10-WEEK LEADERSHIP IMMERSION
RootWork
FOR LIBERATION
Unearth and tend to what’s really holding you back in life + leadership, so you can grow an impactful and sustainable legacy—without unconsciously repeating harmful patterns rooted in inherited trauma.
CALLING ALL…
Magickal Misfits
Wisdom Weavers
Intuitive Visionaries
Radical Revolutionaries
Heart-Led Humanitarians
Courageous Cycle Breakers
Compassionate Change Makers
Soulful Stewards of Liberation
You’re here to leave a legacy.
You’ve never really fit the mold, and you’re not meant to.
Because you’re here to reimagine the world as we know it.
You carry the frequency of the future—visionary, unconventional, alive with possibility.
You’re here to shake shit up and burn shit down, and you’re here to do it with soul.
As a sensitive, empathic, and caring being who’s deeply attuned to the heartbeat of humanity,
you’re designed to steward a new way of being rooted in justice, truth, and collective liberation.
Some days, the weight of the world and the calling of your soul feel heavy,
like you’re trying to build the way forward with bricks made of old pain.
You’re here to create a long-lasting legacy for liberation,
But the foundation you’re building on still carries energetic echoes of the past.
When old wounds go untended, they weave themselves into the ways we live, love, and lead.
We unconsciously recreate the same cycles of disconnection and separation we long to end.
You’re here because you’re ready to disrupt those patterns and break those cycles.
To root into truth and cultivate steadiness beneath your sensitivity,
so the weight of your calling becomes solid ground you can stand on, not something you carry.
Your liberation is your legacy.
And it begins in the soil of your (un)becoming.
YOU WANT TO
Contribute to creating an equitable world free of injustice,
without unconsciously perpetuating internalized oppression.
Break free from inherited patterns and reclaim the freedom to live on your own terms,
without the weight of others’ expectations, resentment, or longing for approval.
Experience joy, pleasure, and rest,
without collapsing into guilt, shame, or self-extractive self-sacrifice.
Give yourself permission to be radically resourced,
without replicating the extraction and exploitation of capitalism.
Allow yourself to receive love, support, and community care,
without fear, guilt, or self-sabotage getting in the way of what you actually deserve.
Experience trust, belonging, and depthful connection,
without withdrawing or self-isolating to protect yourself from ridicule or rejection.
Live and lead in alignment with your values,
without burning out, bypassing, or betraying yourself in the process.
RootWork
INTRODUCING
FOR LIBERATION
A 10-week rite of passage for heart-led visionaries, changemakers, and revolutionaries who want to grow an impactful and sustainable liberatory legacy—without unconsciously repeating harmful patterns rooted in inherited trauma.
Enrollment reopens Spring 2026
Personal & Collective Liberation begins here.
Too many of our world-changing efforts are aimed at treating the symptoms of our systems rather than addressing them at their root.
From leadership programs that spark inspired excitement, only for it to fizzle out and fade away a week later…
to international development projects built on one-size-fits-all solutions that communities never asked for.
Whether in our personal lives or in the realms of social impact, we’ve mastered quick-fixes and band-aid treatments that lead to surface-level, unsustainable change.
Our problems keep repeating, because they never actually get resolved.
We can’t build an impactful, world-changing legacy without tending to the trauma imprints beneath our fear, our doubt, our stuckness.
We can't co-create a more just and equitable world if we’re unconsciously perpetuating patterns rooted in inherited harm.
The unconscious fears, protective patterns, and survival strategies that limit our leadership also sustain collective cycles of disconnection, dehumanization, and division in our world.
We can’t dismantle the systems outside of us without confronting the ways they’ve taken root within us.
The (r)evolution must begin within.
“I didn't expect to go so deep! Lena clearly understands this subject matter on a deep level and has a highly personal approach. She brought my hidden challenges to light in a natural and non-judgemental way. I gained a deeper understanding of myself and I feel empowered to make changes within me that will ultimately make the world a better place for others.” —B.D.
“I’ve been doing a lot of self work over the last year and what Lena was able to help me realize within a few hours was extremely impressive. I was actually shocked how quickly she could frame up some deep-rooted themes I had been struggling to identify on my own. I wish I had this experience a lot sooner. —W.C.
