I recently worked as an experience design consultant with Other People Movement (OPM). OPM is a company that applies principles from positive psychology to address loneliness by convening small, diverse groups of strangers to connect deeply with one another. OPM offers Circles, which are facilitated online gatherings that provide tools for people to see and hear one another as their whole selves, and Collectives, which are months-long group memberships of the same people who regularly meet in Circles. I first came to OPM as a member of a 3-month Collective pilot, and found each experience to be moving and nourishing.

OPM founder Sophia knew of my background in applied positive psychology, and therefore my enthusiasm for experiences that satisfy our human need to connect meaningfully and authentically with other people. I also shared my impressions of how successful Circles were from an experience design perspective with her once my first 3-month Collective concluded. It was clear to me that the structure of Circles was already working well, and Sophia is a masterful facilitator. But Sophia knew that even more could be done, and asked for my help in taking OPM to the next level.