I used to think the top environmental problems were biodiversity loss, ecosystems collapse and climate change. I thought that with 30 years of good science we could address those problems. But I was wrong.

This work is the outcome of some epic pattern spotting.

Cathy’s aptitude for pattern was clear in her earlier career as an illustrator and designer, but she had not found an expression for her exceptional intuition that could map the arcs of peoples’ lives linking their beliefs, behaviours and experiences.

Cathy never really felt at home in the commercial world, uncomfortable with the ecological impacts of consumerism, and the sense that marketing was always a subliminal manipulation: ‘buy things and you’ll be happy’. 

Walking away from her business she dedicated her life to answering the question 'Why is humanity failing to effectively meet the ecological crisis?'.

Concluding that, if the answers were known they would already be being implemented, Cathy opted not to study established theory but to consider the dynamics at play where anthropology, psychology, sociology, evolutionary theory, philosophy, cultural theory and economics intersect.

It became clear that existing eco strategies required people to accept restraint and sacrifice, and face overwhelming truths. Few people had the psychological resilience to be able to do this.

Cathy started to explore our cultural orientation towards status and success, out intolerance of non-status and non-success, the fears and vulnerabilities these produced. No wonder people were unable to embrace any eco conscious strategies - for most of us they required our challenging the foundations on which our self esteem was built.

But then came an epiphany - status was a cultural construct, and our intolerance of vulnerability was a relic of our ancient survival-oriented consciousness, and when we see through these they no longer have a strangle hold on our priorities and behaviours. 

Furthermore, the culture we have built has clear issues and the weight of stress we carry is terrible. There were fundamental truths that could be pointed out about the dysfunction of our societies that would resonate strongly with anyone yearning for a healthier world.

Liberating people from such strangle holds would actually produce happier people and give access to their living lives of real fulfilment. Such people would be less drawn to consumerism and the presumptions that limit our openness to ecological respect.

An extended period of seclusion arose. Three months up a mountain produced The Causal Dignity Framework - a theory showing the deep logics that preempt our priorities, orientations and aspirations - explaining ourselves to ourselves and bridging the gap between values, intentions, actions and outcomes.

One of the precious qualities of this work is how the explanations forgive and validate us all for our inadequacies. 

It enables levels of self awareness where insight dissolves dysfunction…

From the theory Cathy developed a program to offer the key learnings in practical, applicable form. Testers reported extraordinarily high levels of satisfaction, breakthroughs and life enhancing changes.

So as to maximise the potential for impact of the work the decision was taken to forego wealth and offer the work as a free webinar series launching Autumn 2026.