles of AI. She highlights key moments of learning, vulnerability and growth, recounting experiences that include facilitating workshops and overcoming imposter syndrome. Helen’s journey highlights AI’s power to foster connection, reframe challenges and inspire hope, culminating in her recognition of AI as integral to both professional development and personal fulfilment.

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Keith Storace | Australia

Keith Storace is a Registered Psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA) and Associate Fellow with the Australasian College of Health Service Management (ACHSM). He manages a private practice at Kiku Imagination where he applies the Appreciative Dialogue (ApDi) therapy program to assist individuals move toward, strengthen, and enjoy what is meaningful while dealing with the challenges they encounter along the way. 

Helen Hunt | United Kingdom

Helen Hunt’s 24-year career with the NHS in the UK has seen her transition from frontline roles to senior management. Currently assistant programme manager at Health Innovation West Midlands, she focuses on developing and implementing evidence-based healthcare improvements through impactful initiatives, including the Learning from Excellence programme. Helen’s contribution to two Health Service Journal awards, her role in introducing Appreciative Inquiry to her region, and her ongoing pursuit of a Master of Science (MSc) in Healthcare Leadership, reflect her passion and commitment to enhancing quality of life.

What’s Your Theme Tune?

Eight years ago, if someone had asked a younger and pre-perimenopausal Helen “what theme tune plays in your head when you are asked to speak about your Appreciative Inquiry practice?”, it would be the Mission Impossible theme music playing in my head. I would have thrown my arms up in protest “No way, not me! I can’t do that, let me direct you to the experts!” Fast forward to now, and my theme tune is Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.

Discovering Appreciative Inquiry

My AI journey began through my work at Health Innovation West Midlands (HIWM), located in the central part of England known for being one of the most urbanised areas in the UK. HIWM is one of fifteen innovation networks across the country established by the National Health Service (NHS) to connect health and social care, academic organisations, local authorities, third sector, industry and citizens to spread innovation at pace and scale – improving health and generating economic growth. In my role as assistant programme manager at HIWM, I supported the Learning from Excellence (LFE) programme. LFE is a philosophy that shifts the focus from healthcare errors to learning from the excellence that happens every day in healthcare. It helps to rebalance the scales. LFE reports are created citing the excellence by answering three questions:

What happened?

Who was involved? And

What can we learn from this?

The founder of LFE, Adrian Plunkett, wanted to take the learnings from the reports and use the insights for continuous improvement. He felt that the standard root-cause analysis method was insufficient and stumbled across David Cooperrider’s work in AI. As we took LFE on tour across the West Midlands region, the same questions cropped up: Where can I learn about AI? How can I access it? Can you arrange training? As a pragmatic person – and in a lightbulb moment – I saw an opportunity to jump in and answer the calling! Adrian introduced me to Suzanne Quinney and Tim Slack from Appreciating People, a company name I have always loved. Imagine being asked where you work and answering with a grin, “Appreciating People”!

Shifting from institutional thinking to AI

Personally, at this point in my career, I recognised that I was still institutionalised to the NHS way of thinking – being rigid and needing specifics answered. I soon realised that AI is highly adaptable to the complexities of healthcare and not constrained by a one-size-fits-all model. Suzanne was very patient with me as she guided me through an enlightening journey. We set up our first two-day workshop for twenty people. I wasn’t yet convinced, and I would be on the course as well to learn from this new AI approach. I will be honest and say my heart wasn’t in it. I saw it as a transactional work programme of activity. I was responding to the need of my organisation, to delivering an output of how many people in the NHS we could get “…trained in AI”.

Suzanne opened the workshop with her classic ice breaker: asking participants to pick two image cards to express what they felt about AI now, and where they wanted to be after the course. She role-modelled, becoming emotional as she shared her response. Her openness and ability to share her feelings unnerved me; it is not something I was used to. This caught me off guard. I worked at a large acute hospital from the age of 18, a place where you left your problems at the door and put your “game face” on for the day ahead. Other participants began to share their thoughts, and I saw raw emotion from them as well – some of that emotion was unrelated to AI, but connected to the current turmoil they were experiencing at work or at home. It became clear that people were looking for hope through AI. When it was my turn to share, I wasn’t 100% true to mysel, and, despite the emotion shown by others, I still didn’t feel I had permission to be vulnerable. I gave a corporate response.

