Circle Holding

By Julia Davis and Tessa Venuti Sanderson

Do you run a group or a circle?

Join us for insights into circle facilitation. We speak to people who have created spaces where people can speak without interruption and listen without judgement. You... more

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FAQs about Circle Holding:

How many episodes does Circle Holding have?

The podcast currently has 32 episodes available.

Circle Holding episodes:

January 24, 2025 Running Your Circle At Home (and Plant Medicine) with Nicky Yazbeck
Exclusive podcast 20% discount on our London training - 8 & 9 March 2025
Use the code POD20 when you check out.
Circle Holding Non-Residential Retreat - London
https://www.circleholding.org/weekend-retreat
In this episode with Nicky Yazbeck (https://nickyyyoga.com/) and Julia, they covered:
• How Nicky holds a women’s circle for those who’ve experienced plant medicine
• Ayahuasca is a serious plant medicine and need to prepare through clean diet and other preparations
• A circle is important for creating a container for the experience
• There is a WhatsApp group important for the integration of what came up after taking the plant medicine – everyone in the group has shared experience
• People are welcome whether it’s a good or bad day
• Separate women and men’s circles are held because they’ve found a different level of sharing when the sexes are separated
• Pre-circle phone call with Nicky to set expectations
• Opening is an opportunity for someone to share – might be a chance to grow through vulnerability e.g. singing in from of the circle, teaching a meditation
• She’s found that having done plant medicine, people are willing to go deeper: there’s no hesitancy about sharing
• She asks people to be specific about what they want: to have space held for them, support given, reflection and / or advice. Definitely not there to rescue people. Attendees may check “Are you open to feedback?”
• In a 3 hour circle, there are usually 9-14 women and Nicky doesn’t keep time for how long people speak for.
• A firm guideline is that we don’t talk about people who aren’t present.
• Closing is an opportunity to ask everyone how they want to close the circle to give ownership e.g. singing a song, rolling oms, holding hands
Get your free Start Your Circle Guide HERE
You can order our book Circle Holding: A Practical Guide to Facilitating Talking Circles on Amazon (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Circle-Holding-Practical-Facilitating-Talking/dp/1805013157/)
Or you can get 10% off the book through the publisher using code CIRCLEHPOD10 at checkout on this link only: https://uk.singingdragon.com/products/circle-holding
To learn more about facilitating circles you can join one of our trainings:
https://www.circleholding.org
Circle Holding Fundamentals - introductory 3 hour workshop
https://www.circleholding.org/circle-fundamentals
Circle Holding Facilitator Training - 3 month training
https://www.circleholding.org/circle-holders-journey
Circle Holding Book Club - a fun way to work through the exercises
https://www.circleholding.org/book-club
Yoga Nidra & Circle Holding
https://www.circleholding.org/yoga-nidra-circle-holding
Circle Holding Self Study Programme
https://www.circleholding.org/self-study
Circle Holding Non-Residential Retreat - London
https://www.circleholding.org/weekend-retreat
Circle Holding Residential Retreat
https://www.circleholding.org/autumn-residential
Free Events and mini trainings - meet Julia & Tessa and get a taste of circle holding
https://www.circleholding.org/free-resources
We love to hear from circle facilitators and circle goers so please email us at [email protected]
...more
37min
January 17, 2025Embodied Listening: Using Focusing as a Technique in Circle with Marta Fabregat
For the video interview and transcript, go to https://www.circleholding.org/podcast-episode-19
In this interview with Marta Fabregat (https://martafabregat.com/), we covered:
How the practice of Focusing works
Focusing is listening from the body, but can’t separate the experience from the environment
Focusing is about the art of living rather than a method or technique
Marta and Tessa both share a short focusing practice
Focusing creates a pause and stillness through being more fully present and honouring your experience
With practice, it becomes natural to keep company with what’s happening internally all the time
Marta shares an analogy of gardening and rewilding: the former is the way we’re conditioned to communicate and be with our experience through different lenses compared to there being no imposition, judgement or belief
For ‘true’ connection to happen we need non-interventional, non-judgemental company
Through this practice with the body, this is not ‘spacey’ but very much grounded
Your own experience of a moment, of a situation makes it a totally new thing just as a poet will experience their own poem newly some time later
As a facilitator, keeping company to what comes in a group situation is crucial, ideally with a beginner’s mind without psychotherapeutic training or whatever your background may be.
