Mother Daughter Talking Circle
This fall/winter bring your daughter and join me for an in-person monthly talking circle! Teen Talking Circles is an organization based out of Seattle and I am so excited to run my second circle this year. I had a wonderful time last year with older teens, and this year I am hosting one for girls 6-8 grade and their moms.
Teen talking circles are designed to help teens (and in this case mothers as well):
Compassionately listen
Be vulnerable
Express emotions in healthy ways
Connect with others on a deeper level
Be present
Learn to resolve conflict
Become more self-aware
Develop their own voice
Deepen relationships
Make new friends
Learn about important topics (body image, self-esteem, personal values, identity creation, and more)
Practice empathy
Feel less alone
The Teen Talking Circles website states:
“Dubbed ‘The Antidote to Social Media,’ Teen Talking Circles offers youth opportunities to be face to face with themselves and each other in real time — to share their truth, be heard fully, and to listen fully to others. In circle, teens co-create the safety to feel, to express who they really are and what they’re really going through, without fear of rejection or judgment.”
For my second circle I have decided I want to continue building connection between mothers and daughters. The things we will learn and discuss will help you learn new skills, grow closer to each other, and connect as women.
Details:
Dates:
Tuesday evenings -
September 12th will be our first meeting. After that we will meet one Tuesday evening a month in October, November, January, February, March, and April. We will usually meet the first Tuesday of the month, but we will discuss upcoming schedules at each meeting to choose which week works the best for everyone.
Time:
7-8:30 pm
Place:
Provo, UT (address will be emailed/texted to you)
Cost:
$125 a couple (this includes the seven sessions, treats, and supplies)
Each week I will provide snacks as we are gathering, then we will start with a check-in and a fun activity. Next, we will have a short lesson where I teach some new skills and/or introduce a monthly topic (these will be based off of both what I learned in my training and off of what starts to come up in the group). Finally, we will have time to talk together and practice the new skills.
Talking circles are small and there is limited space available so register today. You can email me at rachelle@theinspiredteen.com or set up a free call here if you have any further questions. I can’t wait to get to know you!
“Through deep connection and intimacy in relationship, we discover who we are.”
Teen Talking Circles
Testimonials
“Talking Circles was a great experience for myself and my daughter. I loved hearing about the mother-daughter successes and struggles of other moms. It not only put our struggles in perspective, but also gave us that feeling of not being alone. It helped us to unify as women above and beyond being a mom and daughter. And Rachelle did an amazing job facilitating the whole experience!” Liz, parent participant
“I loved meeting with my friends, their moms, and learning together. We did some activities, ate tasty snacks, learned about important things like body image and communication, and connected. I am excited my younger sister gets to do it this year!” Al, teen participant
“I really liked the talking circles. They helped me a lot. There were a lot different lessons that we talked about but my favorite one had to do with the one on self-image. I didn’t realize how much self-image affects our lives. It showed me a lot about myself.” Hannah, teen participant
“My 16-year-old daughter and I participated in Rachelle’s talking circle last year, and it was a lot of fun! We made a date out of it and went to dinner before or a treat after. It opened up some great conversations and we made some new friends. Rachelle is delightful and always very prepared. She puts a lot of thought and energy into her classes and we really enjoyed them!” Fiona, parent participant
“To think, feel and speak—in whatever manner one can, and in whatever way that looks—is a feature of human existence. Certainly, the idea of being human is being able to express one’s inner world, inner ideas, inner fears, inner cares, and to do so with a confidence of being heard. And that’s the tricky part. Being heard and communicating effectively. And not being heard in any situation and in any context, but being heard in a space that is safe and open and inviting, but contained enough that your voice resonates and has meaning. You don’t find that everywhere. There are often times when my voice falls flat in the minutiae of the fast-paced world, and the chatter and the busyness of the rolling cars and the chores that need done and the errands that I have to run. There are so many things to do, so many places to be, so many people to see and so many cares to think about. Sometimes, too, there are so many fears that hold me back from speaking up. So many past experiences, histories and stories that I’ve buried and kept locked behind my teeth because I knew it wasn’t a safe place to speak them. And in that locking away, I tended to lose a bit of understanding of myself.
But this talking circle in its unique way and is soft structure of comforting embrace of the differences of who we are, eased that tremendously. I don’t profess to be an outgoing person. I am remarkably shy about my experiences and the past experiences that I have had. They aren’t always pleasant, and they aren’t always a reflection of my strongest self—the self that we are often taught to project to the world. But in sitting and talking and learning in this safe space, I have come to know more about that inner me and understand that it is okay to be that person, and accept those smaller cracks and divots and unique attributes of who I am, and who I have become because of experience, because of genetics, and what have you. I have learned to embrace the good and the not so good. I have learned to sit with myself and experience the calming nature of wrestling with my emotions in healthier ways. I have learned to understand who I am on the inside and how that reflects on the out. I have learned, through the workshop of communication, how to speak about those inner thoughts and what they might be in terms of feeling. I have also learned how my views are impacted by the world around me and the past within me and how I can work to shape my responses and understand myself in new ways.
This talking circle has opened up a space in me that is more reflective. It’s an opportunity to embrace that past self, the present self, and the potential for my future self each day. Not only does this program offer a chance to really look at ways to acknowledge what we go through and how we respond and why, but it gives you the techniques to embraces steps forward. It’s a progressive discussion on the whole self. And I appreciated the opportunity to attend each session where I could be vulnerable in a safe place, and really begin to look at myself more openly and honestly.” Kaleigh, parent participant
Other talking circle reviews:
“The part of group that changed my life wasn’t the part where I talked. The part that changed everything, quickly, for me, was listening to the girls talk. They had feelings and they had fears. They were scared of other girls too. I learned that every person was a person just like me.” Lilly, teen participant
“My teen girl talking circle saved my life.” Talina Wood, teen participant and current Executive Director
"Girl's Group was one of the most exciting parts of my high school experience, and still continues to hold meaning for me today. I remember sitting on the bluish carpet in the airy room and having so many long conversations about everything with girls I initially assumed were very different than myself. We discussed everything in detail, and no subject was off limits. Through our shared experiences and ideas on subjects ranging from mothers, drugs, boys, and being female, to dreams, fears and beliefs, we shared what it’s like to be a young woman today.” Airyka, teen participant
“In my life, I have had two safe havens: church and Circle. In Circle, I had 10 girls listening to every word I said and not interrupting. They knew exactly when to give me advice and when to just listen and be there for me. That’s one of the biggest comforts one can have in life.” Devereaux, teen participant
“The group has meant a lot to me: a safe space to tell the truth; real support to explore my fears about becoming a woman; a method of dealing with conflict; a place to work through my issues with my family; and the development of an unshakeable inner trust in myself.” Heather Wolf, teen participant and current Lead Trainer and Ambassador