Where it all began

The method was originally developed by Arnold Mindell, a Jungian psychoanalyst and physicist. His body of work is called Process Orientated Psychology and he began training others in it, alongside his wife Amy. Their work has had tremendous effects on psychology and in particular how we understand group behaviours.

Arnold Mindell's process-oriented psychology was carried forward by two of his students, Myrna and Greg Lewis, who developed it into what's now known as Lewis Deep Democracy while working in South Africa during the final years of apartheid. Their focus was on helping people and organisations find a way to work together despite differences that seemed impossible to bridge. They took the basic concepts of Process Orientated Psychology and redesigned them to become practical tools that people could easily understand and apply.

Today, it is practiced in more than 20 countries and has been recognised by the United Nations as a leading innovation.

The name reflects two commitments. It's "democratic" because every perspective in the room matters, and the wisest decisions are the ones that actually include the minority view, not just the majority's. It's "deep" because it works below the surface content of a discussion, bringing feelings, values, and unspoken views into the open rather than leaving them to work against the group unaddressed.

Its tools are built to do one specific thing: make tension, resistance, and competing positions visible and workable, rather than something to suppress or avoid. Handled this way, that same friction becomes a source of insight and energy for the group, deepening trust and creating stronger relationships, clarity, and more powerful outcomes.

The cost of unaddressed difference

Humans find disagreement and conflict very difficult (for valid reasons). Typical responses are to avoid it completely and hope it goes away, or to get louder and more assertive to force a resolution. Unfortunately neither of these strategies resolves the disagreement.

The cost of avoiding disagreement is high - strained or broken down relationships, reduced effectiveness or quality of outcomes, lack of creativity.

The strongest teams are those that argue for the sake of staying in relationship and to learn and grow together. Working through conflict can create powerful social bonds and innovative potential.

Deep Democracy teaches us to stay with the discomfort long enough, and with the right skill, to gain clarity, effectively use the differing views, and strengthen relationships.

It brings clear and precise tools, however it is also much more than a set tools or ideas. It’s a way of being, and a culture, and stance that can be cultivated and learned.

The power of Deep Democracy

The method creates spaces in which tensions become visible before they escalate and block progress and connection. It then transforms these tensions into insights and solutions that benefit everyone involved.

Deep Democracy transforms:

• stuck dynamics or stagnancy into creativity and flow

• resistance into participation and information

• polarisation to productive tension

Results

For organisations, that means less friction, steadier teams, and leaders equipped to guide change:

• Decisions are made incorporating difference collaboratively, therefore are more relevant and stick rather than falling apart at implementation.

• Teams develop a deeper understanding of underlying dynamics and act with greater awareness and responsibility.

• Leaders need to intervene less, because differences and tensions are addressed early and appropriately.

• Change, decisions, or projects run more smoothly, as resistance no longer blocks progress but is heard and integrated.

The real deal

Deep Democracy asks a lot of you, and it isn't always comfortable. It demands engagement, participation, and honesty - to yourself, and others.

Yet it is truly rewarding. When people feel heard and empowered to navigate difference, something comes alive. The conversations are riveting and relevant. The energy picks up, ideas flow, and connection improves.