Get your free Start Your Circle Guide HERE
You can order our book Circle Holding: A Practical Guide to Facilitating Talking Circles on Amazon (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Circle-Holding-Practical-Facilitating-Talking/dp/1805013157/)
Or you can get 10% off the book through the publisher using code CIRCLEHPOD10 at checkout on this link only: https://uk.singingdragon.com/products/circle-holding
To learn more about facilitating circles you can join one of our trainings:
https://www.circleholding.org
Circle Holding Fundamentals - introductory 3 hour workshop
https://www.circleholding.org/circle-fundamentals
Circle Holding Facilitator Training - 3 month training
https://www.circleholding.org/circle-holders-journey
Circle Holding Book Club - a fun way to work through the exercises
https://www.circleholding.org/book-club
Yoga Nidra & Circle Holding
https://www.circleholding.org/yoga-nidra-circle-holding
Circle Holding Self Study Programme
https://www.circleholding.org/self-study
Circle Holding Non-Residential Retreat - London
https://www.circleholding.org/weekend-retreat
Circle Holding Residential Retreat
https://www.circleholding.org/autumn-residential
Free Events and mini trainings - meet Julia & Tessa and get a taste of circle holding
https://www.circleholding.org/free-resources
We love to hear from circle facilitators and circle goers so please email us at [email protected]
Thank you to Fabio Venuti for the music composition.
...more
11min
January 15, 2025 To Share or Not Share Expertise in Circle with Julia and Tessa
A common question is trainings is how to balance the role of facilitator and the role of being an expert within a workshop context, in which a talking circle will be one activity. For example, if you run a menopause workshop and teach the first part, how will you shift to a sharing circle where everyone doesn't just turn to you for answers? How do you create an atmosphere where people feel empowered to share their experience? Julia and Tessa share some reflections and tips on how to manage this issue of expertise and power dynamics.
Get 20% discount on our London training - 8 & 9 March 2025
Use the code POD20 when you check out.
Circle Holding Non-Residential Retreat - London
https://www.circleholding.org/weekend-retreat
Get your free Start Your Circle Guide HERE
You can order our book Circle Holding: A Practical Guide to Facilitating Talking Circles on Amazon (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Circle-Holding-Practical-Facilitating-Talking/dp/1805013157/)
Or you can get 10% off the book through the publisher using code CIRCLEHPOD10 at checkout on this link only: https://uk.singingdragon.com/products/circle-holding
To learn more about facilitating circles you can join one of our trainings:
https://www.circleholding.org
Circle Holding Fundamentals - introductory 3 hour workshop
https://www.circleholding.org/circle-fundamentals
Circle Holding Facilitator Training - 3 month training
https://www.circleholding.org/circle-holders-journey
Yoga Nidra & Circle Holding
https://www.circleholding.org/yoga-nidra-circle-holding
Circle Holding Self Study Programme
https://www.circleholding.org/self-study
Circle Holding Non-Residential Retreat - London
https://www.circleholding.org/weekend-retreat
Circle Holding Residential Retreat
https://www.circleholding.org/autumn-residential
Free Events and mini trainings - meet Julia & Tessa and get a taste of circle holding
https://www.circleholding.org/free-resources
We love to hear from circle facilitators and circle goers so please email us at [email protected]
Credit for music: Fabio Venuti
...more
20min
January 10, 2025Part 1: Diversity and Inclusion in Circle with Mike Irwin of Mankind Project
In this episode with Mike Irwin (https://mankindprojectuki.org/circles), he and Julia discussed:
the evolution of men's groups and GBTQ+ groups
how to introduce ice breakers and discussion starters
circle as a conduit for emotional breakthrough
the breadth of development opportunities through circle in the corporate world
how men's circles have changed and are addressing current challenges
Mike read English Literature at the University of London and graduated with ﬁrst class honours before studying coaching psychology at postgraduate level. Mike has over twenty-ﬁve years’ experience in mentoring and facilitating and has worked as a coach for over twenty years. As a founding member of the UK branch of one of the world’s largest men’s personal development organisations, ManKind `Project UKI, Mike serves as a certiﬁed leader and certiﬁed leader trainer.
In addition, he chairs a group tasked with developing curriculum based on archetypal psychology for new training experiences. He also serves on the European board with responsibility for excellence in delivering trainings to up and coming leaders. Mike is also co-founder of a UK based organisation dedicated to passing on the wisdom of archetypal psychology to those in active recovery from addictions.
