You Stop Restarting unhappiness.
SOFA CHATS
with Marcus & Lisa
"Something still feels like it's missing.
And talking about it with people who actually understand would help."
Fortnightly conversations for anyone who longs for a little more ease and happiness in ordinary life.
Marcus and Lisa host these sessions together on Zoom, every other Monday at 7:30pm, UK.
Meetup Dates: 2026
September: 14th. 28th.
October: 12th. 26th.
November: 9th. 23rd.
December: 7th
Sofa Chats
That Missing Peace
There's a kind of peace that doesn't depend on anything going right. Most people have felt it, briefly, in the ordinary gaps between things. The moment just before sleep. A pause between tasks. A walk where the thinking dropped away. The peace is always there, but it's often overlooked.
Every fortnight, Marcus and Lisa sit together with a small group on Zoom for about 75 minutes and talk honestly about what gets in the way of the ease that's already here.
The language we use
We’ll be using the language of Stop Restarting during a Sofa Chat.
Most of us live somewhere between two sentences: I’m unhappy because, and I’ll be happy when. We call the stretch between them a Mindline. It’s the land of when I get there, where the good bit sits just past the next thing that needs sorting, and where a lot of us end up in a waiting room or workshop, working on ourselves or waiting for life to properly begin.
Something doesn’t feel quite right, a story arrives about why, and off we go into the thinking, fixing and getting ready that we call the Restart.
Where we slow it right down
At some point we slow the whole thing right down, usually to what’s happening in the body while someone’s talking, the tightness or heaviness that arrives alongside the story.
Then we look at what follows: the thought about what needs sorting, the pull to do something about it, and what it’s like when you don’t follow it for a moment.
The conversation itself
A Sofa Chat is warm, unhurried and genuinely informal. People arrive with whatever is on their mind. A situation they’re not sure how to handle, a pattern they keep returning to, or a question that’s been quietly sitting there for a while.
You can ask about something you’re going through, share what you’ve been noticing, or keep your camera and microphone off and simply listen. If you’d rather not speak up, email your question to hello@stoprestarting.com beforehand and we’ll bring it in without naming you.
What touches one person tends to touch everyone, even when their circumstances look nothing alike. And if the group simply wants to listen, that’s just as welcome.
When: Every other Monday, 7.30pm UK time:
Where: Zoom, for 75 minutes
Cost: £15 per person or couple
Recorded and sent to everyone who booked. Yours to keep.
No preparation needed. Just turn up with whatever's on your mind.
Upcoming dates: September 14th & 28th. October 12th, 26th. November 9th, 23rd. December dates tbc.
If fewer than three people have booked by the Monday of the session, we'll postpone to the next date and let everyone know.
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In-person gatherings are planned for later in 2026 - join the mailing list on the homepage to be the first to know.
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FAQs
Do I have to speak or be on camera?
Not at all. You're welcome to join with your camera off and your microphone on mute and simply listen. If you'd prefer to send a question in advance rather than say it out loud, email hello@stoprestarting.com and we'll bring it in without naming you.
Do I need to know about the work beforehand?
Not necessarily but it may be helpful to be familiar with our approach and the Mindlines, as we'll be using the Stop Restarting methodology language during the Sofa Chats. If you'd like some context first, the Approach section and the Mindlines page is a good place to start.
Is this the same as group therapy?
It's quite different. We don't look at your past or try to diagnose what's wrong. We look at what's been creating the pressure in the first place, in the present moment, in a real conversation. It's more of an inquiry than a therapy session, and considerably warmer.
Can my partner join on the same ticket?
Yes. £15 per household, so if the two of you join from the same screen, one ticket covers it.
What if I want to discuss something private?
The Sofa Chats are a shared space. You're welcome to bring something personal, though the conversation tends to stay with what's actually happening rather than the fine detail. If you'd like something more private, a one-to-one with Marcus or Lisa is the better fit.
Do you record the sessions, and where do the recordings go?
Yes. Every session is recorded and sent to everyone who booked, so you can watch it back in your own time. People often hear something quite different on a second listen, once the mind has settled. The recording is yours to keep and it goes to nobody else. Zoom display names are switched off in the recording, so nobody's name appears on screen.
We do sometimes share short clips as content afterwards, and we only ever use footage of ourselves. You won't appear and you won't be heard. If the conversation came out of something an attendee raised, we type the question or situation out on screen in our own words. No names, no faces, no voices.
What if I book and can't make the live session?
The recording will be sent to you afterwards, so you won't miss out.
How often should I come?
There's no right answer. Some people come once and find what they needed. Others enjoy the fortnightly rhythm. You can book session by session, whenever it feels right.
What do I need to bring?
Yourself and a cuppa. No notebooks, no homework, nthing to learn beforehand.
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Join a Sofa Chat →
If a Sofa Chat feels like a step too far right now, a one-to-one conversation with Marcus or Lisa might feel more comfortable as a starting point. No group, no pressure, just a quiet conversation.