I’M LENA PAPADOPOULOS
Award-Winning Intercultural Educator, Leadership Coach & Shadow Alchemist
After 15+ years working at the intersections of personal growth, leadership development, intercultural education, and social change…
I’ve learned that the most important thing about building an impactful and sustainable legacy for liberation isn’t JUST about reforming organizations, institutions, and systems.
And building leadership “skills” that help us relate and create more equitably isn’t enough either.
It’s doing the deeper inner work that makes both skills-building and systems change sticky and sustainable.
If we don’t address challenges at their true source, we’ll keep looping back through them again and again.
We can’t skill-build, hustle, or bubble bath our way through the trauma imprints that underlie our personal and collective patterns.
We can't dismantle the systems outside of us if we don't face the ways in which they live within us.
What we fail to face only grows in the darkness.
What we suppress within ourselves, we perpetuate in our systems.
We can’t dismantle what we haven’t yet dared to meet within ourselves.
That’s why I’ve created RootWork for Liberation.
Because unless we face our pain, we’ll only create more of the same.
RootWork is essential to Our Liberation.
A tree’s health, well-being, and vitality depends on the quality of its roots.
Its ability to flourish, regenerate, and produce fruit begins beneath the ground.
The same is true for us.
Our capacity to stand rooted and unshakeable, to move with clarity and conviction, and to create meaningful change in the world depends on the state of our roots.
RootWork is the process of unearthing and tending to these roots—the unconscious beliefs, fears, desires, protective patterns, survival strategies that shape our lives and our leadership.
It requires us to examine the soil we were planted in: the stories of our family, the imprint of our childhood environment, and the conditioning of oppressive systems that taught us who we had to be in order to belong, survive, or succeed.
Leading a legacy rooted in liberation isn’t possible, let alone sustainable, without doing the deeper RootWork that frees us from these inherited beliefs, patterns, and cycles so we can root our lives and leadership in truth instead of trauma, transforming the world—from the inside-out.
"A truly amazing experience. Lena took me on a journey that was mind blowing. Uncovering my past, memories I have long forgotten but perhaps not fully cleared. Lena helped me see patterns that serve me and gently highlighted the patterns that perhaps hold me back from being fully aligned with my purposeful path. If you get a chance to work with this extraordinary woman DO IT!” —K.B.
“I learned so much about myself in such a short amount of time. I wanted to gain a lot more clarity on why I have some of the fears I do, and by the end I definitely was no longer acting from fear. I understand myself a lot better, as well as my needs and wants. I’ve learned how to stay more in tune with myself so I can be more intentional in my life all around, not settling for relationships, jobs, etc that aren’t fulfilling for me.” —M.L.
Be held in a collective web of support.
We don’t heal in isolation.
We were shaped in relationship—by family, culture, and the systems we were born into—and it’s in relationship that the deepest layers of repair become possible.
Your roots weren’t formed alone, and they cannot be tended to alone.
Healing in community nourishes the soil you’re growing from. It offers what so many of us never received: a space where your truth is welcomed, your vulnerability is honored, and your inner world is held with tenderness rather than judgment.
As Peter Levine says, “Trauma is not what happens to us, but what we hold inside in the absence of an empathetic witness.”
In this space, we become that witness for one another—an empathetic field of care, compassion, and presence that softens what’s been guarded and brings light to what’s been buried.
This container was intentionally designed for you to be held, seen, and supported by a collective field that amplifies your courage, your clarity, and your capacity to transform.
In RootWork for Liberation, you’ll tend to the roots of your protective patterns and survival strategies—while being witnessed in a collective field of care and compassion—so you can expand your capacity to root your life, your leadership, and your legacy in liberation.
Because when we heal together, we grow deeper, stronger, and more free than we ever could on our own.
"Lena’s beautiful character paired with her extensive experience working with diverse groups makes her uniquely qualified to design and deliver meaningful programs. Through masterful planning and creative delivery, Lena guides participants through a process of discovery and transformation that has long-lasting effects. Her approach is innovative and incredibly intentional, creating a safe atmosphere of acceptance and genuine respect. She is deeply committed to building connection at a time when the world needs it most." —J.S.A.
"Lena is uniquely capable of creating space for understanding and challenging you to become the best version of yourself. By facilitating a comfortable environment to get uncomfortable, her programs provide the perfect opportunity for vulnerability and deep reflection. In my own experience, Lena's programs opened the door to many positive changes. I would absolutely recommend working with Lena, as you cannot find someone more compassionate, thoughtful, and insightful." —M.C.
