Power not as a single, monolithic force — nor always bad — but it is an ecology in of itself that shape what counts as freedom, legitimacy, and possibility. Power circulates through capitalist markets, religious hierarchies, anti-LGBTQ politics, and more—often hiding in plain sight by making itself feel like the air we breathe. I explore how power and show how my liberation-centered coaching and consulting help you recognize, challenge, and transform those dynamics in your life and work.
Capitalist Power: Freedom as Technique
In my work I draw on Michel Foucault’s insight that modern capitalism governs “free subjects” precisely through the condition of freedom itself. We’re invited to pursue self-interest, but that invitation comes with invisible rails: performance metrics, surveillance practices, and incentive structures that discipline our bodies, time, and attention. I guide clients through exercises that reveal how:
- Competitive markets train us to see peers as rivals rather than collaborators, limiting our capacity for collective action.
- Biometric tracking and productivity dashboards turn us into data points, subtly reinforcing norms of “ideal” performance.
- Entrepreneurial rhetoric masks structural dependencies—workers believe they chose precarity rather than recognizing systemic constraints on options.
By mapping these “freedoms-as-interference,” we co-design organizational practices and personal strategies that reclaim agency—whether that means negotiating alternative metrics at work, building cooperatives, or establishing collective governance structures through my Organizational Culture & Design consulting.
Religious Power: Authoritarian Authority
I’ve supported survivors of high-control religious environments where power blends consent and coercion under divine claims. Drawing on Antonio Gramsci’s theory of cultural hegemony, Ágnes Heller’s work on authoritarianism, and Hannah Arendt’s work on the “banality of evil,” I help you trace how:
- Doctrinal absolutism presents one interpretation of scripture as the only valid “truth,” delegitimizing any form of dissent.
- Communal shaming and fear of spiritual consequences function like legal threats, enforcing conformity through emotional coercion.
- Moral governance extends into civil life when religious norms become laws—impacting education, healthcare, and LGBTQ+ rights.
In our coaching sessions, we unpack these dynamics through timeline mapping, power-flow charts, and boundary-setting rituals that reorient your moral compass toward autonomy. My Trauma Recovery Coaching modules draw on these analyses to rebuild decision-making capacity and reconnect you to your core values.
Anti-LGBTQ Power: Backlash as Strategy
Anti-LGBTQ movements don’t simply repress queer identities—they weaponize moral panic to reshape broader political landscapes. I use Gramsci’s insights on counter-hegemony to show how:
- Legislation banning gender-affirming care or public drag performances serves dual purposes: it targets LGBTQ+ communities and signals loyalty to reactionary constituencies.
- “Family values” rhetoric deploys weasel words to mask discrimination—terms like “parental rights” or “protecting children” evade explicit homophobia while stirring fear.
- State-sanctioned discrimination erodes democratic norms; once legal bodies sanction exclusion, it becomes harder to defend other civil liberties.
Together we build resistance strategies: testimony workshops amplify queer voices; narrative reframing helps allies articulate inclusive values; and policy-advocacy coaching equips you to draft amicus briefs or lobby legislators. These interventions integrate my DEI Transformation frameworks for equitable culture change.
Power in Everyday Institutions
Beyond markets, pulpits, and legislatures, power shapes our daily interactions—in schools, nonprofits, and families. I draw on Foucault’s concepts of disciplinary power and Judith Butler’s idea of performativity to help you see how:
- School curricula normalize certain histories while erasing others, privileging dominant identities.
- Nonprofit “stakeholder engagement” exercises can replicate top-down authority if participants aren’t truly co-designing solutions.
- Family norms often enforce gendered or racialized expectations, subtly policing bodies and behaviors from childhood onward.
In consulting engagements—whether with nonprofit boards or community groups—I facilitate reflexive workshops that surface these hidden structures. We then co-author new protocols: rotating meeting facilitation, shared role-descriptions, and participatory budgeting practices that redistribute decision-making power.
Methodology: Mapping and Transforming Power
My praxis unfolds in four phases:
- Genealogical Tracing: We map the historical emergence of power techniques—discipline, biopolitics, cultural hegemony—across contexts.
- Environmental Scan: We audit policies, communications, and data-practices for embedded power asymmetries.
- Collaborative Design: We co-create counter-power strategies—alternative governance models, narrative counterpoints, restorative-justice protocols.
- Iterative Feedback: We establish participatory evaluation loops so interventions evolve with your community’s needs.
This methodology underpins all my services—from one-on-one coaching to full-scale organizational transformation, to being a co-PI on your research on power.
Working Together: Next Steps
If you’re ready to unmask oppressive power structures and cultivate practices of solidarity and agency, let’s talk.
Reach out through the Contact page to begin.
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I publish essays and toolkits on power analysis, resistance strategies, and collective care. Subscribe below to receive resources directly in your inbox.