C.A.S.A
The #1 way to make your way home
profound events
cultivating real connection
Distracting from Destruction?
What seems like productivity, performance and event 'growth' could simply be distraction from the destruction required to make change. I bought the books, did the workshops, saw the psychologists, listened to the podcasts, 'took action', sang kumbaya and found myself in downward dog often. The 'personal growth' work was steady, incremental and at the same time — inside my comfort zone — the place where real change goes to die. Transformation demands chaos and creativity at the same time. Everyday there is a moment of distraction or destruction you can choose, our events are designed to hold you through the destruction.
NAVA — aka Melissa Stefano
Change happens when we become who we are
The Paradoxical Theory of Change
Change happens naturally when we become who we are, rather than striving to become something we are not. Forcing change leads to resistance, stagnation and procrastination. The problem is the personal growth industry has a culture of 'doing' and 'taking action.'
There's no place like a safe (wildly uncomfortable) home.
Our event experiences are different to other personal growth, professional development and leadership trainings and workshops.
No courses. No homework. No learning. No teaching. No mentoring.
Just space, to unplug, unfold, take a breath and be with unlike-minded people.
You are buying our time. It's not a great business model, but it's a great mental health model.
We're Creating a New World for the Lost Child in all of us.
We are lost until we are sound
We're not saying everyone is lost, but the way the world is may mean there are feelings of loneliness some of the time— and not just in relationships, in business and in how you view the world.
Feeling a bit lost can also be; lonely, displaced or experiencing imposter syndrome. Maybe you are masking, high-functioning and over-functioning to save face. And it may also be when you are maintainging friendship, relationships and busienss partnerships to keep the peace.
The part of you that feels icky, angry, hurt, frustrated, sad, exhausted — that is the lost part, that hasn't quite synchronized with the other parts.
We are lost until we are sound
Navigating towards a sense of self
RELATIONSHIP: Family, friendships and social connections
Do you feel disconnected?DEMOGRAPHIC. Age, gender, location, education
Is this part of you getting in your way?SOCIOGRAPHIC: Values, lifestyles, social groups, and behaviors.
Are these elements changing and sometimes confusing? Or are you fundamentalist and feel your way is right?CULTURAL: Identity, traditions and systemic oppression.
Do you feel uncertain or uncomfortable about the nature of your heritage? Or do you think your culture is better than or less than other cultures?CORPORATE: Workforce, organizational structures, and industry impact
Do you feel stuck in corporate, but at the same time love what you do?SOCIO-ECONOMIC: Class, financial stability, and economic mobility
Are you working hard to support your kids, but then not able to be present, or secretly don't want to be present?WEALTH & HIGH-FUNCTIONING: Power, privilege and disconnection with contribution
Do you seem to have it all, but really are disconnected and don't know how to get out of it?
Synchronizing:
TRAUMA & TRIUMPH
If we can recover from violence or self-doubt we can fall in love with ourselves and finally have a sense of freedom.
the feeling of relief
Synchronizing
CHAOS & CREATIVITY
If we can recover from burnout or low self-worth, we can see what we are made for and enjoy a brighter reality.
making good judgements
Synchronizing
INNOVATION & INTIMACY
If we are recovering from a sense of abandonment or the feeling we don't belong we can be in rhythm with ourselves.
in rhythm
Synchronizing
MEANING & MONEY
When we have recovered from craving and seeking more we can build a new future and be in harmony with ourselves, the people that love us, and the world ahead of us.
clean or corrupt?
Which house is right for you?
Our houses are built for you to find your own way in your own time. All four houses can be for beginners and enthusiasts, but not all houses will be for if you are trying to distract from the destruction.
THE HOUSE OF FREEDOM
Synchronizing Trauma & Triumph
It isn't about choosing between black and white, dark and light, but giving you the capacity to hold them both—honoring the horror without losing the hope.
THE HOUSE OF FREEDOM
Synchronizing Chaos & Creativity
When things are unravelling, and you have just been diagnosed with an illness or condition or dealing with a breakup, creativity comes second to the great 'survival mode.'
THE HOUSE OF GROOVE
Synchronizing Intimacy & Innovation
They say don't mix business with pleasure, but when well informed, the intimacy of deep trust fuels innovation and the most radical ideas.
THE HOUSE OF PLENTY
Synchronizing Meaning & Money
When money defines meaning, purpose and impact gets diluted—this cocreation is defining clean, from corrupt and to not let one consume the other.
SYNCHRONIZING
Real-time opportunities, real intimacy
and real connection.
If we find the tension point between two contrasting beliefs at the same time, we can find real connection, real intimacy and all that jazz.
