All episodes

In this episode, Tessa and Claire 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...

In this episode Galia shares:
* introducing creative writing in a women's shelter
* creating a safe enough space to share personal experience
* building trust within your circle
* creating a space for creative feedback
* how best to provide creative writing feedback in circle
* the value of writing as an alternative to speaking
* the importance of having appropriately trained individuals in trauma spaces
* creating a safe enough container - the closed writing circle
* creating your writing theme: meaningful writing from the heart
* how to promote your writing circle
* the ambitious writer in...

In this episode, Tessa and Julia:
- gave two examples of settling practices to prepare the ground for listening
- discussed the importance of caring for people's nervous systems as part of a circle
- showed how your vulnerability may make it safer for others to share
- shared guidelines that are essential for creating the container for deep listening
- explored how pacing the sharing is important, including having time for people to listen to their thoughts before sharing aloud
- how using a talking object can slow down turn taking
- the role of the disrupter to listen...

In this episode, Tessa and Julia shared how they brought the end of the year to their circles with ideas of practices you might use for the Winter Solstice, the New Year or the ending of a series of circle sessions.

If you're new to the Circle Holding podcast, this episode will give you a glimpse into the interviews with diverse circle facilitators in Series 3.

Alex and Julia talked about:
• First encountered circles at Church with age group and older facilitator
• Came back to circle in his thirties with a lot more life experience
• Was a journalist in lifestyle and wellbeing who attended a circle out of curiosity and to write an article, to being asked to host one
• Started with a one hour circle for 6-8 weeks
• Is inspired by Men’s Speak, men’s circles in London
• Did a Mental Health First Aid Course, then coaching, then as a therapist, which opened doors into schools
• Did group work...

Julia and Tessa talk about the importance of the welcome to circle, including the pre-circle preparation and how welcomes might differ according to your demographic.

Sophie and Tessa talked about:
• Moving away from right and wrong dynamics to a different way of engaging
• Restorative justice addresses harm after it has happened e.g. working with local police
• Restorative practice is about every interaction, shifting out of who’s right and wrong and to what really matters and how can we move forwards
• I-messaging means talking from my personal experience rather than you language or how it is (as if factual) – what’s true for me is indisputable and allows space for difference
• Speaking from multiple social truths
• Move away from divisive,...

In this episode, Tessa and Julia talked about facilitating appropriate vulnerability, considering how the fear of vulnerability can be a real barrier to attending a talking circle, but when being vulnerable in a safe space can be incredibly empowering.