Welcome To The Friendshift Circle!

Meet, Learn, Belong

"This is the best thing I've taken part in, in a long time."

Welcome to a gentle online community & learning experience for thoughtful adults aged 30+ looking for more authentic, meaningful, enjoyable friendships

If you’re someone who self-describes as thoughtful, independent, caring and genuine, then you're in absolutely the right place - welcome! Founded in 2024 by leading friendship and connection coach Hannah Carmichael OBE, ‘The Friendshift Circle’ is a gentle online community, a safe, cosy corner of the internet where people who value depth and authenticity can support one another as they learn how to build genuine, trust-based connections which fit their lives ‘as they are now.’

Friendshift brings together people who like / need their own space, and yet would secretly like to have closer, more emotionally connected relationships, and to feel more valued, supported and understood in their day to day lives. People who prefer lower key ways of socialising (think smaller groups, slower pace, deeper conversations) and who want to learn how to build authentic, heart-felt connections in a way which honours their natural energy levels. 

Whether you’re are looking to make new friends, get advice on how to handle a specific issue in one of your friendships, feel more confident in social situations, become more vulnerable and authentic without getting hurt, or want to build more depth and connection into your existing friendships, we're here to hold, support and guide you as you work towards your goals at your own pace.

What is The Friendshift Circle?

If you’re reading this, it's because you need something different from your friendships. Perhaps you've moved to a new area and need to build a new social circle from scratch. Or you've come through a major life change such as divorce, separation, retirement, bereavement, or children leaving home, and are rethinking what you need from your friendships. Perhaps you’ve been let down by your friends one too many times, and have realised you need something different. Perhaps it's not your life that’s changed, but those of the people around you – for example, when friends start having children. Whatever your circumstances, when you join The Friendshift Circle you’ll join a community of others who are also working out how to nurture new and existing connections into enjoyable, authentic, trust-based friendships.

It's normal to talk about friendship here - and about our relationships with colleagues, neighbours, family members, and even random strangers, too. We talk about what's going well, where we're struggling, and work out what we need to do differently to create the conditions for more authentic, meaningful friendships to flourish too.

Sometimes we don't talk - because we know that isn't everyone's cup of tea. You can listen in, explore, take in what others have said. Ultimately, this is your journey, and it's important you're able to do it in a way that feels comfortable for you. There’s no pressure to get involved, but if you’d like to, then we’re here.

There’s lots of learning you can do here too. You'll learn from other 'Friendshifters' through chats and discussions. You'll get a toolkit of bits and pieces which you can use to strengthen your friendships straight away. Your membership to The Friendshift Circle also includes regular community events, where we'll get together to break down why friendship feels so hard sometimes, and look at what we need to do to grow better connections and a healthy, aligned friendship circle, from the ground up. You'll also get access to a video library of recordings from previous sessions, which you can dip into at any time.

Crucially, this isn’t a dating site. There are plenty of those out there already. We moderate all conversations carefully, and expect members of our community to be mindful, respectful, and to stay focused on the reason we’re all here – to build incredible friendships.

Our values matter to us. Kindness, inclusion, courage, and a focus on growth.

The Outcomes You'll Get

  •  

    Learn More About Yourself

    Find out more about what you want and need in your friendships - and what you don't - in a warm, non-judgemental community where your individuality and boundaries are respected.

    Yes please
  •  

    Build Trust-Based Friendships

    ...both offline and online. Your starting point will probably be your real-world connections. But who knows what could happen once you start finding common ground with like-minded people who also value authentic, meaningful, trust-based relationships?

    Brilliant - let's go
  •  

    Support For Your Journey

    Wherever you are in life, there'll be someone in the community who's walked a similar path. Access gentle guidance, practical tools, and compassionate peer support to grow your confidence, navigate challenges, and nurture friendships that truly fit your life.

    Sounds good!

  • "Thank you so much for this amazing session. It's so comforting to know that many people struggle with the same things."

    Community member following one of our regular events

What's included in my membership?

  • A NEW private, safely moderated online community space where we can chat, laugh, learn, and carry on the conversation in between live sessions / community events. It’s also where you’ll share your thoughts, ask for advice and support (including from experts), help others, and make new connections.
  • Live events online at least twice a month with Hannah (Wednesday midday UK time) where we look at different aspects of building more authentic friendships. Join like-minded people as we tackle the benefits and challenges of making friends as adults, specifically when you’re trying to balance your need for ‘reset’ time with your desire for connection.  
  • Access to my 'Friendship Accelerator' toolkit, with worksheets, crib sheets, videos, and lots of ideas for how you can improve your current friendships starting straight away.
  • Comprehensive (and growing) resource library with lots of practical / 'how to' videos!
  • Ad hoc events at different times of the day / week – including guest speakers, ‘lives’ responding to questions that have come up in the community, meditation ‘connection circle’ sessions and pilots of new workshops and courses before they’re released
  • Generous members-only discounts on other courses
  • Access to session recordings for those who can’t attend live
  • As our community grows, you’ll have the option to make your location available and see who lives near you too – opening up the possibility of making real-world connections as well!

How do I join?

There are TWO ways to join The Friendshift Circle:

1)  Monthly subscription plan via Mighty Networks (£10 a month). Pay monthly, stay as long as you like, cancel any time. If you already have a Mighty Networks account, click here to sign in. If not, click here to create your account. Once you're in, you'll find our private community space, event details, recordings of previous sessions – and lots more! You can download the app for access on-the-go. Please note that prices may change in the future. As this is a pay monthly plan, you will lose access to all course materials and our community space within a few days if you cancel your membership.