Cordis Associates Of particular interest to Mike is exploring how best to develop and implement effective policies to support diversity and inclusion. In coaching and facilitating, Mike lives for the transformative ‘aha’ moment when insight comes alive, and the participant’s life can never be the same.
michaelirwin.org
http://cordisassociates.com
https://www.oliviermythodrama.com/our-team/mike-irwin/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-irwin-a85313144/?originalSubdomain=uk
https://archetypesatwork.com/certified-apr-debriefers/
https://mankindprojectuki.org/nwta-register-gbtq-gateway-wp
Get your free Start Your Circle Guide HERE
You can order our book Circle Holding: A Practical Guide to Facilitating Talking Circles on Amazon (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Circle-Holding-Practical-Facilitating-Talking/dp/1805013157/)
Or you can get 10% off the book through the publisher using code CIRCLEHPOD10 at checkout on this link only: https://uk.singingdragon.com/products/circle-holding
To learn more about facilitating circles you can join one of our trainings:
https://www.circleholding.org
Circle Holding Fundamentals - introductory 3 hour workshop
https://www.circleholding.org/circle-fundamentals
Circle Holding Facilitator Training - 3 month training
https://www.circleholding.org/circle-holders-journey
Yoga Nidra & Circle Holding
https://www.circleholding.org/yoga-nidra-circle-holding
Circle Holding Self Study Programme
https://www.circleholding.org/self-study
Circle Holding Non-Residential Retreat - London
https://www.circleholding.org/weekend-retreat
Circle Holding Residential Retreat
https://www.circleholding.org/autumn-residential
Free Events and mini trainings - meet Julia & Tessa and get a taste of circle holding
https://www.circleholding.org/free-resources
We love to hear from circle facilitators and circle goers so please email us at [email protected]
Credit for music: Fabio Venuti
...more
38min
December 01, 2024 New Beginnings - An Antidote to New Year Resolutions
Making a Circle for Winter Solstice and New Year
In this episode, Julia and Tessa talk about creating a circle to look back over the last year and forward to the year to come. This could be with a group of friends in your home or in a special class or workshop.
The flash paper mentioned is available from magic shops e.g. https://magicshop.co.uk/products/flash-paper-pro-quality-white?
Find more details about the Circle Holders Journey at https://www.circleholding.org/circle-holders-journey
In person trainings are available in London (non-residential) in March or on retreat in Pershore in October. https://www.circleholding.org
Please get in touch with any questions about the training or the scholarships.
...more
18min
October 20, 2024 The Ups and Downs of Circle Facilitation
Highlights of Series 1 plus Julia and Tessa's favourite and most challenging circles
In this final episode of Series 1 of the Circle Holding Podcast, Julia and Tessa reflect on what they learnt from the diverse circle facilitators who were interviewed. They also look back on their own experiences of being in circle and holding space, remembering magical moments and some challenging ones!
Get your free Start Your Circle Guide HERE
You can order our book Circle Holding: A Practical Guide to Facilitating Talking Circles on Amazon (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Circle-Holding-Practical-Facilitating-Talking/dp/1805013157/)
For a signed copy from Independent Book Store West End Lane Books purchase the book here https://www.welbooks.co.uk/shop/p/circle-holding-by-julia-davis-and-tessa-venuti-sanderson
To learn more about facilitating circles you can join one of our trainings:
https://www.circleholding.org
Circle Holding Fundamentals - introductory 3 hour workshop
https://www.circleholding.org/circle-fundamentals
Circle Holding Facilitator Training - 3 month training
https://www.circleholding.org/circle-holders-journey
Circle Holding Book Club - a fun way to work through the exercises
https://www.circleholding.org/book-club
Yoga Nidra & Circle Holding
https://www.circleholding.org/yoga-nidra-circle-holding
Circle Holding Self Study Programme
https://www.circleholding.org/self-study
Circle Holding Non-Residential Retreat - London
https://www.circleholding.org/weekend-retreat
Circle Holding Residential Retreat
https://www.circleholding.org/autumn-residential
Free Events and mini trainings - meet Julia & Tessa and get a taste of circle holding
https://www.circleholding.org/free-resources
We love to hear from circle facilitators and circle goers so please email us at [email protected]
Music credit: Fabio Venuti
...more
14min
October 16, 2024 From Monastery to Participatory Democracy with Andy Paice
In this episode, Julia and Andy covered:
• Participatory democracy is about a deeper level of democracy .e.g Citizen’s assembly to listen to diverse voices and find common solutions
• Danger of spiritual bypassing when engaged in spiritual practices at the expense of everyday relationships in society
• ‘Deep democracy’ tries to draw inner voices into democratic process as microcosm of outer world