Practice and reframing in action

I attended all the AI sessions that were being delivered in order to build connections and to network. Throughout this period, I realised that I was becoming drawn to the methodology. Appreciative Inquiry had found me at a time when I didn’t realise how much I needed it. I had started a new role with autonomy that I wasn’t used to, and working with a manager who supported me and didn’t try to micromanage my work. This was new to me. I was finding it hard to adjust.

Over time, my interactions with AI became more regular due to the demand from stakeholders. I became aware of using AI techniques without thinking, almost like muscle memory. I have found “reframing” to be a particularly valuable tool in my role supporting NHS organisations to implement innovations in changes to medicines, technology or behaviour. These innovations are often implemented without any additional funding and can be viewed as “one more thing to do” on top of their already busy day jobs. Often, when I first meet stakeholders, they will put up walls by explaining their current landscape: lack of resources, staff and time. By listening and allowing them to vent, I enable them to be heard. I can then subtly introduce a reframe question to help them identify the positive aspects of their work. I don’t ignore the negativity, but I want to fire up their passion and remind them of why they decided to work in healthcare.

Returning to my roots: Overcoming fear and imposter syndrome

In the summer of 2024, I was invited to co-deliver a workshop with my human factors colleague at the Care and Compassion: Fostering a Culture of Civility conference. Human factors is the study of how people interact with machines, tools, systems and processes. I felt the pressure, as the conference was held at the last acute Trust where I had worked from the age of eighteen. On top of that, we were asked to deliver two 45-minute sessions introducing AI and Human Factors!

The years 2023/24 have been challenging for my Trust, which has been under the spotlight of change, scrutiny and action as they embarked on new ways of working – at a significant pace. Led by a new chair and CEO, the intensive change programme is addressing concerns raised by regulators, stakeholders and media around patient safety, governance and culture. It has also been supported by findings from Care Quality Commission inspections and three independently commissioned reviews, including the voices of over 4,500 colleagues in the culture review, as well as 7,000 colleagues in the national staff survey.

At this point, I would have been confident in saying “I can deliver AI concepts and support you with them”, but to deliver in my “home” hospital with people who knew me triggered my imposter syndrome. In the end, my AI muscle took over; I felt compelled to support this conference and play my part in helping with the Trust’s and its stakeholders’ recovery.

A workshop that sparked connection and growth

My colleague and I designed a workshop aimed to introduce AI and Human Factors concepts to participants, many of whom were unfamiliar with these topics. The session included two exercises:

1. Personal story sharing: Participants shared personal stories of success, focusing on leadership or personal experiences. They listened to and identified strengths in each other’s stories.
2. Good leadership moments: Participants shared instances of good leadership they had experienced or witnessed. They answered supplementary questions about what made the leadership effective, what enabled it and what could enhance future leadership moments like these to happen more often.

AI practitioners reading this who are well-versed in AI may think this seems a fairly low-level in introduction to AI, but I must give you context. This hospital has endured significant trauma. I am not exaggerating when I say that staff suffer symptoms typical of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). I know this; I am one of them. I have also been that manager that has carried out poor practice. Therefore, a workshop like ours being delivered two years ago would have been laughed at and thrown out. This was my chance; there was a crack in the doorway, and I was determined to open the door fully.

The room we were given to deliver the workshop in was down a tiny corridor, with chairs laid out like a lecture theatre and no windows. “Oh no,” I thought as I walked in with the Jaws theme music playing in my mind. No windows. I remembered quickly how Suzanne always requested a training room with windows and access to outdoors if possible. (Rookie mistake, Helen! Note to self for next time.)

A classic reframe moment

In a classic reframe moment, we quickly jumped into action and rearranged the room to be one big circle. We also brought a small bag of sweets to put on each chair; sharing food is a universal human connection. I hoped this would strengthen a positive first impression.

Deep breaths: it’s show time. I was the lead facilitator and role-modelled the exercises we wanted people attending to participate in. I found myself feeling emotional. I then realised what Suzanne feels when she delivers AI training. I felt a deep responsibility to show people in front of me that there is a different way of doing things, and that this isn’t all “fluffy stuff”.

A new tune: Embracing Appreciative Inquiry as a practitioner

We let the conversations unfold. I was nervous, but I needn’t have been. I saw moments of animated hand gestures, people leaning in toward one another (these pairs were strangers, remember), and the room growing louder with lively discussion. We even had to interrupt to bring the exercise to a close – a wonderful sign of engagement!

