HEART Of Change
Self Paced Certificate
HERE IS WHAT SOME OF OUR CLIENTS SAY:
The New Normal
Something has shifted in how people are experiencing change at work. Challenges aren’t just coming one at a time anymore – they’re complex and constant. Your people are navigating AI reshaping their roles, the risk of environmental collapse, the cost-of-living crisis and political and social tensions affecting their communities – all while trying to deliver on their day-to-day responsibilities.
The result? People are emotionally and socially overwhelmed.
You’re seeing the signs: previously engaged team members becoming quiet in meetings, collaboration turning into silos, and the gradual withdrawal that happens before performance drops – what we’re now calling ‘quiet cracking.’
This supercycle of change isn’t just challenging their skills; it’s overwhelming their nervous systems.
Here’s the challenge:
- People need emotional and social support to navigate change, but workplace cultures often expect them to “be resilient”.
- Leaders feel responsible for outcomes but lack tools that address the human nervous system responses driving resistance and withdrawal.
- Poor change management ranks as a top-3 psychosocial risk, yet most approaches ignore how our brains process uncertainty, fear, and doubt.
But what if we could help teams develop the emotional and social skills to navigate uncertainty together – not just survive change, but strengthen their capacity to thrive through it?
A New Approach To Leading Change
What if you could help people feel safer navigating uncertainty together, preventing quiet cracking or burnout before it starts? This masterclass teaches you how through the HEART framework – five neurologically-informed practices:
- Honor Feelings: Recognize difficult emotions as valuable data that guide learning and growth, rather than problems to suppress or fix.
- Engage Purposefully: Move announcements into collaborative conversations that help people discover what they care enough to take ownership of and commit to.
- Appreciate Strengths: Build confidence during uncertainty by helping teams leverage what they’re good at and enjoy doing to sustain momentum.
- Reach Out: Create the psychological safety people need to willingly ask for and offer help, preventing the isolation that leads to quiet cracking and burnout.
- Take Tiny Steps: Encourage people to break overwhelming change into manageable actions that make it easier to access flexibility and adaptive thinking.
What You’ll Learn
To ensure you can immediately apply the HEART of Change framework when people’s nervous systems are overwhelmed, you’ll come away with:
- Assessment tools with immediate reports that reveal exactly where teams are struggling with change and what specific support would make the biggest difference
right now. - Evidence-based change nudges at the ‘Me’ (individual), ‘We’ (team), and ‘Us’ (organizational) levels that help people feel emotionally and socially safer during uncertainty.
- Ready-to-use conversation templates and AI tools that transform resistance into commitment by addressing what people are really experiencing, not just what needs to
get done. - Practical implementation guides that show you how to prevent quiet cracking
by embedding these practices into existing workflows rather than adding more to
people’s plates.
You even have our permission to co-brand or re-brand the tools we will give you in the certificate. We simply ask that you acknowledge ‘The Change Lab’ as the original source on the documents.
*Please note this does not include the workshop slides but we do have a train-the-trainer option available if you require, just ask.
Certificate Syllabus
Join us for 4.5 hours of recorded workshops to discover the neuroscience behind helping people feel safe enough to navigate change together and receive ready-to-use tools – assessment surveys, conversation templates, evidence-based nudges, and practical implementation guides – that build genuine commitment while minimizing quiet cracking and burnout. Led by The Change Lab co-founders, Dr. Michelle McQuaid and Michelle Etheve (see bios in FAQs below) together we’ll dive into:
Workshop 1: The Neuroscience of Uncertainty
- Understand the neurobiological responses to the fear, uncertainty, and doubt (the Oh FUD!) that change often creates in yourself and others.
- Learn how to help people feel “safe enough” at the ‘Me’ (individual), ‘We’ (team), and ‘Us’ (organizational) levels to prevent quiet cracking before it starts
- Discover how the HEART framework can help regulate people’s emotional and social responses to change.