• Talking in circle ‘until the obvious arises’ leads to real solutions
• Facilitator balances aim of meeting with making people comfortable to take part
• Appreciative enquiry to use imagination through crafts or drawing so that people have chance to express themselves through different methods
• Dynamic facilitation to reflect back what you’ve heard and to create a safe space where creative solutions can emerge rather than fighting about different opinions
• Diversity in facilitators to match diversity of participants and to ensure that there isn’t a power imbalance
• Parliament as opposite of circle holding – paradigms that current society build on makes collaboration harder
Andy’s Website: andypaice.net
Information on Citizens Assemblies
UK Participation organisations that Andy works for:
Shared Future CIC
MutualGain
Involve UK
The US non profit Andy is involved with:
Co-Intelligence Institute
Andy’s writing on participatory democracy:
The holistic paradigm as Demoracy’s evolutionary frontier
Facilitation methods mentioned:
Dynamic Facilitation
Arnold Mindell’s Deep Democracy
Appreciative Inquiry
Andy’s mentors:
Tom Atlee
Rosa Zubizarreta
Get your free Start Your Circle Guide HERE
You can pre-order our book Circle Holding: A Practical Guide to Facilitating Talking Circles on Amazon (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Circle-Holding-Practical-Facilitating-Talking/dp/1805013157/)
For a signed copy from Independent Book Store West End Lane Books purchase the book here https://www.welbooks.co.uk/shop/p/circle-holding-by-julia-davis-and-tessa-venuti-sanderson
To learn more about facilitating circles you can join one of our trainings:
https://www.circleholding.org
Circle Holding Fundamentals - introductory 3 hour workshop
https://www.circleholding.org/circle-fundamentals
Circle Holding Facilitator Training - 3 month training
https://www.circleholding.org/circle-holders-journey
Circle Holding Book Club - a fun way to work through the exercises
https://www.circleholding.org/book-club
Yoga Nidra & Circle Holding
https://www.circleholding.org/yoga-nidra-circle-holding
Circle Holding Self Study Programme
https://www.circleholding.org/self-study
Circle Holding Non-Residential Retreat - London
https://www.circleholding.org/weekend-retreat
Circle Holding Residential Retreat
https://www.circleholding.org/autumn-residential
Free Events and mini trainings - meet Julia & Tessa and get a taste of circle holding
https://www.circleholding.org/free-resources
We love to hear from circle facilitators and circle goers so please email us at [email protected]
Music credit: Fabio Venuti
...more
37min
October 13, 2024 A Labour of Love: Building a Circle Holding Non Profit with Becoming Mum's Liz Allum
In this episode with Liz Allum of Becoming Mums, we covered:
• The importance of having co-facilitators to support with the skills to read the room and create a permissive atmosphere
• How being clear about what your demographic needs is more important than what you want to do (and will help you get funding)
• Talking to existing organisations or projects that work with your demographic to see how they work and what gaps in provision there are so you’re not reinventing the wheel but creating allies
• The importance of paying artists a proper fee for their time in providing a creative aspect to your circle and how creating can support talking
• How you as a facilitator create the structure for the space, but then get out of the way of where the talking wants to go: it’s not about your agency but the people who are there
• Having shared experience / being a peer makes all the difference when inviting speakers to a circle
• How as a facilitator there might come a time when it’s right to move on because you’re no longer in the demographic
• Creating community and connections is what underpins change in society
Get your free Start Your Circle Guide HERE
You can pre-order our book Circle Holding: A Practical Guide to Facilitating Talking Circles on Amazon (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Circle-Holding-Practical-Facilitating-Talking/dp/1805013157/)
For a signed copy from Independent Book Store West End Lane Books purchase the book here https://www.welbooks.co.uk/shop/p/circle-holding-by-julia-davis-and-tessa-venuti-sanderson
To learn more about facilitating circles you can join one of our trainings:
https://www.circleholding.org
Circle Holding Fundamentals - introductory 3 hour workshop
https://www.circleholding.org/circle-fundamentals
Circle Holding Facilitator Training - 3 month training
https://www.circleholding.org/circle-holders-journey
Circle Holding Book Club - a fun way to work through the exercises
https://www.circleholding.org/book-club
Yoga Nidra & Circle Holding
https://www.circleholding.org/yoga-nidra-circle-holding
Circle Holding Self Study Programme
https://www.circleholding.org/self-study
Circle Holding Non-Residential Retreat - London
https://www.circleholding.org/weekend-retreat
Circle Holding Residential Retreat
https://www.circleholding.org/autumn-residential
Free Events and mini trainings - meet Julia & Tessa and get a taste of circle holding
