The Power of Being Witnessed in Creative Circles with Claire MacKinnon

Show notes

In this episode, Tessa and Claire MacKinnon (https://www.clairemackinnon.com/offerings) talked about:

• from corporate to coaching - finding meaning through a different kind of leadership
• creating a structure in circle to let the magic happen
• a focus on the quality of process rather than the outcome
• different from coaching because not asking follow up questions about how someone feels or about their experience
• important to manage participants' expectations and stay in your lane if you have multiple skills/ professions
• the power of being witnessed
• sharing creative output without critique or judgement, but how it is received and lands for the audience (e.g. "What your words touch in me is….")
• circle format isn't only for talking and listening, but to include other activities like writing in a supportive environment

Next online training of Circle Fundamentals, like the one Claire attended is on 23rd March: https://www.tessavenutisanderson.co.uk/circles/circle-workshop or longer training with nervous system focus starts 13th April: https://www.tessavenutisanderson.co.uk/circles/embodied-listening-training

Claire Mackinnon is a transformational coach, creative catalyst, and women's leadership guide devoted to supporting women to reclaim their voices and step into their creative power – in their work, their leadership, and their lives. 

An ICF PCC-certified coach with more than 2,000 hours of coaching and facilitation experience, she has supported hundreds of leaders across industries including technology, retail, professional services, and education – as well as an ever-growing community of mission-led women entrepreneurs.

Claire is the founder of The Joy-Led Creativity Collective, an inspiring community of women changemakers reclaiming their voices and creative power for these times.

She's currently completing her debut memoir, Finding Aphrodite: One Woman's Dance from Shame to Aliveness, through which she hopes to spark a wider cultural conversation about women's creative power – and the urgent need for leadership rooted in aliveness, truth, and joy.

You can read more about her work and offerings on her website: https://www.clairemackinnon.com/offerings

You can order our book Circle Holding: A Practical Guide to Facilitating Talking Circles here: https://www.circleholding.org/book

Get your free Start Your Circle Guide HERE

Support our podcast. If you love the conversations and would love for us to create a third series you can support our podcast by donating £5, £10 or any other amount: https://www.gofundme.com/f/spread-stories-of-communities-building-circles-of-hope/

To learn more about facilitating circles you can join one of our trainings: https://www.circleholding.org

Or see Tessa's offerings at https://www.tessavenutisanderson.co.uk/circles including The Art of Holding Space Retreat 9-11 October https://www.tessavenutisanderson.co.uk/circles/weekend-retreat and Embodied Listening and Somatic Practices training [https://www.tessavenutisanderson.co.uk/circles/embodied-listening-training] (https://www.tessavenutisanderson.co.uk/circles/embodied-listening-training))

You can attend Julia's In Person Circles at https://finchleyyoga.com/#workshops

We love to hear from circle facilitators and circle goers so please email us at info@circleholding.org

Music credit: Fabio Venuti