The Program Curriculum
Module 1: Exploring the Soil You Were Planted In
In this first module, we begin to lay the foundations that will hold this work. We’ll explore the familial, cultural, and systemic factors that have shaped how we see ourselves, relate to one another, and engage with the larger world around us. You’ll gain clarity on the origins of your conditioning and begin to illuminate the unconscious beliefs and patterns influencing your lived experience, highlighting how your personal story reflects the larger systems we all live within.
Module 2: Unearthing the Lineages That Live in Our Roots
We begin to tune into the ancestral, intergenerational, and somatic memories living in our blood and bones. We’ll explore how cellular memory and nervous system patterns have been shaped by the unresolved traumas of our lineage and how our bodies hold both their wounds and their wisdom. You’ll learn how your body carries the energetic echoes of generations and release what doesn’t belong to you, so you can access the wisdom of your ancestors without perpetuating their pain.
Module 3: Untangling the Roots in Relationship Patterns
We’ll examine how inherited beliefs, protective patterns, and nervous system imprints shape the ways we show up in relationships—and why. You’ll uncover the unconscious role you play with others and the deeper need or desire underlying it. This module will help you break free from recurring relational loops so you can create balanced connections rooted in authenticity, reciprocity, and mutual respect.
Module 4: Tending the Roots to Nurture What’s Been Neglected
In this module, we’ll name and nurture the exiled, rejected, or neglected parts of ourselves with curiosity and compassion. You’ll understand why your protective patterns formed and how to soften the armoring that’s kept you safe but small. Through a practice of self-forgiveness and self-acceptance, you’ll learn to alchemize pain and shame into self-trust, agency, and a more complete sense of wholeness.
Module 5: Planting Seeds for Repatterning and Renewal
Together, we’ll explore how you can begin to express previously repressed or disowned parts of yourself in aligned and empowering ways. You’ll clarify how you want your life to feel and look moving forward, and you’ll identify tangible, doable practices that support you to form and embody new beliefs, new behaviors, and a more liberated way of being.
Module 6: Nourishing the Roots to Cultivate Capacity and Resilience
We begin to anchor into practices that expand your nervous system capacity and emotional bandwidth, so transformation feels sustainable, not overwhelming. You’ll learn to move through grief, anger, fear, and tenderness without shutting down or armoring up. You’ll fortify your inner foundation so you can stay grounded, resourced, and rooted in your truth, especially when life or leadership stretches you.
Module 7: Weaving Mycelial Connections Beyond the Self
We’ll trace how unconscious beliefs and hidden patterns play out in groups, communities, and institutions, and we’ll examine the role of compassion and accountability in reconciliation and repair. You’ll root your growth within the larger interconnected web of life and deepen your capacity to engage systems and relationships with curiosity, compassion, and a commitment to shared humanity.
Module 8: Embodying a Rooted Legacy of Liberation
In the final module, we explore how our personal healing becomes a catalyst for systemic transformation and collective liberation. You’ll workshop how to translate your personal evolution into meaningful contribution, so you can leverage your world-changing work as a regenerative force for collective healing.
“This experience is perfect for someone who is running into triggers regularly and unable to get to the root of the problem. Especially someone who has been working to get to the root of their struggles via other methods and isn’t finding success.” —M.L.
“Lena’s caring and empathetic approach, combined with her in-depth knowledge, create a fantastic environment to connect not only with your purpose but also with the shadow and limiting beliefs so cemented that it could be impossible to break free from them without her.” —C.P.
What’s Included in the Program
Opening Circle
Together, we’ll come up with group agreements, begin to build connection and community, orient to the foundations of this work and my approach, and set personal and collective intentions for our time together.
8 Weekly Gatherings
All live sessions will include a mix of teaching, reflection, experiential learning, group discussion, and the opportunity to receive 1:1 coaching.
Weekly Reflection Prompts
Each week you’ll receive a set of reflection prompts designed to deepen and personalize your understanding and application of the concepts we’ll move through together.
Closing Circle
In our final gathering, we’ll reflect on overall learnings and key takeaways, celebrate one another, and set intentions for how you’ll carry this work forward in your life and leadership.
“I truly got so much out of this experience and I didn't even realize how much until it was over. I was so deep in it that I couldn't see how big and powerful the teachings and lessons actually were. I love how Lena challenged me to see the parts of me that I’m too close to see myself. She really has a gift and I am very happy to have taken the leap to work with her.” —M.F.
