Hello!
I’m Leigh Hopkins, Founder and Director of Viva Institute.
My work is rooted in a simple belief: how we care for ourselves shapes how we care for the world.
Raised in a small town in Upstate New York, I felt an early pull toward teaching and helping others.
Today, through Viva Institute’s online classes, 1:1 Sessions, and community offerings, I’m committed to supporting big thinkers who want to make a positive impact on the world.
If there’s something you’re ready to make happen, let’s talk.
You’re onto something. Got an idea for a project you can’t quite get your head around? Let’s figure out what you’re really trying to say or make, get clear on what it needs, and make a plan to move it forward.
- Find the shape of your story. If you’re a writer trying to make sense of something you’ve lived through, we’ll look at the big picture—the turning points, themes, and patterns only you carry—and find the language to bring it onto the page.
- See what’s possible. Bring me the half-formed idea, the stuck project, or the thing you can’t quite see your way through. I’m an experienced thought partner who will ask you the big questions, make thematic connections, and help you see what’s there.
- Make it happen. Whether it’s a book, a podcast, or a big idea you’ve been circling for a while, we’ll figure out what comes next and create a path from idea to finished work.
I'm here to help.
1:1 Sessions
Has your life path been unconventional? Let's work together to make sense of the pieces.
Online Classes
There's a story only you can tell. Let's find it a home in the world.
Connection Circles
Join our welcoming Zoom circles where each month brings a fresh theme.
In other words...
Your life is a creative act. Let's find out what it's been trying to tell you.
I began my career teaching creative writing to elementary schoolers, but quickly realized I wanted more flexibility and openness than public schools allowed. I launched a private tutoring business, built a trained team, and gained the freedom to pursue the work I cared about. That experience led me to a high-profile nonprofit, where, as Vice President for Education, I supported 500 literacy programs and designed an after-school program that President Obama later cited as an example of what’s possible in community-based institutions.
I worked at the intersection of listening and action, gathering stories from people doing vital work in their communities and bringing them to members of Congress to advocate for social programs in urban communities.
Along the way, I learned how to listen closely, ask good questions, see the bigger picture, and help people turn ideas into action. Those are the tools I bring to my work today with writers, thinkers, and creative troublemakers.
You're onto something.
Most of the people I work with are standing at the threshold of a new chapter. They want to write a book, launch a project, share their ideas more publicly, deepen their creative practice, build a business, or discover what comes next after a major life change. They know something new is on the way, but they haven’t quite found the words for it yet. I listen carefully, respect the talents you already carry, and help bring forward your creative gifts.
People often ask how I knew this was the work I was meant to do. It was a long accumulation of listening—to my own body, to the people I worked with, and to the patterns I saw again and again: smart, capable people burning out; helpers losing themselves; systems that rewarded capitalism and productivity while ignoring human needs and connection. Viva Institute is my response to that reality.
My own life has been a series of tipping points and dividing lines, beginning with the place where I was born—a small white ranch house beneath the highway, the halfway mark between rural and suburban, a few blocks past the tracks and within walking distance of five-cent corn.
Somehow, even as a small girl, I knew I was destined for an unusual life. So it wasn’t a surprise when I quit the Big Job and moved to Brazil, bought a farm above Rio de Janeiro, and—after rigging a satellite dish to a boulder in a banana field—Viva Institute was born.
Since 2010, Viva Institute has been committed to creating life-affirming online courses and community offerings, offering hundreds of classes focused on advancing creative potential, consciousness, and community connection.
My own unconventional path has given me a particular interest in supporting people who have lived unusual lives. I’ve always been curious about what makes some people thrive through change, in spite of incredibly challenging circumstances.
I support writers through body-centered, trauma-informed writing instruction and editorial coaching, meeting people at every stage of their process. In my own writing, I write personal essays, political commentary, memoir, fiction, and in-depth arts and culture interviews, with new writing workshops always on the way.
Your life is a creative act. Let’s find out what it’s been trying to tell you.
That’s the idea behind Viva Institute, and it’s the guiding principle behind the way I work with writers, thinkers, and creative troublemakers. This philosophy, paired with years of practice and ongoing learning, has shaped everything we offer at Viva Institute: our courses, our 1:1 Sessions, and our community.
Which brings me to you.
If you’re here, I suspect you’re someone who cares deeply—about your work, about other people, and about making a positive impact on the world. Maybe you’re at a threshold, sensing that something needs to change. Maybe you’re already on the path and looking for clearer direction, different or better tools, and a community that’s aligned with your beliefs.
However you arrived, I’m so glad you’re here.
Viva Institute’s work is rooted in care, integrity, and a commitment to supporting people through change. Much of what we offer is shared freely with those who need it.
I’m no guru! I’m always learning, reflecting, and growing. (If you follow me on social media, you know I get pretty fired up about some things.) I’ll share what I’ve learned, and be honest about what I haven’t.
If you’ve read this far, thank you. I hope this is the beginning of a connection. Feel free to write to me at info@vivainstitute.com.
To stay in touch, learn more about our offerings, and receive resources from Viva Institute, I invite you to join our community by signing up below.
I’m grateful you’re here.
Big love,
Leigh Hopkins
Founder, Viva Institute
