How do we create spaces where people can truly collaborate and engage with the world – especially in times of uncertainty and intertwined crises?
How do we move beyond quick fixes to address the deeper patterns that keep us stuck?
“The success of an intervention depends on the interior condition of the intervener.” – Bill O’Brien
The guidebook “Partnering with Human Nature - How to Work with the Nervous System in Facilitation” emerges from a simple but profound recognition: how we engage with the world, the work we do, and every intervention we design are deeply influenced by the inner states we operate from. Understanding how stress, overwhelm, and resistance show up in us as facilitators and in the people we work with enables us to create spaces that foster the creativity, flexibility, and innovation our world urgently needs.
Nervous System Informed Facilitation (NIF) brings together nervous system understanding – how our shared biology shapes the way we interpret and respond to the world – with facilitation: the art of creating conditions in which a group can think, decide, and act together more effectively than they could alone. By integrating awareness of nervous system states into facilitation, this approach helps people feel safe, stay present, and collaborate more effectively, even in challenging situations.
The RAW attitude (Regulated, Aware, Warm) is the inner stance that brings NIF to life – leading groups in a way that feels human, inclusive, and grounded. By staying regulated (relaxed and open), facilitators can create a sense of safety and clarity. Awareness can allow them to notice what is happening in themselves and the group, so they can respond to what matters most. Warmth brings compassion and curiosity, rooted in the understanding that everyone – facilitators included – has 'good reasons' for how they act. Together, these qualities help groups navigate complexity and create outcomes that truly matter.
The first chapter lays the foundation of NIF, introducing key concepts and the attitude behind this approach. The second chapter offers guiding principles based on insights from experienced practitioners. The third chapter is a practical toolbox, filled with activities and practices you can apply in workshops and your daily life.
This guidebook draws on insights from over 30 practitioners – therapists, consultants, educators, and more – who shared their experiences through interviews and feedback. It’s rooted in the authors Master’s research and influenced by frameworks like Polyvagal Theory, Somatic Experiencing, NARM, and the work of Thomas Hübl, amongst others. Shaped by conversations, experiments, and reflection, it bridges nervous system science with the practice of facilitation.
Soon we will be launching a crowdfunding campaign to fund a printed edition. As part of the campaign, we will also launch an ebook-version of the guidebook. Sign up to our newsletter when downloading the guidebook to stay up to date about it!
Ideas, practices, and methods from many people, traditions, and places around the world have shaped this guidebook. We believe knowledge grows through sharing and collective learning. That’s why we’re releasing it under a Creative Commons License: You’re welcome to use, share, and adapt the material, as long as you credit us as the original source. Please make it your own.
It all began with a master thesis at MSLS. What started as a research project grew into four years of collaboration, exploring Nervous System Informed Facilitation and what it means to take care of our nervous systems while co-writing a book on the topic. Throughout this journey, we’ve tried to practice together what we learned. Paying attention to our bodies and nervous systems has become an important part of how we work. There were many days when we spent hours writing together, sometimes in intense sprints, and managed to get a lot done while still feeling grounded and connected – to ourselves and to each other. Of course, we’re only human, and it didn’t always work that way. There were also times when we lost touch with ourselves, got overwhelmed, or simply couldn’t find a good way of working together. These experiences have been just as much a part of the learning process. Over the years, we’ve continued to explore what helps us work in ways that feel sustainable, supportive and aligned with human nature – and this handbook is part of that ongoing exploration.
Jonas Baumgart was born in Dresden, Germany in 1990, shortly after the country was reunited. His passion for leadership, the nervous system, and trauma comes partially from his own journey of self discovery and healing, and partially from a deep curiosity about and love for people, relationships and group dynamics. Ever since being part of an alternative festival collective, he has been passionate about the magic that can happen when people come together in mutual support and co-creation towards a shared goal. Currently, he works as a part-time project manager for Mehr Demokratie e.V. building community for dialogue beyond polarization, and as a freelance facilitator and consultant for Community Building.
Cora Niemeier started her professional journey with training in bodywork, followed by a degree in Psychology in the Netherlands and an M.Sc. in Strategic Leadership towards Sustainability in Sweden. She has a background in environmental psychology, ecological studies, and participatory approaches, and has been working with land and agriculture in different ways since 2015. She brings both academic knowledge and practical experience from working with people, organisations and the land. Through her training at KaosPilots in Systemic Activism and Participatory Leadership, she deepened her understanding of the interplay between nervous systems, social systems and ecosystems. She works as a gardener, facilitator and educator, with a focus on regenerative (agri)culture and (bio)diversity. She enjoys bringing different perspectives together while staying connected to what is practical and tangible. This handbook grew out of that mix of experience, curiosity and practice.
Felix Bruns works as a facilitator, host of participatory processes, consultant for organizational development and is training to become a facilitator for trauma integration processes. After his bachelors he took a year to explore more life-serving ways of being human and dove into cultural transformation, nervous system- and trauma-informed facilitation, living in community, commoning, systems thinking and somatics. During his Master's in Strategic Leadership towards Sustainability, he specialized in nervous system informed facilitation and its potential to support transformational processes in complex contexts.
If you’re interested in collaborating, have feedback for us or just want to get in touch, you can e-mail us via contact@raw-facilitation.guide.
