‘The Art of Radical Listening’ By Patricia Plude, D.Min. With HIH Founder Dr. Kinari Webb

Health In Harmony has 17 years of experience using the innovative methodology known as Radical Listening with rainforest communities — the true experts at stewarding rainforest ecosystems — and transferring resources to support their holistic, planetary health solutions. 

A transformative practice that unveils collective wisdom by fostering a deep sense of interconnectedness and community, Radical Listening is based in reciprocity, encourages dialogue, and centers Indigenous Peoples and local communities’ voices and leadership.

In their new book, The Art of Radical Listening: Revealing Collective Wisdom for Change, Patricia Plude, D.Min. and Health In Harmony founder, Dr. Kinari Webb, not only document the practice of Radical Listening, but also teach it.

Enhanced by inspiring poetry and vivid, real-world stories of Indigenous and local communities leading the way in climate solutions, the pedagogy of Radical Listening is illustrated through step-by-step exercises, many of which can be practiced immediately, in everyday interactions. The Art of Radical Listening guides the reader through a process of formation that culminates with being able to listen to a group as a whole, all the while cultivating a deeper understanding of how Radical Listening reveals collective wisdom and key fulcrums of change.

While Radical Listening has been core to Health In Harmony’s work at the intersection of environmental conservation and community health, it can also be applied in other contexts, including philanthropy, community organizing, and personal communication. Wherever it is used, Radical Listening has the power to transform lives, communities, and the world itself. 

Working with a highly-skilled educator like Pat Plude has been an immense pleasure and privilege. Together, we have broadened the reach of Radical Listening—a methodology central to Health In Harmony’s work, which directly invests in community-designed, intersectional solutions that foster collective healing within communities and ecosystems. Pat’s remarkable skill in teaching and deconstructing group listening into its fundamental elements has culminated in a transformative book called The Art of Radical Listening: Revealing Collective Wisdom for Change. This work holds the promise of reshaping how organizations and individuals engage with communities, inspiring real and lasting change.

— Kinari Webb