“I feel so much more equipped to handle challenges and set-backs that come up in life, in relationships, and in business. I've started to take things far less personally and have started to identify the many ways that I show up in the world. I feel so much more like my authentic self and have been able to really form genuine connections with people since working with Lena.” —K.S.
GET ON THE WAITLIST
Enrollment reopens Spring 2026
Two folks from the waitlist will be selected at random to receive a program discount!
“This is for you if you’re ready for a different perspective when looking in the mirror. To confront the parts of yourself you may not be aware of and the parts you may not understand. If you want to make a difference in the world and for the people that surround you.” —M.F.
“This experience is perfect for someone who is self-aware but feels stagnant in their growth. As if you know you want to change and you know there is something "missing" in your journey but you can't seem to take the step forward or make a lasting change.” —K.S.
By the end of these 10 weeks, you will have…
Unearthed the unconscious patterns, beliefs, and contextual conditioning shaping your sense of self, life, and leadership, so you can consciously break cycles of hidden harm.
Reclaimed the exiled, neglected, and protective parts of yourself so you can live and lead from wholeness instead of survival, self-abandonment, or performance.
Expanded your emotional and nervous system capacity, supporting you to stay grounded, centered, and present even when life, leadership stretches you.
Broken long-standing relational and behavioral loops, and begun replacing them with new patterns rooted in authenticity, reciprocity, and self-trust.
Built a sustainable foundation rooted in liberation, helping you hold more joy, intimacy, power, grief, and complexity without collapsing or armoring up.
Woven your inner transformation into collective liberation, recognizing how your personal healing naturally ripples outward as a force for systems change and repair in the world.
“Lena is one of the most thoughtful, compassionate, and insightful people I know. She is attuned to what connects us all; her deep sense of empathy transcends nationality, gender, and identity. This gives her the ability to facilitate interpersonal dialogue and bring self-awareness to our own roadblocks that keep us from seeing, understanding, and connecting to our universal humanity.” —A.P.
Lena handled my emotional journey with so much compassion. She offers gentle and loving guidance through tough questions and issues. Lena creates a safe space where you feel comfortable to share freely without judgement. She asks thought-provoking questions and offers tools to help you continue to process on your own. I’ve gained a whole new perspective on my childhood and unprocessed trauma. I’m forever grateful!” —J.C.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Approximately 3 hours. Our weekly calls will last two hours, and I recommend setting aside at least 1 hour to work through the weekly reflection prompts (this part is very important!)
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This program is designed to be a group/community experience, and the energy is more potent and powerful when we gather together in real-time, so attending live is strongly encouraged.
That said, life happens and things may come up. All calls will be recorded and uploaded to a shared drive where you will access for the duration of the program + one month following the program.
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It’s an honor to support folks just beginning, and you’ll learn so much! You’ll have so many eye-opening, light bulb moments. You’ll never look at your life or the world the same again.
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We learn and grow in spirals, revisiting lessons and insights from new perspectives. You will have the opportunity to deepen understandings you may have had already—and you’ll likely uncover layers you couldn’t access before.
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Every live call will have a group coaching component where you can get 1:1 support from me.
And, if you sign up during the early enrollment period, you’ll receive a bonus 60-min. 1:1 session to be used at any time during the program.
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I can’t guarantee complete safety, but I am deeply committed to creating a trauma-informed, culturally aware, consent-centered container that honors the realities of marginalized identities and the ways oppressive systems shape our lives and experiences.
If harm occurs, we’ll name it, address it, and work toward repair. You’re encouraged to share your needs, boundaries, or feedback at any point so we can co-create a container that truly holds you.
If something feels activating or overwhelming, I’m here to help you ground and process what’s coming up. If anything arises that’s beyond the scope of this space or my capacity as a practitioner, I’ll support you to find additional or alternative care.
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Due to the nature of this program and the planning required, I am unable to offer refunds for withdrawals or cancellations.
I understand that life, capacity, and nervous systems shift. If something comes up that impacts your ability to participate, please reach out. While I can’t offer refunds, I’m committed to supporting you in finding the most accessible and sustainable way to engage with the program.
“This was a beautiful and life changing offering. I am so glad to have found Lena. She is a light that illuminates the path through the darkness.” —M.C.
“This was one of the best programs I’ve ever participated in. I know anyone who works with Lena will have a life-changing experience.” —K.B.