Description:
The Holmes & Watson Investigations are shared, spoken inquiries designed to make relational patterns visible without turning them into personal problems. They were developed alongside the writing of The Lens That Changes Everything as a way of exploring the lens in lived experience rather than explanation.
Each investigation uses a short scripted exchange, meant to be read aloud, to externalize familiar dynamics and shift attention away from blame, diagnosis, or self-assessment. What emerges is not a solution, but clarity—often enough to change the tone of conversation on its own.
These investigations are not about fixing people. They are about seeing patterns together.
Connection & Use
How It Strengthens Connection
By carrying the inquiry in the script itself, the investigations reduce pressure on participants to explain themselves, perform insight, or defend positions. Attention moves from who is at fault to what appears to be happening, allowing curiosity to replace urgency.
People often notice that once the pattern is no longer treated as personal, conversations soften. Listening becomes easier. Connection emerges without being forced.
This work strengthens connection not by increasing vulnerability, but by removing unnecessary friction.
How to Use It
The investigations are designed to be read aloud, usually by two people, though they also work well in small groups.
There is no required preparation and no correct way to proceed. The scripts are intentionally light so the experience can remain shared rather than analytical. Some groups choose to notice what stood out after reading; others move directly into the Participant Variable Map as a way of holding attention on the pattern itself.
Nothing needs to be resolved for the investigation to be complete.
Choosing the Right Packet
The Holmes & Watson Investigations are offered in four packets, each designed for a different context of use. If you’re unsure where to start—or simply want to see how the packets differ—these two resources can help.
- Packet Comparison Matrix: A side-by-side view of the four packets, showing how they differ in focus, context, and intended use.
- How to Choose a Packet: A short guide to help you decide which packet best fits your setting, experience level, and goals.
Both resources are optional. Many people choose a packet intuitively and begin there.
Who It’s For
Who it’s for
- Friends, families, or small informal groups
- People new to the lens
- Groups wanting to explore shared dynamics without analysis or fixing
What they’re looking for
- A low-pressure way to talk about familiar struggles
- A shared experience that doesn’t require personal disclosure
- A starting point that feels human, light, and accessible
How this packet supports that
- Uses short, readable scripts spoken aloud
- Externalizes patterns so no one is positioned as the problem
- Keeps attention on shared observation rather than self-assessment
Included in this packet
- Holmes & Watson Investigation: The Curious Case of Exhaustion
- Holmes & Watson Investigation: The Curious Case of People-Pleasing
- Holmes & Watson Investigation: The Curious Case of the Loneliness Epidemic
- Participant Variable Map (PDF)
Packet downloads are at the bottom of the page. Create an account or login if you already have one.
Who it’s for
Workplace facilitators, team leads, consultants
Organizations navigating recurring relational strain
Groups that need clarity without emotional exposure
What they’re looking for
A way to surface patterns without blame or politics
Shared language that doesn’t require vulnerability as a prerequisite
Tools that work inside professional norms and boundaries
How this packet supports that
Frames challenges as systemic patterns rather than individual issues
Keeps inquiry external, observable, and non-diagnostic
Supports group coherence without personal disclosure
Included in this packet
Workplace-adapted Holmes & Watson investigations
Participant Variable Map (workplace version)
Facilitation notes tuned to organizational settings
Packet downloads are at the bottom of the page. Create an account or login if you already have one.
Who it’s for
Writers, artists, educators, and creative communities
Reading groups, studios, classrooms, ensembles
People comfortable with inquiry, interpretation, and narrative
What they’re looking for
Ways to explore relational dynamics without collapsing them into judgment
Tools for noticing character, tension, and interaction
A shared investigative posture aligned with creative practice
How this packet supports that
Treats the investigations as narrative lenses rather than exercises
Uses scripts to externalize dynamics in story, group process, or character
Applies the Participant Variable Map to meaning-making rather than self-work
Included in this packet
Arts & literary-focused Holmes & Watson investigations
Participant Variable Map (creative inquiry version)
Orientation notes for classrooms and workshops
Packet downloads are at the bottom of the page. Create an account or login if you already have one.
Who it’s for
Experienced facilitators and systems practitioners
People working with layered, high-complexity environments
Groups where patterns persist across roles, time, and structure
What they’re looking for
Tools that hold complexity without premature resolution
Language that preserves coherence under pressure
Ways to observe systems without reverting to blame or urgency
How this packet supports that
Supports sustained observation across multiple interacting variables
Resists simplification while maintaining clarity
Keeps attention at the system level rather than the individual level
Included in this packet
Advanced Holmes & Watson investigations
Participant Variable Map (systems-capable version)
Facilitation notes for complex, multi-layered contexts
Packet downloads are at the bottom of the page. Create an account or login if you already have one.
Downloads & Resources
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About Mark Firehammer
Author-Songwriter-Entrepreneur
Born 1962, Mark cofounded Fitstreams.club in 2020 and myFeelness.com in 2024, an innovative alternative for physical well-being. After a career as a professional musician, he founded Attract More Clients in 2004 and now consults for Fitness Business Pros. Mark is also the author of The Echo and the Voice, a novel that explores authenticity, creativity, and cultural healing. As the founder of Creative Humanity Alliance, his vision is to inspire a cultural shift toward reconnection—helping people rediscover their voices, their creativity, and one another.
A believer in opportunities over obstacles, he’s passionate about empowering others to live without limits—and he loves cats.