Get Past Awkward, Boring Small Talk and Start Having More Interesting, Confident, Meaningful Conversations
(Even if you usually get stuck talking to one person, spend time on your phone, cancel plans, or leave early!)
It's Hard To Build Meaningful Connections These Days
If you often:
- Feel painfully awkward, bored and / or overwhelmed in small talk situations
- Crave more authentic, more interesting, more meaningful conversations, but struggle to know when to move on from ‘surface level’ topics – or how to create the conditions for deeper connections to flourish
- Feel like you can’t be fully ‘yourself’ in small talk situations, worried that you’ll say the wrong thing, that you’re not good enough, or that others will dislike or look down on you
...then you're not alone! In this ground-breaking new course, expert friendship & connection coach Hannah Carmichael OBE shares her secrets on learning how to break through the fear of small talk and have more interesting, confident, meaningful conversations. Conversations which lay the groundwork for deeper connections to develop.
What Is 'Beyond The Surface?'
'Beyond the Surface' is a new hybrid (mixture of self-taught and facilitated) online course from world-leading friendship and connection coach, Hannah Carmichael OBE.
As a young adult, Hannah struggled hugely to cope in social situations, especially with people she didn't know. Putting her foot in it, missing important social cues, oversharing, talking too much, and using humour to cover up her discomfort were commonplace, and she often felt awkward, misunderstood and alone. In this ground-breaking course, Hannah shares the secrets of her own transformation - and plenty more besides!
As a neurodivergent person who used to spend a lot of her time feeling painfully awkward and exposed, Hannah knows all too well what it takes to grow the confidence and skills needed to not just survive but to thrive in both personal and professional networking situations.
From the secret techniques used by the best conversationalists to excite and hold interest, through to the exact scripts you'll need to exit an awkward small talk situation with ease and grace, as well as deep work to shift your mindset and build your belief in your own worth and value, this thoughtful, comprehensive course will give you everything you need to know to handle 'small talk' situations with confidence, and to begin to build deeper, more authentic connections.
About You
To other people, it looks like you have things pretty much sorted. You’re thoughtful, genuine, you care about the people closest to you. You have people you spend time with, either as acquaintances or friends.
You’re probably seen as pleasant company, and are generally well-liked. But you have a secret. The truth is that you struggle in social situations more than other people know. Walking into a room full of people comes with overwhelm and anxiety. You worry about saying or doing the ‘wrong’ thing, about being judged, about whether you’ll be able to think of anything to say at all. You find ‘small talk’ boring, awkward, and inauthentic, and wish you didn't have to do it. You crave conversations that are more honest, interesting and meaningful, and wish you could just skip to that part instead. If the conversation isn’t flowing, you beat yourself up and assume that it must somehow be your fault. In a room full of people you don’t know, you might feel yourself physically curling up, retreating, closing off. Your dislike of anything 'false' or forced means you’d rather avoid situations (either socially or professionally) where you feel you have to put on a 'facade.' Whether you’re an introvert, a deep or alternative thinker, someone living with a neurodivergent condition like autism or ADHD, or just someone who's a bit on the shy side, you wish you felt more comfortable and confident showing up in social situations.
If any of this resonates with you, you're in the right place! I've designed 'Beyond The Surface' for people just like you – individuals with depth, curiosity, and a genuine desire to connect, but who need a little bit of help to grow their confidence and start having more meaningful conversations that lay the foundations for future friendships.
Course Benefits
- Gain confidence in your conversational skills and have more relaxed, fulfilling conversations
- Handle 'small talk' situations with ease, and in a way that leaves other people feeling comfortable too
- Confidently handle the transition from small talk to deeper conversations
- Be clear on what's reasonable to expect of other people in small talk situations
- Create the right conditions for more fulfilling conversations to flourish
- Ask the right questions to get more authentic, deeper responses
- Show up as a more relaxed, authentic version of yourself
- Discover techniques for helping your conversational partner feel seen, heard, valued and willing to open up to you
- Forge deeper relationships with colleagues, friends, and loved ones
How It Works
'Beyond The Surface' is a hybrid digital (online) course. Once you're in, you'll get access to six modules' worth of material, organised into bitesize lessons, designed to take you step by step through everything you need to know to start having better conversations. You'll work through the six modules at your own pace. The 'secret sauce' that makes Beyond The Surface special is the opportunity to put your new skills into practice via weekly conversation classes (currently held Thursday midday UK time). In these classes, we'll look at one new idea or skill each week, and you'll have the chance to ask questions and put into practice what you've learnt in a safe, supportive group with other people on the same journey as you. You can join at any time, and attend as many sessions as you wish to.
What Participants Were Saying About 'Beyond The Surface' After Just A Couple of Lessons:
“Already noticing a difference with the few conversations I had around the office this afternoon, certainly felt like I was pushing myself out of my comfort zone, but found out a lot more about people and their lives in doing so - thanks for the great content!" Course participant, June 2024
“Already more intentional, I had a networking event tonight & rather than my usual 'do you live far?,' I asked what they were looking for as a takeaway from the event. Made it much more interesting for me! It feels like you’re getting more from the small talk, plus helped to see where there may or may not be a connection. Also more aware of body language & social cues, hadn’t realised that gives away a lot!" Course participant, June 2024
"The understanding of trauma that Hannah has through learning and lived experience. She understands that disconnecting from people can be a learnt response to trauma which can be managed, if there is safety provided to the person who is speaking." Course participant, June 2024
"What am I enjoying the most? The variety of people in the class, the recorded and live sessions, the homework, and the skillful Hannah!" Course participant, June 2024
What's Included
6+ hours of video content & written materials, walking you step by step through everything you'll need to drastically improve your conversational skills and drive powerful mindset shifts to boost your confidence and improve the quality of your connections.
