Sketching Co-Thriving Selves: Diagramming as circular-adaptive conversation

This article is an inquiry into collective thriving of an explorative collaboration where
diagramming reveals the relationships between empirical, constructivist and hermeneutic views of science. Neurophysiology, humanist education, developmental sociology and design cybernetics put emotional learning and social relationships at the center of thrivability, where they co-regulate each other. Recursive diagramming can depict the quality of relationships in work alliances by revealing adaptation dynamics of kinesthetic-affective learning by body, cohort, society and epistemologies. The author proposes diagramming as an open-ended conversation – reflecting in moving relations with others – to understand the underlying restorative processes of thriving in person, group and environment. Drawing on Jem Bendell’s Deep Adaptation approach, this iterative diagram analysis portrays co-regulation dynamics from measurable efforts, observable conduct, and experiential interpretation.