Causal Layered Analysis (CLA) is a method for exploring complex issues by looking beneath the surface to uncover the deeper stories and assumptions that shape them. It works with four layers:

Litany (the visible headlines, data, and everyday complaints)

Systemic or social causes (policies, institutions, and structures that keep things in place)

Worldviews or discourses (the beliefs and narratives different groups hold)

Underlying myths and metaphors (the deep stories and symbols that quietly guide how we see the world).

By moving up and down these layers, CLA helps people see that today’s problems are not just about surface symptoms but are rooted in systems, mindsets, and cultural stories that can be questioned and reframed. In my work, I use CLA to create a reflective, participatory space where clients can surface hidden assumptions, imagine alternative futures, and design more transformative strategies—shifting from “how do we fix this problem?” to “how might we change the story that keeps creating it?”.