- Take-Home Tool: HEART of Change Survey with immediate personal reports
Workshop 2: The Power Of Design Thinking
- Uncover why every action we take is preceded by a question and how first questions set change in motion, turning resistance into commitment
- Experiment with flipping your questions from ordinary to extraordinary, turning problems into possibilities that help people discover what they care enough to own
- Master four simple Appreciative Inquiry steps that help people engage purposefully with change, even when feeling uncertain or resistant
- Take-Home Tool: Appreciative Inquiry 4D Change Check-In Guide with conversation templates
Workshop 3: The Mechanics Of Systems Change
- Map the rules, routines, rituals, and role modelling that shape sustainable workplace change and prevent nervous system overwhelm
- Design practical ‘tiny HEART nudges’ aligned with how people naturally think, feel, and act through change without triggering shutdown responses
- Build momentum through clear, consistent communication that addresses concerns while reinforcing progress and preventing quiet cracking at the organizational level
- Take-Home Tool: Comprehensive Tiny HEART Nudges Guide with evidence-based micro-practices
Bonuses
- 3 x 45-minute 1:1 coaching calls at the times you choose — so you’re never figuring out how to apply what you’re learning alone, and you finish with the confidence and certification to show for it
- 1 impact project of your choice that applies everything to real changes you’re navigating (whether that’s leading a change initiative, embedding HEART tools into your workplace, training other leaders, or creating new resources) — so what you learn goes straight into your work, not a folder on your desktop
If you’re thinking ‘I’d love to do this but now isn’t the right time’ — the good news is you have six months to complete the self-paced Certificate. Everything is ready for an immediate start but you can work your way through at your own pace, book your coaching call at times that work for you, and make your impact project as large or small as is meaningful for your work.
What Makes This Different?
- Research-Backed Insights: Built on breakthrough findings from our study of 1,000+ workplaces navigating change, this certificate translates cutting-edge research into immediately practical tools that address what’s really happening in today’s organizations.
- Neurobiologically-Informed Approach: Unlike traditional change management approaches, we address the subjective, dynamic nature of how people experience change, translating cutting-edge neuroscience into immediately practical tools.
- Systems Perspective: Learn to navigate change at the ‘Me,’ ‘We,’ and ‘Us’ levels, creating islands of sanity in complexity rather than adding more chaos.
- Immediate Real-World Applications: Apply learning in real-time with support through 3 x 45-minute individual coaching sessions. Get language, frameworks, and resources you can immediately share that work at all organizational levels.
This Certificate is Perfect For:
- HR Leaders who need practical tools to address psychosocial safety risks while supporting sustained performance during ongoing organizational changes
- Change Champions who want neurologically-informed frameworks to coach leaders and teams toward greater confidence and adaptability during uncertainty
- Wellbeing Champions who need evidence-based nudges to build psychological safety and address the nervous system overwhelm that creates quiet cracking
- Practitioners who want ready-to-use, co-brandable resources to help clients develop the capacity to navigate complex changes successfully
*Please note this does not include the teaching slides but we do have a train-the-trainer option available if you require, just ask.
Want to do it as a team? Ask about group discounts for 5 or more and if you wish and we can bundle the coaching calls as group session. There’s something powerful about a whole team learning to navigate change with HEART together.
Your Investment
Get everything you need to help people move through fear, uncertainty, and doubt of change without quietly cracking or burning out.
What’s Included:
- 4.5 hours of self-paced training recordings you download the moment you enroll — so you can learn anywhere and at any time, with six months to complete
- 3 x 45-minute 1:1 coaching calls at the times you choose — so you’re never figuring out how to apply what you’re learning alone, and you finish with the confidence and certification to show for it
- 1 impact project of your choice that applies everything to real changes you’re navigating (as big or small as you like)
- Done-for-you 90-minute workshop — a training video plus slides and playbook showing leaders exactly how to lead the human side of change. Ready to use immediately.
- Conversation guides & AI tools — turn the everyday questions leaders already ask into meaningful conversations that shift resistance into commitment.
- Evidence-based change nudges at the Me, We, and Us levels — practical tools that help people feel emotionally and socially safer during uncertainty.
- Practical implementation map — step-by-step instructions so leaders can bring human-centered change into their existing routines, rituals, and daily practices. No extra things on the to-do list.
- Assessment tools with immediate reports — pinpoint exactly where people are struggling and what support would make the biggest difference right now.
- AI Summit Toolbox featuring ready-to-use guides, templates, and video tutorials (bonus valued at $597)
- Branding permissions for all tools and resources (excluding workshop recordings) to co-brand, re-brand and share as widely as you wish.
In October 2025, we’re teaching our masterclass live for the first and only time, with limited places to create the best learning experience
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Chat to our team about our Train-The-Trainer or facilitated options for your workplace.
let’s chatFrequently Asked Questions
When is the training scheduled?
Everything is recorded and ready for you to work through at your own pace. You have lifetime access to the materials and six months from purchase to complete your one-on-one coaching calls and impact project.
