Living room Conversations
Building a Better World One Conversation at a Time
Living rooms are places where we feel respected and valued, where real conversations happen. We bring that warmth to tough discussions.
Since 2010, we've been giving people the tools to have respectful and meaningful talks with those who see things differently—building new relationships and finding common ground.
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What Is a Living Room Conversation?
A Living Room Conversation is an event where people come together—in person or online—to discuss an issue using a carefully crafted conversation guide that helps everyone connect and understand each other. Best of all? It's really easy to use!
How it works: The format is simple and structured. Each conversation has three rounds of questions, usually lasting about 90 minutes to two hours (but people barely notice time passing when they're really connecting!).
The Three Rounds
- Round 1 - Getting to Know You: Everyone shares their values, sense of purpose, and what's important to them. Questions like "What sense of mission or duty guides your life?" or "What would your best friend say about you?"
- Round 2 - The Topic: The main discussion using carefully designed questions specific to whatever issue you're exploring
- Round 3 - Reflection: Time to think about what you learned and how the conversation went
The conversation agreements are key to making this work: curiosity, listening to understand, respect, authenticity, and being mindful of how much each person contributes. These skills work everywhere—not just in conversations, but in all parts of life.
Why Living Room Conversations Work
We've learned that when people have time and structure to really listen, something powerful happens. Research shows our conversation format improves listening skills, changes mindsets, builds understanding of different views, and increases interest in fixing big problems.
What makes our approach different:
📖 Self-Facilitated
No expert needed—the guides walk you through everything step by step
🆓 Free and Open-Source
All conversation guides are completely free for anyone to download and use
🏠 Flexible
Host anywhere—your living room, library, church, school, community center, or online
🔧 Plug and Play
Easy to adapt for any group or organization's specific needs
The science behind it: By providing structure for conversation, we make it easier to interrupt stereotypes. When we have time to process counter-stereotype information in a safe setting, we can actively listen and share opinions without defensiveness. The intimate format creates space for understanding and mutual respect.
Get Started
Browse Conversation Guides
Over 100 free guides on topics from abortion to climate change to police-community relations
Find a Topic →For Organizations
Training for schools, libraries, faith communities, and civic groups to transform your programs
Learn More →Join a Conversation
Find conversations happening in your area or join virtual events with people nationwide
Get Involved →Learning Community
Monthly emails with tips, activities, and resources to improve your conversation skills
Sign Up →Youth Programs
Adapted conversation guides and events designed specifically for young people
Youth Council →Who we work with:
- Libraries: American Library Association, Boston Public Library, Colorado State Library, and many more use our model
- Universities: Princeton, UNC Chapel Hill, and other schools have rebuilt curricula around our conversations
- Faith Communities: Episcopal Diocese of Newark, Mecklenburg Interfaith Network, and congregations nationwide
- Civic Organizations: Clinton Foundation, LBJ Foundation, National Civic League, Citizen University, and dozens of partners
- Community Groups: From restorative justice partnerships to elder networks to mediation centers
Real Impact
What participants are saying:
- "I scrapped my entire Composition 1010 curriculum and rebuilt it around Living Room Conversations." — College Professor
- "Our Living Room Conversation on abortion was a success. We had differing viewpoints, but our conversation was still intimate and compassionate."
- "The timed rounds, shared knowledge baseline, and provided questions really took the stress out of the event for both the facilitator and the participants."
- "I was thrilled afterward. The looks on people's faces were great, it was clear that people were learning, and were being open. This was like a breath of fresh air for me."
- "One participant mentioned she was trying to get a group together to clean up litter along the river in the park. People shared their emails with her. What a great outcome!"
Building Community Capacity
Regular practice of Living Room Conversations leads to:
- Higher potential for working together to solve problems
- Building the capacity and strength of communities to face challenges
- Social cohesion that positions groups to increase their problem-solving ability
- Deeper understanding and sometimes deeper appreciation of complexity
- Skills that transfer to all areas of life—work, family, community
Featured in major media: Time, BBC, New York Times, CNN, C-SPAN, San Francisco Chronicle, PBS, Newsweek, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and TEDx
Creating ripple effects: In East Hartford, after staff training, the Resident Advisory Committee partner started hosting their own conversations in various locations, spreading the practice throughout the community beyond the original organization.
About Living Room Conversations
📅 Founded
2010 as transpartisan partnership to revitalize civil discourse
🎯 Mission
Shift cultural norms toward respect, understanding, and connection
⚖️ Legal Status
Fiscally sponsored by Mediators Foundation (501c3)
🌍 Reach
People having conversations all around the world
Founders and Leadership:
- Joan Blades — Co-founder (also co-founded MoveOn.org), created the transpartisan partnership
- Dialogue Expert Team: Walt Roberts, Debilyn Molineaux, Amanda Kathryn Roman, and Heather Tischbein helped create the format
- Becca Kearl — Executive Director, active community dialogue organizer locally in Provo, Utah and nationally
- Advisory Board: Guides organizational strategy and growth
Notable partnerships: In 2013, Joan Blades co-hosted a groundbreaking conversation with Mark Meckler, co-founder of the Tea Party Patriots, finding common ground on controversial issues including criminal justice reform.
Our vision: A world where people who have fundamental differences of opinion and backgrounds learn to work together with respect—and even joy—to reach common ground and solve problems.