As people left the room, many shared how wonderful the experience had been – something they had never felt before. During the feedback session, some became emotional as they reflected on their “sparkling moments”. It was an incredible, raw and in-the-moment experience that I will always treasure. We were even invited to several team meetings to replicate what we had done. I was absolutely thrilled and proud to have overcome my imposter syndrome. I can now confidently say that I am a practitioner of Appreciative Inquiry.

In this issue of AI Practitioner, it’s my pleasure to introduce Katy Fisher and her inspirational work. Her column, “Finding Magic in Strengths-Based Nursing”, offers a deeply personal account of how a single experience with a dementia patient named Irene transformed Katy’s understanding of nursing. Through the lens of Appreciative Inquiry, Katy explores the profound impact of connection, trust and holistic care on both patients and caregivers. Her story, rooted in the tender moments shared between Irene and her sister, illustrates the powerful potential of strengths-based care to create healing environments where compassion and human connection take precedence. 

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Keith Storace | Australia

Keith Storace is a Registered Psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA) and Associate Fellow with the Australasian College of Health Service Management (ACHSM). He manages a private practice at Kiku Imagination where he applies the Appreciative Dialogue (ApDi) therapy program to assist individuals move toward, strengthen, and enjoy what is meaningful while dealing with the challenges they encounter along the way. 

Katy Fisher | United Kingdom 

Katy Fisher is currently co-host of the Caring Corner podcast and website and Senior Nurse (quality and Improvement) at NHS Professionals. After starting her career as an adult registered nurse practising in acute stroke, acute neurology, complex discharge planning and general medical nursing, she progressed to lead clinical governance, quality and risk-management frameworks in acute hospitals. She is passionate about making patient safety theory and methodology appreciative in a frontline healthcare setting. Website: https://caringcorner2. wordpress.com 

Finding Magic in Strengths-Based Nursing 

This is a story of how a single experience with a patient named Irene a pseudonym taught me the true essence of nursing – an experience that encompasses the aspects of Appreciative Inquiry (AI) that I now fight so hard for others to recognise. These events gave me trust in a strengths-based process, the poetic principle in action, and the importance of listening to my patients and their loved ones to provide holistic care. 

I am now a senior nurse for quality and improvement working in the UK, a co-host and founder of a podcast focused on learning from Appreciative Inquiry in health and care, and I also work in patient safety, aiming to map out Appreciative Governance models. But essentially, I am a nurse and a human being. 

I had peaked in nursing before I had even started, before I had even qualified. It took me twenty years to realise this, and approximately twenty seconds to be at peace with it. 

Initial observations 

I had just started working in a nursing home in the UK, before studying to be a nurse, where I witnessed an elderly woman with dementia, Irene, who continued to show signs of “agitation and aggression”. All I could see was fear and confusion, and the only time this abated was when her sister visited every two weeks. 

Although non-verbal by this time, Irene’s movement changed: her head lifted slightly and her breathing calmed. It was incredibly hard for her sister, as they had lived together, shared wonderful memories and, up until recently, had at least been able to communicate verbally in some way. No-one had explained to me at that time the principles of connected community to support generativity in a dementia patient, or the importance of love in healing, but I realise only now, belatedly, that I could feel its magic then. 

The power of connection 

Irene’s sister sang to her every fortnight and, although no active reciprocation was witnessed, she took comfort in knowing that she was singing the song to her sister that their father had sung to them long ago. “Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer, do…” would ring through the lounge area for those brief moments, perhaps bringing some small relief to both sisters. 

Challenges in the nursing home 

To the care assistants, Irene was identified through handover as “regularly aggressive and can lash out, only deliver personal hygiene in pairs”. There was no specific preference of care, detail of what type of woman she was, and, as I started to realise, no real consideration of consent. The care plans lacked a personal touch, focusing more on Irene’s aggressive behaviour than on her needs as an individual. This systemic issue stemmed from time constraints and a lack of resources. 

These reflections are not intended to dwell on the negative. As AI enthusiasts, we recognise the value of looking at the whole picture – the Wholeness principle, which emphasises understanding systems in their entirety rather than in isolated parts. With this in mind, there were many factors that may have contributed to a lack of time, resources or experience necessary to provide truly holistic care. 

In my short time in the nursing home, I had started to understand that Irene’s “periods of aggression” centred around interventions happening to her. What little autonomy she still had was being taken away, and her world had become ever smaller. I was given strange looks by the other carers when I knocked on her door before entering, when I described who I was and why I was there, and when I stopped if she showed signs of fear – otherwise construed as aggression. Staff with good intentions had left the radio on in her room, but this also acted as a trigger for further confusion. 