Who is this Certificate designed for?
It is perfect for HR leaders who need practical tools to address psychosocial safety risks while supporting sustained performance, change champions who want neurologically-informed frameworks to coach leaders and teams, wellbeing champions who need evidence-based micro-practices to build psychological safety, and practitioners who want ready-to-use, co-brandable resources to help clients navigate complex changes successfully.
I don’t have a background in neuroscience or change management. Can I still take this certificate?
Absolutely. We’ll cover the neuroscience insights you need in an accessible way, so you have exactly what you need to apply the HEART framework effectively. No prior experience required.
Who are the facilitators for the certificate?
Dr. Michelle McQuaid and Michelle Etheve are the co-founders of The Change Lab are the faciltators. Michelle Etheve and Maureen McKenna are the coaches.
Dr. Michelle McQuaid is an award-winning researcher, LinkedIn Top Voice for Mental Health, and honorary fellow at Melbourne University’s Centre for Wellbeing Science. She translates cutting-edge research into practical strategies that help care for wellbeing, supercharge psychosocial safety, and co-create change in workplaces, schools, and communities. With nine best-selling books and over 250 podcast interviews with leading researchers, Michelle’s work regularly appears in Psychology Today, Forbes, and media outlets around the world. She brings playful, practical approaches to help people thrive, even during the most challenging of times.
Michelle Etheve is a Masters-qualified coaching psychologist and expert in strengths-based organizational change. She specializes in creating cultures of curiosity and helping people design transformative questions that unlock collective potential. With extensive experience delivering Appreciative Inquiry summits, coaching development programs, and positive change initiatives across organizations, schools, universities, and government departments worldwide, Michelle’s work spans clients including Xero, University of Melbourne, and Family Safety Victoria. She brings playful energy, deep compassion, and practical expertise to help people discover their purpose and create meaningful change together.
Maureen (Mo) Mckenna is a workplace change practitioner who helps leaders and teams shift mindsets and create more human-centred workplaces. Drawing on over 25 years of partnering with multi-sector organizations, she brings a practitioner’s insight to translating research—like the HEART framework—into practical steps that begin with a pause and foster connection, adaptability, and thriving through change.
I’ve completed The Change Lab’s Certificate in Creating Positive Change in the past – will this be different?
Yes. While this builds on the Appreciative Inquiry and systems change skills you learned in the previous Certificate, this is the first time we’re teaching the HEART framework and assessment tools. Many of the evidence-based change nudges are completely new, along with the communication tools and mapping pathways to embed change through role modeling, routines, rituals, and rules. If you’re concerned about overlap, please reach out to chat with us so we can see if this is the right fit.
I’ve completed your Certificate in Creating Wellbeing and/or Certificate in Leading Psychosocial Safety & Care – will this be different?
Yes. While this builds on the science, frameworks and tools you learned, most of the content will be completely new and complementary to what you’ve gained in our other certificates. This is the first time we’ve ever taught the HEART framework and assessment tools, and many of the evidence-based change nudges and communication tools are also completely new.
Can I join from anywhere in the world?
Yes. You can join us from anywhere in the world. All you need is a computer, tablet, or smartphone with a reliable internet connection and a web browser. We’ll send you clear instructions for joining the workshops.
What if I can’t complete the Certificate in six months?
We want to make the Certificate as joyful and successful for you as possible. The six-month limit on coaching calls is designed to help you keep moving through the process. If you are struggling to complete it in this time reach out to us and we will help you find the most supportive way forward.
What tools and resources will I receive?
You’ll get the HEART of Change Survey with immediate reports, Tiny HEART Nudges Guide with evidence-based micro-practices, Extraordinary Questions Generator (PDF & Notebook LM AI Coach), Extraordinary Conversations Guide (PDF & Notebook LM AI Coach), Extraordinary Connections Map, Leading Change Playsheet, AI Summit Toolbox with guides and video tutorials, plus co-branding permissions for all tools and resources (excluding workshop videos).
Do you offer payment plans?
Yes, we can arrange a payment plan for you. Just email laura@michellemcquaid.com to discuss options that work for your situation.
Can you send me an invoice instead of paying through the website?
Absolutely. We can issue an invoice and process payment directly if you prefer this to online payment. Just email laura@michellemcquaid.com and we’ll arrange this for you.
What if I still have questions?
We’re here to help! Just book a call with one of our team here.
