After moving to a new state, Found-her, Caryn Oppenheim, started organizing regular themed gatherings for friends, colleagues, and even strangers to connect. On a road trip from Colorado to Massachusetts to be with family in a time of uncertainty, a dear friend planted a seed during a stop in Delaware that would germinate for several more years. The idea to take Caryn’s passion and experience facilitating intentional spaces and put it into action as a business owner had repeatedly surfaced in her mind but there was something about a good friend telling you to get to it that laid down healthy soil for the seed to grow. In the years to follow, she witnessed the negative impact of isolation during the height of the pandemic—it was then she knew bringing people together was a worthy feat that deserved dedicated attention.
Navigating a socially distant world during the COVID crisis dulled our relational awareness and stamina. We are also still learning how to interface virtually in remote settings. This isn’t just about the pandemic, however. Feeling a sense of belonging is a basic need—part of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs—yet in the United States we are suffering through an epidemic of loneliness. In many circumstances, technology distracts us and causes us to be less present. Our communities have become increasingly divided even among people with similar values and ideals because we are not engaging in real conversations. People are exhausted from trying to make ends meet or juggling multiple priorities, which leaves us with little room to just connect.
Authentic connection is both an integral part of our survival and the part of our lives that creates purpose. The warmth, depth, sense of safety, and inspiration for growth that we feel through meaningful interactions can seem foreign in the world today, but they don’t have to be. Found will partner with you to foster these invigorating feelings at work, on your sports fields, in your dating and friendship building lives, and during your special events.
Found
Connection Consultant
You found me!
In my over 13 years of working in the nonprofit sector, the most rewarding thread through my career has been the impact of connection. I’ve learned that introducing the right people to each other at the right time holds the potential to set off a chain of positive consequences.
In my role as a diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging practitioner, I witnessed the power of connecting people across differences, which often led to their increased attention to their own biases and assumptions about themselves and others. I observed how establishing a space for people to relate to and learn from each other, fostered a renewed sense of community. As a manager of a pro bono mental health program, I understood that a free session with a therapist offered relief and hope. Working with young adults, I noticed connecting first-generation college students or teen leaders to an inspirational speaker at a training transformed the possibilities they envisioned for their future. Lastly, I know the first friendly faces an asylum seeker sees entering a new country creates a first impression that shapes how a new arrival feels and thinks about a country for a lifetime.
Whether it is the potential for a job opportunity, a life-long friend, answers to lingering personal or professional questions, or a chance to be seen — these moments matter. This is why I am in the business of connection.
Values in Facilitation
Vulnerability & Depth
Our favorite groups to work with are those who explore their areas for growth, name their fears, and model transparency. When facilitators and participants demonstrate authenticity, trust often becomes the pathway towards sustainable connection.
Playfulness
Found’s founder was raised on consistent doses of goofiness and puns and will offer moments of lightness while working together. If you struggle with vulnerability, feel reserved in groups, or find it hard to play, we have a reputation for setting up safety by carving out space for introverts, establishing group norms, and serving as a friendly and compassionate facilitator.
Shared Accountability
We believe in community-informed approaches with integrity-driven support from leaders. We have served in both leadership positions and as team contributors. We understand the necessity of creating brave and safer spaces to access participation while also holding that people have to be ready and open to connect in meaningful ways.
Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging
As people from diverse backgrounds and training in partnering with diverse communities, we are primed to attune to power dynamics and facilitate a container where inclusion and equity remain prioritized.
We welcome additional questions you may have about our facilitation style.