However, I couldn’t help but continue to think about the moment when Irene was at her best, when she was calm and at peace. Her sister did not live near her anymore, but was there a way I could bring some of that peace to her between the sister’s visits? 

Personal approach, innovation and breakthrough moments 

Inspired by Irene’s response to her sister’s visits, I began humming “Daisy Bell” during care routines. Gradually, Irene’s behaviour changed, building trust between us. I followed this same routine every morning and whenever Irene needed care. The care assistants were driven mad by hearing the same song repeatedly! However, I sensed a change in Irene – a certain trust – and that was all I needed. I continued with the process, and two weeks of the same routine brought about enough trust that only one person was needed in the room when Irene required care. It was a massive achievement, and it meant she was not as overcrowded and confused. 

Her sister arrived to visit. She cupped Irene’s face in her hands, fed her grapes and talked about their lives. She read stories from the newspaper, helped her with her drink and sang to her again. To me, it was a small work of magic every time she calmed her and loved her. 

Our routine continued the following week, and Irene continued to show calm and trust in the process. But something else was also happening – she started to hum. 

At first, I couldn’t say for certain that this was meant as musical sound. Maybe it was a coincidence, but it certainly wasn’t aggressive. Over the coming week, there was no denying it – Irene was trying to sing along. 

Reflection on nursing practice 

Looking back, I realised the gap between the deficit-based approach in healthcare and the potential for holistic, appreciative care. Patients should be seen as whole persons, not just as their conditions. 

I cannot express how much those moments changed my life and career. I didn’t have the words back then to talk about how to see patients, not as their condition, but as humans who love, feel and possess more strength than we ever know. That in twenty years’ time, I would promote the storytelling of health and care staff when they have witnessed the magic in their patients. 

I wouldn’t have known at that time that the Poetic principle – a principle that suggests our past, present and future can be endless sources of learning, much like the endless possibilities in a book, film or song – was being applied by both her and me in a form of dance that would generate growth for both of us. That those episodes of care would be seen as appreciative interviews in some eyes. 

What I would have deeply loved back then was for someone to say, “How did you do that?”, “What can we learn from this?” and “There must be more we can do”. What actually happened was a nursing career in a primarily deficit-based approach that could not put into words the magic that continually happened in-between the treatment, documentation and discharge processes. 

The patient who said his first word following a stroke that had rendered him mute, the final breaths of an end-of-life patient made comfortable with their family around them, the gentle squeeze of a relative’s hand that said “thank you” – these are the real moments of wonder that bring people into work and give strength to an organisation and team. 

Lasting impact 

On a fateful Sunday, magic happened, marking the peak of my nursing career. It was a profound lesson in the power of love and connection in healing, underscoring the importance of holistic care and Appreciative Inquiry in nursing. By sharing this story, I hope to inspire others to recognise the magic in their patients and strive for compassionate care. 

Irene’s sister visited that Sunday afternoon. She gently cupped Irene’s face, fed her grapes and talked about their lives. She read stories from the newspaper, helped her with a drink, and sang to her. Irene, without words, sang back, holding the tune while her loving sister wept. In that moment, I knew my nursing career had peaked, and I was entirely at peace with that. 

NOTE: “Irene” is a pseudonym used to protect the patient’s confidentiality 

Featured in this issue of AI Practitioner’s “Voices from the Field”, Åse Fagerlund, Ph.D., highlights the transformative power of positive psychological interventions and Appreciative Inquiry in her insightful short article, “My Appreciative Inquiry Journey: Transforming Psychological Practice through Positive Interventions.” By centring therapy on individuals’ strengths and attributes, Åse’s approach creates a nurturing and empowering environment. Her research and practice are testament to how such positive psychological approaches significantly enhance the ability of young people to develop vital life skills and boost their overall wellbeing. Åse’s collaborative efforts with diverse groups of stakeholders –including students, parents, educators, and community members – foster a robust support network. This interconnection amplifies individual wellness and plays a crucial role in cultivating healthier, more resilient communities. The emphasis on human connection and mutual appreciation underscores its profound impact on psychological practice and community health. It’s my pleasure to introduce Åse Fagerlund and her masterful work in this issue of AI Practitioner.

Download Voices from the Field.