https://www.circleholding.org/free-resources
We love to hear from circle facilitators and circle goers so please email us at [email protected]
Music credit: Fabio Venuti
...more
42min
October 09, 2024Are Circles Woo Woo? with Julia and Tessa
Hippy? New Age? Or completely normal? It depends.
In this episode, we covered:
Talking circles are called by different names, including conversation circles, listening circles, sharing circles and groups (women's groups, men's groups, girl's groups)
Circle time can be very straight forward or contain lots of ceremony - it depends on the purpose and the demographic
Ceremony can be missing in many people's lives and be enriching
Having familiar words or practices (or rituals) can create a sense of safety and familiarity that helps settle people's nervous systems
There's space for all sorts of different circles
If you're unsure about going to one, contact the facilitator and ask what the circle is like
Get your free Start Your Circle Guide HERE
You can pre-order our book Circle Holding: A Practical Guide to Facilitating Talking Circles on Amazon (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Circle-Holding-Practical-Facilitating-Talking/dp/1805013157/)
For a signed copy from Independent Book Store West End Lane Books purchase the book here https://www.welbooks.co.uk/shop/p/circle-holding-by-julia-davis-and-tessa-venuti-sanderson
To learn more about facilitating circles you can join one of our trainings:
https://www.circleholding.org
Circle Holding Fundamentals - introductory 3 hour workshop
https://www.circleholding.org/circle-fundamentals
Circle Holding Facilitator Training - 3 month training
https://www.circleholding.org/circle-holders-journey
Circle Holding Book Club - a fun way to work through the exercises
https://www.circleholding.org/book-club
Yoga Nidra & Circle Holding
https://www.circleholding.org/yoga-nidra-circle-holding
Circle Holding Self Study Programme
https://www.circleholding.org/self-study
Circle Holding Non-Residential Retreat - London
https://www.circleholding.org/weekend-retreat
Circle Holding Residential Retreat
https://www.circleholding.org/autumn-residential
Free Events and mini trainings - meet Julia & Tessa and get a taste of circle holding
https://www.circleholding.org/free-resources
We love to hear from circle facilitators and circle goers so please email us at [email protected]
Music credit: Fabio Venuti
...more
12min
October 06, 2024 Separation, Ordeal, Return: Creating Men's Circles with Lee Stegels
In this episode, Julia and Lee covered:
• How men are often attracted to circle when they’re at crisis point
• The application process for the closed group after being part of an open one
• The structure of the meeting allows deep sharings to happen: ‘freedom within form’
• How he provides several opportunities to talk, with longer each time for more depth
• Silence can be part of a person’s allotted time
• Structure, intention and timeframe are three important aspects to consider
• Rites of passage for men include grief and facing fear
• Working with 14-16 year old boys involves matching then with a ‘man of trust’ who has done his own work
• It’s important to attend a circle yourself as a facilitator and have your own self-practice
• Toxic masculinity is toxic terminology – there is zero tolerance to sexist, racist or homophobic language, but use of it rarely happens in circle
• Lee shares how to do an introduction to a men’s circle and a settling practice
Get your free Start Your Circle Guide HERE
You can pre-order our book Circle Holding: A Practical Guide to Facilitating Talking Circles on Amazon (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Circle-Holding-Practical-Facilitating-Talking/dp/1805013157/)
For a signed copy from Independent Book Store West End Lane Books purchase the book here https://www.welbooks.co.uk/shop/p/circle-holding-by-julia-davis-and-tessa-venuti-sanderson
To learn more about facilitating circles you can join one of our trainings:
https://www.circleholding.org
Circle Holding Fundamentals - introductory 3 hour workshop
https://www.circleholding.org/circle-fundamentals
Circle Holding Facilitator Training - 3 month training
https://www.circleholding.org/circle-holders-journey
Circle Holding Book Club - a fun way to work through the exercises
https://www.circleholding.org/book-club
Yoga Nidra & Circle Holding
https://www.circleholding.org/yoga-nidra-circle-holding
Circle Holding Self Study Programme
https://www.circleholding.org/self-study
Circle Holding Non-Residential Retreat - London
https://www.circleholding.org/weekend-retreat
Circle Holding Residential Retreat
https://www.circleholding.org/autumn-residential
Free Events and mini trainings - meet Julia & Tessa and get a taste of circle holding
https://www.circleholding.org/free-resources
We love to hear from circle facilitators and circle goers so please email us at [email protected]
Music credit: Fabio Venuti
...more
31min

FAQs about Circle Holding:

How many episodes does Circle Holding have?

The podcast currently has 32 episodes available.