Unlimited weekly conversation classes (plus recordings) to put your newfound skills into practice.
All this as well as:
Mini e-book 'The Small Talk Sleuth: How To Turn Detective and Uncover Hidden Social Clues'
Mini e-book 'Redefining You: How To Change Others' Perceptions'
Connection-Building Questions Cribsheet
Core Values Workbook
Active Listening Playbook
Cognitive Reframing Tool To Tackle Negative Self-Talk
Storytelling Playbook
Complete set of scripts to help you exit awkward or unwanted conversations with ease and confidence
***That's not all!***
By signing up to this course, you'll also get access to two bonus courses completely free - details below.
Your Facilitator
A self-described "yoga-loving mum-of-one with ADHD," Hannah understands the challenges of navigating social situations while juggling life's many demands. Hannah is not just another self-proclaimed expert - as a recipient of the Order of the British Empire (OBE), her skill, passion and dedication to transforming lives have been recognised at the highest levels. Hannah's unique blend of professional expertise and personal experience make her both credible and deeply relatable, while her down-to-earth approach and genuine passion for helping others have made her one of the most sought-after coaches and speakers in this field. Hannah believes in keeping her work accessible, affordable and focused on solutions.
Course Features
**Expert Guidance**
Weekly live sessions with expert facilitators who will provide valuable insights and techniques to help you navigate small talk and cultivate meaningful conversations.
**Powerful Mindset Shifts**
Unlike other coaches, Hannah works at a deep level to help you tackle negative self-talk and build unshakeable confidence.
**Practical Tools & Strategies**
Apply your newfound knowledge through practical assignments and real-life scenarios to enhance your communication skills outside of the course.
**Weekly Classes**
Each week, you'll be given some practical tasks to complete which will help you put your newfound skills into practice.
**Community Support**
Become part of a community of like-minded people who are also committed to learning new skills and developing their confidence.
**Lifetime Access**
Gain lifetime access to course materials, resources, and updates, ensuring that you can continue to refine and expand your conversation skills long after the course has ended.
Why Should I Sign Up For Beyond The Surface?
If you:
- Find small talk situations awkward, uncomfortable and / or boring, and wish you could avoid it altogether
- People-please or make yourself feel small in order to 'fit in' and avoid others’ negative opinions
- Find yourself putting on a persona, acting more outgoing than you actually feel
- Sometimes join in with gossip, or over-share inappropriately because you're trying to fit in
- Wish others would find you more interesting and compelling
Then 'Beyond The Surface' is the right course for you. You will learn:
- How to get out of your own way, tackling the negative self talk that's holding you back and building a solid core of confidence and self-worth
- Core skills - practical tools and techniques to help you have better, more interesting, more meaningful conversations, right from the outset
- Secrets that the best conversationalists use to leave other people feeling appreciated, validated and wanting more
- Strategies for transitioning from 'small talk' to 'real talk' conversations - and tips on how to follow up on positive connections that could ultimately become friendships
- How to share appropriately - being authentic without embarrassing yourself
What You'll Learn
1. Effective Communication Strategies: Discover techniques for initiating and maintaining engaging conversations, including active / deep listening and asking open-ended questions.
2. Nonverbal Communication Skills: Learn how to interpret body language cues and utilise your own nonverbal communication to find out more about people and to enhance the clarity and impact of your own messages too.
3. Building Rapport and Connection: Understand the importance of building rapport in conversations and develop skills to create genuine connections with others.
4. Overcoming Conversational Barriers: Identify common barriers we often experience in moving conversations forward, and learn how to overcome them to ensure smoother and more effective interactions.
5. Confidence-Building Techniques Learn strategies to build your core sense of self-worth, so that you feel more confident going into any social situation.
6. Elevating Small Talk: Transform mundane small talk into meaningful conversations by learning how to find common ground, share stories, and express empathy.
That's Not All!
All course participants will receive access to two additional on-demand courses COMPLETELY FREE. These are: Reading Between The Lines: An Introduction To Non-Verbal Communication: What we say makes up only 7% of what we communicate. If you've ever felt as though you're missing a huge piece of the jigsaw puzzle when it comes to understanding other people, then this course will help you decode the subtle messages conveyed in eye contact, body language and more. Talking To Strangers 90 Minute Mindset Shift programme: gain instant ease and confidence with the Rockpool Theory. Learn the four As, check your assumptions, and feel better quickly about handling casual social interactions.
FAQs
Why is the price so low?
The low price reflects one of my core values, which is around keeping my work as accessible and affordable as possible. And obviously, I'm hoping you'll stay with me for the long haul!
Who is Hannah Carmichael OBE?
Hannah Carmichael OBE is a world-leading friendship & connection coach & founder of Friendshift coaching. As a reformed 'awkward type,' Hannah knows first-hand the challenges involved in navigating social situations when you don't feel confident, and loves nothing more than helping her wonderful clients to unlock their social potential and build warm, supportive, trust-based friendships that last. She cares about offering practical, affordable, evidence-based solutions that help you get results fast.
When does the course start?
The core of this programme is six modules of in-depth, on-demand content which you can access and work through at any time. One of the things that makes this course is the supported element - weekly conversation classes which you can jump into at any time. No need to book, just turn up, and it doesn't matter if you skip sessions!
What if I don't get the results I'm looking for?
The core content is broken down into bite size chunks, which you can work through at your own pace, and you can ask questions and get responses at any time, to help you with your learning. And if you're really not happy, then no problem - you have a 14 day cooling off period, during which you'll get a full refund, no questions asked.
What if I want more?
If you love Beyond The Surface and would like to strengthen your friendships and build a deeply connected life, have a look at https://www.hannahelliscarmichael.com/pages/courses-and-coaching for different options to work with me.