In 2026, we have a chance to shift the conversation from “democracy in decline” to “regenerating democracy.” I’m not a fan of hand-wringing, fear-mongering, or diagnosing problems without offering tools and strategies to address them—that market is oversubscribed. So I’m starting the year with constructive conversations, programming, and workshops in service of healing our minds and body politic. I’d love if you marked your calendars and joined me when and where you can.
Monday, Jan. 5, 10 AM ET: Join me live on NPR’s 1A
I’ll be on 1A this Monday at 10am ET, taking listener calls alongside Max Stier, president and CEO of the Partnership for Public Service, and Gabe Fleisher of Wake Up To Politics. We’ll be talking about the state of our democracy and the path forward.
In the DC, Virginia, or Maryland area, tune into 88.5 FM at 10 am ET. Outside the region? Stream the show live here or find the podcast and syndicated times across the country at the same link. Call in or email if you can—I’d love to hear from you.
Tuesday, Jan. 6, 12 PM ET: Capitol attack AMA
On the fifth anniversary of the Jan. 6 attack, I’m hosting an “Ask Me Anything” session. I was at the U.S. Capitol as a Washington Post journalist when the mob attacked, documenting the violence as rioters swarmed and threatened me.
Five years later, as we watch pardons being issued and grapple with questions of accountability, I want to hear what’s on your mind. What led us to that moment? What have we learned about democracy’s fragility—and resilience? And, most importantly, how do we heal individually and collectively?
Bring your questions. I’m happy to be candid about my own journey of healing, as well as what I think is needed to help the country repair.
Here’s a calendar invite to sign up for the AMA. Download the app to be notified of the 12 pm ET livestream, and upgrade to paid here if you’re not already:
Jan. 3- March: “Public Defender” on PBS
I’m excited to share that “Public Defender,” the documentary that I worked on as a senior producer, begins broadcasting nationally this month on PBS stations and WORLD Channel. (Watch the trailer above.)
The film directed by Andrea Kalin follows Heather Shaner, a progressive public defender in Washington, DC assigned to represent men and women who attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. For more than 45 years, Shaner has fought for justice, defending those who can’t afford a lawyer and earning the trust of countless clients. But when she’s assigned J6 cases, her empathy and commitment to second chances faced the ultimate test. As the country grapples with that day’s lasting impact, Shaner’s work bridges deep political divides—one client at a time.
Three years in the making, this film—now part of the New Yorker’s documentary family—offers a timely meditation on accountability, compassion, and democracy’s essential promise. The festival run was a beautiful, traveling reflection on how we heal a divided nation. The answer that’s emerged? One relationship at a time.
How to Watch:
The film will air nationally on WORLD Channel and stream on PBS Passport, starting Jan. 3 through March. Folks in the DC area, we’re playing in WETA Saturday, Jan. 3, at 8 pm ET. Here’s the broadcast schedule. Use the PBS Station Finder to find your local broadcast times—dates and times vary by station.
Tuesday, Jan. 27, 7 pm ET: Resilience Toolkit Intro
For paid subscribers, I’m offering a complimentary introduction to the Resilience Toolkit—the nervous system regulation practice at the heart of my work connecting individual wellbeing to collective democratic health.
When the body and mind bear the weight of injustice, uncertainty, and upheaval, stress and trauma patterns can show up in relationships, workplaces, policies, practices and, yes, politics and the media. This 75-minute workshop will introduce you to the science of stress, techniques to notice your stress patterns, and evidence-based tools for managing activation and building resilience so you can stay engaged in the effort to transform the systems wearing us down in the first place.
Whether you’re feeling the weight of current events or simply curious about the neuroscience of resilience, this session offers practical skills you can use immediately. Space is limited to paid subscribers. Message me here to join the 1/27 session.
February—University of Reno, Nevada
I‘ll be spending time at UNR in February for a public lecture and workshop series exploring the connection between personal wellbeing and democratic resilience.
“The Nervous System of Democracy” presents a framework for understanding our political crisis through the lens of psychology, neuroscience, and systems thinking. I’ll explore how polarization is a symptom of collective trauma, how our individual stress responses mirror what’s happening to democracy itself, and why healing one requires healing the other. The Resilience Workshops are experiential, interactive workshops that empower participants to recognize how stress shows up in their bodies and relationships, build sustainable resilience practices, and create supportive communities.
If your school or organization is hungry for this kind of keynote or engagement, I’d love to chat. Email: kate@katewoodsome.com.
If you’re new here, welcome. Back again? So glad you are.
Read about the regenerative ecosystem I’m building to empower journalists, leaders, and concerned citizens to move from Awareness to Agency to Action. I’m excited about it, and I think you will be, too.
Also, let me introduce myself.
I’m Kate Woodsome, founder of the Invisible Threads Impact Lab. I help leaders, journalists, and changemakers transform stress and into strategies for civic resilience—strengthening the ties between mental health and democracy.
For more than 20 years, I reported and led global news teams through political unrest and social transformation—from Cambodia to Cuba, Hong Kong to Washington, D.C. I worked for Voice of America, Al Jazeera English, and The Washington Post, where my colleagues and I won the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service for our coverage of the Jan. 6 Capitol attack. I also walked away with something more: a reckoning with trauma, burnout, and moral injury.
Two years ago, I left The Post to pioneer a field connecting journalism, nervous system literacy, and systems change. An economy of wellbeing. Learn more about the work my lab is doing here. Georgetown University’s Psychology Department is evaluating the impact of the Regenerative Journalism I’m producing on readers’ sense of hope and empowerment to make positive change.
In a world where old ways of thinking no longer serve us, I believe we must know better to do better to feel better.
Step by step, together we can,
Kate
