The Hoffman Process
My Hoffman Journey: A Week that Changed Everything
Ever heard of the Hoffman Process? A friend asked me one afternoon in the summer of 2023. I hadn’t. He mentioned a podcast with Scooter Braun, the music manager, describing how the process had helped him reconnect with himself and reshape his life. Later that evening, I listened — and something in his story struck a chord.
By most measures, life was going well. I was doing work I loved, with strong friendships, good health, and plenty to be grateful for. But beneath the surface, I felt unsettled. A quiet sense that I’d lost touch with myself. I’d experienced a lot of change over the previous year and I hoped the week would help me find my footing again and reconnect with who I was beneath it all.
What is the Hoffman Process?
The Hoffman Process is a week-long residential programme that helps us become more aware of the patterns of behaviour that quietly shape our lives. Many of these patterns were learned in childhood — ways of thinking or responding that once helped us feel safe and loved but can later hold us back without us realising it.
These patterns might show up as a need to please, a drive for perfection, a tendency to avoid conflict, or a habit of putting work before wellbeing. We all have them — it’s part of being human. The Process helps us recognise and release the behaviours that no longer serve us, creating space for greater freedom, self-acceptance and compassion in everyday life and relationships.
A Journey Within
I arrived at Charney Manor filled with a mix of apprehension and excitement. I knew the week ahead would be fully immersive - no phones, laptops, books, or contact with the outside world but nothing could have prepared me for what was to come. It’s hard to put into words the impact the process had on me. Without hesitation, I can say it was one of the most impactful weeks of my life. Something shifted within me that week. I connected with myself in a way I never had before.
Through guided meditations and visualisations, journaling, group exercises, and moments of quiet reflection, I began to see patterns in myself more clearly — the beliefs and reactions that had shaped how I showed up in the world.
The days were intense but held with extraordinary care. Our facilitators, Eliza, Tim, and Roxy, guided us with empathy and precision — creating a space that felt both challenging and safe. There was laughter, emotion, and moments of stillness. At times it felt raw and at others unexpectedly light.
Over the course of seven days, I got to know the twenty-three other participants in a way that felt deeply open and honest. We arrived as strangers and left feeling deeply connected. Together, we shared our hopes, fears, past hurts, and dreams. There’s something profoundly liberating about allowing yourself to be truly seen by others and to truly see them in return.
Coming Home to Myself
It’s hard to describe the impact of the Hoffman Process without sounding a little cliché, but the truth is, it changed something fundamental in me. I left with a deeper understanding of myself — not a new version, but a truer one. The week helped me see the patterns I’d been living out with more clarity and compassion and gave me tools to respond differently.
What’s stayed with me most is the sense of connection — a feeling of coming home to myself. I’m more grounded, calmer, and more open with the people around me. The inner critic that often spoke so loudly softened, replaced by a more understanding voice. Hoffman didn’t change who I am, it reminded me of who I’ve always been beneath the noise. And that’s what makes it so powerful.
The Lasting Impact
The impact of Hoffman didn’t end when I left Charney Manor — it has continued to ripple quietly through my life ever since. One of the most meaningful shifts has been in my relationship with my mum. I feel closer to her now, more understanding and more open. In many ways, I also feel closer to my dad, who passed away the previous year. It’s as if the process helped me soften some of the pain of loss and find gratitude in the love that remains. The process is not a religious process but there is something deeply spiritual about it.
And then there’s the group — twenty-four people who shared an extraordinary week together. We set up a WhatsApp group shortly afterwards, and two years later it still lights up every few days. Each message brings a smile to my face and a reminder of the special bond that was forged between us. A year after our process, we had a reunion in London and it was as if no time had passed. We picked up exactly where we’d left off — connected not by circumstance, but by something much deeper.
The Hoffman Process gave me more than insight. It gave me connection — to myself, to others, and to life itself. It reminded me that we’re all works in progress, learning to live with more honesty, compassion, and love.