Keith Storace | Australia

Keith Storace is a Registered Psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA) and Associate Fellow with the Australasian College of Health Service Management (ACHSM). He manages a private practice at Kiku Imagination where he applies the Appreciative Dialogue (ApDi) therapy program to assist individuals move toward, strengthen, and enjoy what is meaningful while dealing with the challenges they encounter along the way. 

Åse Fagerlund | Finland 

Åse Fagerlund, Ph.D., is a neuropsychologist, psychotherapist and researcher focusing on increasing mental wellbeing in all her work with individual clients, teams and organizations. Åse is also a certified Appreciative Inquiry practitioner trained by David Cooperrider and Ron Fry. 

My Appreciative Inquiry Journey: Transforming Psychological Practice through Positive Interventions 

From deficit-based to strengths-based 

Sam was 12 years old, but by the looks of him you might have guessed he was around 8. He could hardly sit still in my office, constantly fidgeting with something in his hands. He was there to undergo a neuropsychological examination by me, and I could already see it was not going to be an easy task for either of us. Introducing the procedures I told Sam we would look at what he was good at as well as at what was more difficult for him at school. In my role as the neuropsychologist, I had excellent validated tests at hand, but my problem with them was that I knew they would only reveal deficits in Sam’s cognitive behavioural functioning. His biological mother had been a heavy drinker during pregnancy and Sam suffered from vast brain damage caused by fetal alcohol exposure. Regarding Sam’s strengths, I had no tests. I needed to chat with him informally to be able to tell him and his foster parents about him being kind, a good friend or good at soccer. 

Sam would have been a typical client, as my frustration with a deficit-based way of working grew over many years. That was until I stumbled upon an area in psychology that wasn’t really considered “real” psychology among my colleagues: positive psychology. Very soon I realized I had found the very methods and tools I had been looking for a long time. Here were the tools to help young people map their strengths, not just their difficulties. Finally, I had found evidence-based interventions to teach young people life tools to get them through, or help them handle the difficulties life had thrown at them. The heavier the backpack to carry, the more life skills needed to handle the journey. 

The effects of wellbeing training on children, parents and teachers 

I embraced the opportunity to set up a research project and, since 2015, I have led a research group focusing on testing positive psychological methods to help young people build life skills and increase their wellbeing; first at a non-profit research foundation and now at the Department of Education at the University of Helsinki. Over the years we have seen children increase their psychological wellbeing, positive emotions and hope, as well as diminishing symptoms of depression and stress because of the training. We went on to develop and evaluate wellbeing training for both parents and school staff. We have now seen parents increase their abilities to engage mindfully with their children and be more self-compassionate. We have seen the wellbeing of teachers increase as they have learned about how to teach wellbeing skills to their students. Soon teachers were asking for more. How could they integrate all these tools around wellbeing into a whole school approach? 

Whole school wellbeing 

I heard David Cooperrider speak about something called Appreciative Inquiry (AI) at the International Positive Psychology Association (IPPA) World Congress in Montréal, Canada in 2017, and managed to speak with him: “Oh, you come from Finland,” he said, “do you know Martti Ahtisaari?” 

No, I didn’t know our former president personally, but David apparently did. I realized I had again stumbled upon an important area that might be exactly what I needed to offer the teachers and the schools. I chose to pursue training in AI, but it proved challenging. Despite searching, I found no available courses in Finland or the neighbouring Nordic countries. Finally, in 2019, I travelled to Cleveland USA for training led by David Cooperrider and Ron Fry. 

That training in AI changed my (work)life. Today, I train teachers and parents in applying wellbeing skills, first with themselves, and then with their children or students. And then we go on to build wellbeing plans for entire school communities through AI processes. Wellbeing teams from schools come together and work in collaboration with parents, students and representatives from recreational associations (e.g. the local soccer club or dance group) on mapping what they already do for the wellbeing of young people in their community. 

They dream of what might be and they start planning what will be. As their plans progress, we invite local decision-makers and media to hear about their work to elevate their plans, and the importance of their work. Mostly, I don’t do this alone, but in collaboration with what we call the national home–school association. They can lift the importance of really involving parents and help schools establish local home–school associations for the schools if they don’t already have them. I think many attempts at schools to increase student wellbeing are not as effective as they could be if parents were beneficially involved. It does take a village to raise a child, especially if a child carries that rather heavy backpack. Finally, we try to continue the work with yearly booster gatherings where wellbeing teams from schools come together to share ideas and best practices to move forward. 

Can we narrow the gap between deficit-based and generative-based interventions? 

