The Su Ha approach was first developed by wellbeing specialist Chris Johnstone, who launched the Bristol Happiness Lectures in 2006 to shift the narrative around approaches to happiness and increase awareness about pathways combining emotional wellbeing and sustainability. These annual public lectures ran from 2006 to 2010, and attracted hundreds of people each year. They triggered an ongoing consultation process that led to, and contributed to, the development of the Su Ha approach.
A key element in the sustainable happiness equation is the strengthening of change-making capacity, so that people feel empowered to address their concerns for the world. At a time when aspects of our global situation are becoming more scary and depressing, finding ways to contribute to constructive responses can make our lives more meaningful and satisfying. One of the roots of Su Ha is the Active Hope approach, described in the book Active Hope, co-written by Joanna Macy and Chris Johnstone, and now published in 18 languages. In 2020, Chris got a grant from the Emergence Foundation to develop a free online training in Active Hope that has now reached thousands of people. Since the courses launch in 2023, there have been over 3800 comments made by participants, these giving valuable feedback about the change-making tools the course describes. In addition, a post-course survey of over 280 people completing the course has provided a rich source of additional comments. In this, over 90% of participants reported the course had significantly strengthened their motivation to act for positive change, and their belief that they could make a difference.
You can read a chapter written for the book ‘Holding the Hope’ (2023), that describes the Active Hope training to build change-making capacity, and its evaluation, at this link. Elements of the Active Hope training, both in ideas and practices, have become integrated as part of the Su Ha approach.
Throughout 2023 and also into 2024, Chris took on a more intentional and developed consultation process, interviewing leading practitioners in the wellbeing and change-making fields, exploring with them ideas and practices relevant to Su Ha. Interviews have also been carried out with those interested in Su Ha training and those completing the 8-week Su Ha course or shorter Su Ha workshops. There have been over 30 interviews in this time.
Important contributors to this consultation process included
Mark Williamson of Action for Happiness, UK
Roger Higman of the Network of Wellbeing, UK
Helena Marujo, Positive Psychology Professor, Lisbon
Dr Siham Muntasser, Psychiatrist, The Veterans Administration, US
Fadi El Halabi and Mirna Abi Aad Abi Nassif from the Relational Ecology Center, Beirut, Lebanon
Octavia Hendricks, South Africa,
Gabriela Jones, Psychologist, Sweden
Looby Macnamara, Social permaculture author and designer
Tim Rayner, Climate scientist, UK
Grace Sandels, Yoga teacher, UK
We’re working on a video that brings together some of these voices in introducing the Su Ha approach.