People who attend our regular circling evenings often report enjoying the depth, intimacy, sense of belonging and increased self-awareness that is created at these events. We’ve had lots of people ask about more in-depth trainings, to help them create these experiences in their own lives. The time feels right to offer our first circling immersion and facilitator training.
Who is this training for?
This training may be for you if you fit one of the following:
- You enjoy the intimacy that’s created in a circle, and you want to learn how to create these kinds of connections in your everyday relationships.
- You work with people – either one on one as a coach or therapist, or in groups as a facilitator or event organiser – and you wish to create more connection, more listening, and more understanding with these people.
- You want to lead circles or authentic relating games, at Brisbane Authentics events or out in the wider world.
- You’re excited by the idea of exploring and going deep with a small group of other, highly committed individuals.
Dates
- Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th of April
- Saturday 18th of April
- Saturday 9th of May
- Saturday 23rd of May
- Saturday 6th of June
- Saturday 20th of June
Training sessions will be held approximately every fortnight, with a gap of three weeks between session 2 and session 3.
The first session is spread over two days, allowing us more time to bond as a group and build the foundations for the rest of the course.
Venue(s) TBA.
Training Program
The course will comprise of in-person training sessions, small-group practice, and homework assignments.
In-person Training Sessions
The core of this training will be six in-person training sessions, held over three months. These sessions are where we’ll discuss circling theory, complete exercises designed to train awareness in key circling skills, and practice circling as a group. These weekends are a chance to receive individualised feedback about your facilitation, areas where you feel stuck, blind spots, and strengths.
Week 1: Setting Context and Sealing the Container
In our first weekend together we’ll build the bonds needed to go deep, train each other, and work together as a group. We’ll set the context for the rest of the course, and explore how context affects a circle.
Week 2: Connect to Self
To better understand others, we must first understand ourselves.
In this weekend we’ll focus on connecting to ourselves – becoming more present to our experience, our thoughts, our feelings, our hesitations, our insecurities, our curiosity, our bodies, our minds, our higher selves, our intuitions, our biases, our expectations, and our agendas.
Week 3: Connect to Other
What is it like to truly see another? To see not just the surface, but to tap into the essence of who an individual is? We’ll explore how to listen empathically, in ways that create a deep sense of connection.
Week 4: Weaving Shared Reality
A gap exists between my own subjective experience of the world, and your experience of the world. Weaving shared reality is the art of bridging that gap, creating a sense of connection and understanding.
Week 5: Discovering Dissonance
What happens when my words don’t match my actions? Or when my desires run counter to yours? By treating dissonance and conflict as a phenomena to be appreciated and explored, we can dissolve tension and create new opportunities for growth and understanding.
Week 6: Closing the Circle
Circles can have moments that are joyful, cathartic, energising, tense, dull, and everything in between. Learn how to bring closure to a circle, in a way that solidifies learnings and honours the experiences of participants.
Small-group Practice
Everyone will be placed into a training group for the duration of the training. In between the in-person sessions, you’ll practice circling with this group (either in person or via Skype). Consistent practice is key to learning to circle well, and this group is an opportunity to hone your new skills.
Homework
Homework will consist of books to read, videos to watch, and practical assignments. These are an opportunity to learn the theory behind circling, and to put circling principles into practice out in the real world.
Cost
The cost for attending this training is $450 full-price, or $300 concession. Please reach out if you’d like to attend but money is an issue – we can probably find an arrangement that works.
Participants
We’re limiting this course to a total of six participants. This is for two reasons:
- To give each participant individualised feedback and attention.
- To deliver the course with more agility. This is the first time we’ve offered this training, so there will likely be on-the-fly changes.
We’ve received strong interest for this course, so it’s likely we’ll have to turn some people away. We’ll likely run this course again later in the year, so if we can’t accommodate you this first time around, you’ll be first in line for the next one.
Expectations
To get the most out of this course, and to create a cohesive group experience, it’s expected that anyone who joins commits to:
- Attending at least five of the six training weekends. Of course we understand that people get sick and sometimes the unexpected happens, but if you know ahead of time that you’ll miss two or more sessions, please discuss this before signing up.
- In between training sessions, lead a circle and be circled at least once.
- Complete all homework assignments.
- Participate as fully as you can. This course is not for spectators.
Expression of Interest
Registrations for the course are closed. Thanks to everyone who reached out!
Looking forward to exploring with you!
~ Jesse