I am still also the neuropsychologist and psychotherapist, meeting clients with a lot of challenges and often a very negative outlook on life. Meet Lisa and her shame, for example. Lisa was so ashamed of herself she found it awful to attend meetings at work, not to speak of going on work trips. Because what if she slipped and said something embarrassing? What if she didn’t fit in and others found her odd? As a result, she tried her best to be on constant alert and control herself. Apart from being depressed and anxious, she was absolutely exhausted. 

Could work inspired through AI form part of her evidence-based treatment? This is an area where I am learning and trying to find my way forward in my role as a clinician. When a client has a three-hour daily cleaning ritual, or is too anxious to go to work, or is suffering from post traumatic stress disorder, I must stick to evidence-based treatments. Anything else would be unethical. 

Taking treatments further 

But still, I keep wanting to take their treatments further, to focus and work on AI questions like: What might have been a time in your life when you thrived or excelled? What did that feel like? What is your vision for your life? What do you most long for? What might be? I must meet clients where they are in all their anxiety and stress, not ignore but validate the heavy backpacks they carry. When they can walk with them, maybe can we then look for new life paths forward. 

As a neuropsychologist I might describe this process from a subcortical perspective. Below the cortex (the human part of our brains) there is a structure called the amygdala. The amygdala functions as the fear centre of our brains, one we have in common with all other mammals. When a rabbit or a dog or a human gets scared the amygdala is firing and flooding the brain with chemicals to help survival. We go into the well-known fight, flight or freeze reactions. 

My clients in psychotherapy are often in high-alert amygdala-activated states, anxious, fearful or defensive. Positive, generative questions as we find in AI might not reach them then, as survival responses overrule everything else. First, we need to find ways to calm the amygdala enough to handle life challenges. This is what many techniques in psychotherapy are about. Only when the amygdala, or the fear reaction, is within manageable realms are we able to take in new perspectives and be positively creative about our future (Corresponding processes might, by the way, be true of malfunctioning organizations and teams with workers on a constant high alert.) 

To conclude, I think the existing gaps between mental health professionals (as with me, the psychotherapist) and coaches (as with me, the Appreciative Inquiry practitioner) are too wide. The two do not really interact and tend to stay a bit suspicious or ignorant of one another. Still, our clients are the same ones. Employees in companies around the world suffer from mental health

issues like anxiety, depression, or obsessive-compulsive disorders. And, just like psychotherapeutic approaches may benefit from integrating the like of AI-generated frameworks to help clients move forward in their lives, AI processes, whether in the form of summits, teamwork or individual coaching, may also benefit from adapting procedures to the needs of different kinds of individuals. 

For example, imagine my client Lisa participating in an AI summit at her workplace. She might not excel in a typical AI summit format. Instead, she’d be constantly on her guard, afraid of making a fool of herself, afraid of what others might think of her opinions, so she might try to stay as silent as she could and only say things she thinks might please others to hear. Or imagine Lucas, a typical introvert. The VIA strengths assessment might give him top points for prudence, humility and perseverance, but not as much for social skills. In the AI discovery interview he might mumble and stumble some; in small group work, he’d be mostly silent if not prompted to talk. Still Lucas is very bright and creative if given the time to think things through by himself. 

AI summits that help people shine 

How could the procedures at an AI-summit not only accommodate for people like Lisa and Lucas, but help them contribute and shine? They are not uncommon, either. Studies show that around 30% of adults around the globe define themselves as introverted, and 4-5% of adults fulfil diagnoses of anxiety and depression. And I might just as well admit being one of these introverts. I love thinking, learning, listening and teaching. But I don’t thrive in small group discussions dominated by fluent extroverts, where all my energy goes into listening and I easily get overwhelmed. My own creativity and positivity thrive when I can think in peace and quiet. When I write on my own, I get into flow. 

What if we could arrange AI summits where introverts or anxious, unsure ones get to think things through on their own accord, write down their answers or paint them? Not let the extroverts in the room dominate all small group work and lose sight of many great ideas. What if silent energy and joy are just as valuable as loud energy and expressive joy? I would like to end by proposing a challenge: Could we arrange an AI summit about an AI summit where everyone thrives, introverts and extroverts, high self-esteem, and low self-esteem, calm and anxious alike? One size does not fit all. 

Note: For confidentiality, all descriptions of clients in this article have been anonymized, and specific identifying details have been altered. These measures ensure the privacy and protection of individual identities as per ethical research standards.