The Braver Work
From reactivity to true leadership:Lead without losing yourself
The Braver Work is an invitation to lead with more clarity, courage, and care —
without losing yourself along the way.
You already do brave work.
You lead in uncertainty.
You make decisions that affect lives.
You hold responsibility for people and outcomes in the midst of complexity.
Are you often called brave… but secretly feel lost, down, or easily triggered?IF yes, Are you up for the braver work of looking inwards?
"If you don’t have the qualities of stability, peace, and freedom inside of you, then no matter what you do, you cannot help the world"Thich Nhat Hanh
We’ve led under fire in 25 countries, confronting war zones and dictatorships, living and breathing pressure and risk. Now, we teach the skills we wish we’d learned earlier — the ones they don’t teach at school or at work.
We’ve:
- led teams in conflict and crisis zones
- worked under political repression and censorship
- navigated ethical dilemmas with no good options
- managed large, multicultural teams and complex programs, as well as nimble crews, under constant pressure and with limited resources
- experienced anxiety, mission fatigue, indecision, crushing guilt, and the fear of losing lives, including our ownWe know what leadership looks like when there’s no script, no support, and no time to pause.
We also know the cost of such work when the skills to sustain it are missing.You see, we were trained to be competent, committed, and efficient.
What we weren’t taught:- how to stay grounded under chronic pressure
- how to work with stress before it turns into burnout or numbness
- how to interrupt reactivity when it is counterproductive
- how to stay connected to purpose without sacrificing ourselves
From reactivity to true leadership
The Braver Work supports people who are often seen as “strong” or “brave” by others —
but who privately experience:- overwhelm or inner chaos
- difficulty switching off, or switching on
- feeling on edge, easily triggered, or emotionally flat
- disconnection from what really matters
- burnout, or the quiet fear of getting thereYou may be functioning well on the outside —
But inside, you know this isn’t sustainable.This is where our work begins.
What we do at The Braver Work
We teach leadership as a set of trainable, embodied skills.Our work integrates:- Nervous system awareness and regulation
- Somatic practices
- Relational and communication skills
- Leadership development grounded in real-world complexityIt’s about expanding your capacity — so you can respond with choice rather than habit.
We offer:
1:1 coaching and mentoring
workshops and retreats
talks and trainings for teams and institutions
WE WORK WITH:
Individuals
Mission-driven professionals and leadersPeople navigating responsibility in complex settings
Organizations
Teams operating under pressure and uncertaintyLeaders navigating crisis, conflict, or rapid changeTeams that want to increase trust and collaboration
Universities & training institutions
Students preparing for impact-driven careers and leadershipPrograms that want to complement academic excellence with real-life embodied and relational skills
Why organizations and universities should care
This work isn’t just personal — it’s systemic.Research consistently shows that:
- chronic stress impairs judgment and decision-making
- burnout increases cynicism and disengagement
- fatigue reduces empathy and increases bias
- dysregulated leaders unintentionally transmit stress to teamsInvesting in inner leadership capacity isn’t a “nice to have.”
It’s an ethics and performance issue.
Who we are:
We, Catherine Lee and Tania Shybko, are certified coaches, trainers, and public speakers with backgrounds in humanitarian aid, journalism, research, and leadership in complex systems.We’ve spoken and facilitated in contexts ranging from:- universities and leadership programs
- humanitarian and social impact organizations
- international conferences and public forums, including TEDx and major cultural institutions