The Lost Children — Relationships. Family, friendships and social connections
Estranged Family Members – Cut off due to conflict or differing beliefs, struggling with disconnection.
Children of Addicts – Forced into adult responsibilities too soon.
Incarcerated Mothers and Fathers – Struggling with the emotional and social exile of prison.
Caregivers – Sacrificing their own needs to care for others, often without recognition.
2. The Lost Children — Demographic. Age. Gender. Location. Education
Foster Youth Who Age Out of the System – Left without support, they struggle with education, employment, and housing.
Elderly in Isolation – Many older adults live alone, feeling forgotten.
Children of Divorce or High-Conflict Homes – Often caught between parents, they may struggle with stability and belonging.
Tech-Dependent Youth – Excessive digital reliance can lead to social disconnection.
International Students – Far from home, they face cultural isolation and intense pressure.
3. The Lost Children — Sociographic. Values, lifestyles, social groups, and behaviors
Introverts in an Extroverted World – Society often prioritizes outgoing personalities, leaving introverts feeling undervalued.
Artists and Creatives in Non-Traditional Careers – Struggle for recognition and financial stability.
People with Unconventional Relationships – Polyamorous individuals or those who challenge societal norms may feel unseen.
Invisible Grievers – Those mourning losses society doesn’t validate (miscarriages, estrangement, pet loss).
4. The Lost Children — Cultural. Identity, tradition, systemic opression
Indigenous Communities – Systemic neglect and cultural erasure create ongoing invisibility.
Veterans – Often alienated after service, struggling with reintegration.
Chronically Ill or Disabled Individuals – Especially those with invisible disabilities, who face societal misunderstanding.
Children in Religious Cults or Extremist Groups – Isolated and conditioned, struggling to integrate into mainstream life.
Prisoners and Ex-Convicts – Stripped of opportunities and often forgotten after release.
People in Rural or Remote Areas – Isolated from technological and economic advances.
7. The Wealthy & High-Functioning Lost (Power, privilege, and disconnection)
Overfunctioning CEOs, Politicians, and Lawyers – Driven by high performance and external validation, many suffer from CPTSD and chronic overwork, masking deep disconnection.
Heirs to Wealth Who Lack Purpose – Inheriting resources but not meaning, many struggle with identity, fulfillment, and addiction.
Ultra-Privileged Yet Isolated Individuals – Surrounded by excess but emotionally distant from real human connection.
Philanthropists Seeking Redemption – Wealthy individuals using charity to ease guilt rather than truly engaging with systemic change.
Influential Decision-Makers Detached from Reality – Politicians, lobbyists, and corporate elites making choices that shape the world, yet often blind to real human struggles.
High-Achieving Trauma Survivors – Many in elite circles come from dysfunctional homes, using power and control as coping mechanisms.
Crisis-Addicted Leaders – Functioning in a perpetual state of emergency, they thrive on adrenaline but lack grounding in true connection.
5. The Lost Children — Corporate. Workforce, organizational structures & industry impact.
Marginalized Workers – Gig workers, janitors, and other undervalued employees who keep society running.
Long-Term Unemployed – Joblessness can create deep feelings of invisibility and shame.
Single Parents – Juggling multiple roles without much societal acknowledgment.
Gig Economy Workers – Lacking benefits or stability, they exist in a shadow workforce.
6. The Lost Children — Socio-economic: Class, financial stability, and economic mobility
Young Adults in Generational Poverty – Trapped by systemic inequality, they lack upward mobility.
Children of the Overworked or Absent – Parents working multiple jobs may leave them emotionally neglected.
Refugees and Displaced Persons – Caught between worlds, struggling to belong.
Trafficking Victims – Hidden in plain sight, often ignored by mainstream society.
7. The Lost Children — Wealth & High Functioning: Power, privilege and disconnection with contribution.
Overfunctioning CEOs, Politicians, and Lawyers – Driven by high performance and external validation, many suffer from CPTSD and chronic overwork, masking deep disconnection.
Heirs to Wealth Who Lack Purpose – Inheriting resources but not meaning, many struggle with identity, fulfillment, and addiction.
Ultra-Privileged Yet Isolated Individuals – Surrounded by excess but emotionally distant from real human connection.
Philanthropists Seeking Redemption – Wealthy individuals using charity to ease guilt rather than truly engaging with systemic change.
Influential Decision-Makers Detached from Reality – Politicians, lobbyists, and corporate elites making choices that shape the world, yet often blind to real human struggles.
High-Achieving Trauma Survivors – Many in elite circles come from dysfunctional homes, using power and control as coping mechanisms.
Crisis-Addicted Leaders – Functioning in a perpetual state of emergency, they thrive on adrenaline but lack grounding in true connection.