2) Via MeetUp. If you already have a MeetUp account and prefer to access event reminders / notifications that way, then you can sign up via Meetup, and will be sent a separate login link for access to our community portal / platform. Please note that MeetUp subscriptions can only be set up in US dollars. This means that that unless you are based in the US, the amount you pay each month will vary slightly as exchange rates fluctuate.

Who is it for?

The Friendshift Circle attracts thoughtful, independent types who are ready to develop enjoyable, supportive, trust-based relationships, and to handle some of the most common friendship challenges we all experience.

You might self-describe as an introvert, or just someone who prefers smaller groups, and deeper conversations. You're more comfortable socialising with just one other person, or in smaller groups. You like doing shared activities with the people you care about, alongside having rich, meaningful, interesting conversations where people are inclusive and respectful towards one another. 

Most of our members are aged 30 and over, but you don’t have to be. There’s no age limit on who can join The Friendshift Circle.  

Many of the people in our community are single, live alone, and / or have specific reasons for seeking out new friendships independently from their romantic partners. All of us value our independence, and need space and time to ‘reset’ after social occasions.

In the Friendshift Circle, individuality is celebrated. Many of our members have marched to their own drum, whether that means living solo, questioning social norms, or thinking outside the box. Here, independence is a strength, and authentic self-expression is always encouraged. Some come for new friends, others to enrich solo journeys - every story is welcome. Participate your way: lead a conversation, quietly observe, or start a one-on-one chat - as long as it's respectful, it’s all valued here.

Some of our community are facing additional challenges when it comes to connection-building. They are managing the impacts of neurodivergent conditions, and / or are living with chronic health conditions. They come from all walks of life, and from all over the world.

The thing we all have in common is that our friendships have changed (or are changing) in some way. Perhaps as a result of significant events in our own lives (such as separation or divorce, retirement or bereavement), or because other people's lives are changing around us (e.g.: friends settling down and having children). We want to navigate the changes in our friendship circles with confidence, and create deep connection in our lives. 

Whatever their starting point, our members are thoughtful, curious, and have an appetite for learning. Some are starting to explore a more spiritual side of themselves too. All of us like ideas that can be put into practice, and we all share a keenness to get to the heart of how healthy, trust-based connections get made. If any of this sounds like you, then you're in the right place. 

  • "I absolutely love it here so far! I've just moved to [a new area] and don't know anyone and I'm nervous about making connections. I've had a set back already and am just really trying to gain confidence or reassurance around all of this, thank you for helping me to build up my network more quickly!"

    Community member

Why 'Friendshift?'

‘Friendshift’ is a play on the word ‘friendship’ and represents what we’re all trying to achieve – a shift towards better, more aligned, more authentic relationships with the people who make up a significant part of our everyday lives.

Why should I join The Friendshift Circle community?

  • A unique kind of space. There are very few online communities dedicated to helping people building better friendships, and this is the best.
  • World-class leadership. Hannah is a thoughtful, empathic, deeply knowledgeable facilitator who is highly sought after. Both plans represent incredible value for the level of insight and leadership Hannah brings to the Friendshift community and for the access you’ll get to her online programmes as well.
  • Community-led learning – you’ll learn through sharing your own stories and by helping others navigate their own friendship dilemmas within a supportive, moderated community. You’ll also help shape the agenda for future sessions, content, workshops, lives etc by letting me know what’s most on your mind.
  • Learn more about why it can be hard to build deeper connections as a thoughtful, reflective, independent types - and how to harness your personal superpowers to build enjoyable, authentic, supportive, trust-based connections
  • Begin to feel more deeply connected – to yourself, to other people, and to the world around you
  • Masses of content. With more added all the time.
  • An opportunity to get a sense of how Hannah works without a more substantial financial commitment.

Who is Hannah Carmichael OBE?

Hannah Carmichael OBE is a down-to-earth, yoga-loving mum-of-one with ADHD and a serious coffee addiction. She's also a sought-after coaches for introverts, deep thinkers, independent souls, and neurodivergent types - plus plenty of others who are just curious about how to build more authentic, supportive relationships! Hannah is known for helping her clients grow their confidence and make transformational changes in the quality of their closest connections. As a regular podcast guest, speaker, and radio show contributor, Hannah delights in sharing what she knows about how to build brilliant friendships, as well as her own transformational story. She loves nothing more than to see thoughtful, reflective types like herself find the strength to show up fully as themselves, and to draw supportive, giving, mutually enjoyable relationships into their lives. She believes in keeping her work accessible, affordable and focused on solutions. 

"I started the Friendshift community because I understand the incredible importance of having genuine connections for our health and happiness, and I know how much harder it can be to find those connections as we get older. The community has been a dream for a while - a private space for people like us to learn how to cultivate lasting, fulfilling friendships, without fear of judgement. I'm SO excited that Friendshift is finally becoming a reality, and I can't wait to join you there!"

Not sure? Try it free...

Can't quite decide? With either plan, you'll get a 14 cooling off period in which you can decide whether or not The Friendshift Circle is for you. Just cancel within the 14 days, and you won't be charged. So you can come and see what we're about without paying a penny!