When The World Hurts

Many people look around these days and conclude, well... we’re fucked. With breakdown on the rise—climate injustice, polarization, war, inequality—it’s easy to feel helpless and overwhelmed. The collective pain isn’t just happening out there—it’s happening in our nervous systems, and we aren’t sure what to do about it.

But what if the pain we’re feeling—individually and collectively—isn’t proof of our inherent demise, but a sign that we’re awakening to something deeper as a society—and that our personal experiences have a role to play?

When The World Hurts invites readers into a grounded, soulfully honest way of making sense of the world’s pain. At its heart is a simple yet radical idea: our emotions about the world are part of her change. Far from being obstacles, they’re doorways into collective wisdom. We just need the right tools to work with them.

Drawing from years of work at the intersection of sustainable development, systems thinking, and trauma-informed healing, Liz Moyer Benferhat shares her own story of moving from fiery activist to collective healing practitioner—learning how to stay in the heat of complexity long enough for wisdom to emerge. She introduces her We Heal For All Circle model—a practice that helps people connect with themselves, each other, and the world through story, presence, and co-created wisdom.

Part healing framework, part social analysis, and part memoir, you'll discover:

•  Why collective pain is on the rise, and what it might point toward.

•  How to unearth wisdom within what you feel and use it to play the unique role the world needs you to right now.

•  A deep dive into collective wounds–what they are, how they show up–to better understand yourself and others politically.

Whether you're an activist on the edge of burnout, a parent trying to stay hopeful for your kid, or simply someone who feels deeply and wants to do good in a world that's upside down, this book is for you. It’s a shared space—a place to breathe, feel, and remember you're not alone.

These pages won't tell you how to save the world. But they will help you be in relationship with her, so you can listen more deeply to what's being asked, and participate in her transformation from the inside out.