I came away from Friday’s prison visit feeling deeply encouraged. I had gone in to deliver an introductory session, but by the time I left, that first conversation had become something much more: a six-week pilot, with a core group meeting for an hour every week.

We began with the Dragon Wisdom cards. I laid them out across the table and invited everyone to choose the card that drew them in—the one that seemed to speak to them—and then to share why. Very quickly, the room opened up. People spoke honestly about acceptance, perseverance and the people who carry us through the hardest moments of our lives. One story has stayed with me. After surviving a serious incident, one participant woke in hospital to a nurse saying, “Today is the start of the rest of your life.” He never forgot those words, or the people who helped him recover.

From there, we explored what I call the “river of thought”: that constant stream of thoughts moving through the mind. We may not be able to stop every thought from arriving, but we do not have to believe every thought—and we certainly do not have to act on every one. With practice, we can notice what is happening, create a pause and choose our response. It is a simple idea, but in a place where impulse, conflict and difficult emotions can shape daily life, that pause can be powerful.

What struck me most was the willingness in the room: the staff who made the session possible and joined in wholeheartedly, and the participants who trusted the space enough to share their experiences so openly.

The dates are now in the diary, and I am already looking forward to returning for the next workshop—because sometimes meaningful change begins with something very small: one card, one story and one moment of pause.