The Friendshift Circle (Building Better Friendships)

Welcome To Our Community

If you’re someone who self-describes as thoughtful, genuine, independent yet still deeply loyal to the people you care about, then welcome! Founded in 2024 by leading friendship and connection coach Hannah Carmichael OBE, ‘The Friendshift Circle’ is 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.’

The Friendshift Circle 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’ve got you covered.

What’s it all about?

You’re reading this 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 need something different. Perhaps it's not your life that’s changed, but those of the people around you – a lot of people join us when their friends start settling down and having children, for example. Whatever your circumstances, when you join The Friendshift Circle you’ll join a community of others who are also busy working out what they need from their friendships NOW, and how to nurture new and existing connections into enjoyable, authentic, emotionally intelligent relationships.

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, what we're finding difficult, and work out what we need to do differently to create the conditions for more authentic, meaningful friendships to flourish.

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 by yourself too. When you join The Friendshift Circle, I’ll automatically enrol you in my 3 step Friendship Accelerator programme, a value-packed programme which breaks down the steps to help you grow a healthy, aligned friendship circle, from the ground up. Unlocking access to hours of incredible content so that you understand exactly how high quality friendships get made – and how to build them for yourself. You can find out more about The Friendship Accelerator here.

Crucially, this isn’t a dating site. There are plenty of those out there already. We moderate all conversations, and ask the 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. These include kindness, inclusion, courage, and a focus on growth.

What’s included in my membership?

• Live lunchtime sessions at least twice a month with Hannah 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 adult, specifically when you’re trying to balance your need for ‘reset’ time with your desire for connection.
• A NEW private, moderated online community space exclusively for paying members where we can carry on the conversation in between sessions. It’s also where you’ll share your thoughts, ask for advice and support, help others, and make new connections.
• Full access to my popular ‘Friendship Accelerator’ programme, a comprehensive three step experience designed to fast track you to more meaningful friendships, without getting burnt out. Incorporating more than ten hour of videos and exercises, with more being added all the time
• Bonus courses – Starting Over In A New Place, How Healthy Is Your Friendship Circle? and my bonus Friendship Foundations toolkit
• Ad hoc events – including guest speakers, ‘lives’ responding to questions that have come up in the community, and ‘pilots’ of new workshops and courses before they’re released
• Monthly evening meditation and ‘connection circle’
• Generous members-only discounts on in-person events
• Access to session recordings for those who can’t attend live
• A range of useful resources, including mini-courses, videos, articles, assessment tools.
• As our community grows, you’ll also be able to see who lives near you – 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 MeetUp ($15 / circa £12 a month)*. Pay monthly, stay as long as you like, cancel any time - just click ‘join’ now to get started. You’ll get immediate access to all Friendshift Circle events via the Meetup app. Within 48 hours, you’ll get a separate link to my learning platform (hosted by via Mighty Networks) and details on how to log in. That’s where you’ll find our private community space, recordings of all previous sessions, the Friendship Accelerator course – and lots more! Please note that prices may rise, and that you will lose access to all course materials and our community space within a few days if you cancel your membership.

(*you can also purchase a subscription without using MeetUp for a fixed price of £12 a month).

2)      Lifetime access plan via Mighty Networks (one-off payment of £250). You won’t be able to access Friendshift Circle events via the MeetUp app – instead, you’ll find everything you need, including event details, our community space, course materials etc on a separate platform called Mighty Networks, which also has an app you can download. Once you click on the link, you'll be taken straight to the platform where you can make your payment and create your account. As this is a lifetime access plan, you can attend events, be part of the community space and access the course materials (including new videos and other content added regularly!) for as long as you like – you’ll only pay once, and will never lose access or be charged more, no matter how much more amazing the offer gets!

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.

Some self-describe as introverts, some just prefer socialising 1-1 or in smaller groups, and deeper conversations. They like doing shared activities with the people they 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, as long as you're able to participate meaningfully.

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.

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.

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 Circle 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 Hannah know what’s most on your mind.
• Masses of content. Because content has been added to the community and programme since we started, the monthly membership fee now represents unbelievable value.
• 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 Circle 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 The Friendshift Circle is finally becoming a reality, and I can't wait to join you there!"