Talking Circle ~ Sharing Circles ~
During these COVID-19 pandemic times, it has been my pleasure to offer group counselling, facilitation, and workshops to virtual groups. The challenge of facilitating discussion and healing circles on topics of anxiety, depression, grief & loss has also been a gift. Organizing, reviewing, and preparing content is part of the process, as each group slide deck is thoughtfully prepared with the unique context and needs of the group.
I acknowledge Cree Elder Andrew Yellowback (rest in peace), whom I had the pleasure and honour of facilitating talking circles with. His stories were colourful, his humour uplifting, and his spirit resilient. Our work supported urban Indigenous community members working on issues of family and intimate partner violence.
Group Process
In general, we begin with an acknowledgement of the traditional lands, introductions, and an overview of the day's offerings (topic, themes, takeaways). There is time for content sharing (psycho-education or Indigenous/cultural teachings, depending on the topic), discussion, reflection, and often group work (activities).
Group Work: Topics
Topics and fees are listed on the Groups section.
As pandemic restrictions ease, I'm looking forward to facilitating more in-person groups, indoors, outdoors, and also virtually, especially where distance is a consideration.
For more information about traditional Native talking circles, please view this short video, or the links below.
References
Image: Cristina Cerda, unsplash.com
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