Doors open at 6:45PM / Event begins at 7:00PM

We the people of DC tend to be overachievers, and we think we’re just a bit smarter, maybe more educated than average. The price we pay for that pride? We’re nerds, and often we’re just awkward.

Let’s lean into that familiar social discomfort at the Awkward Party: An Authentic Relating Fun Night. There will be games, fun, finger food – and hopefully an increased appreciation that to be awkward is to be human.

This event welcomes everyone! Tickets are $30 each, or two for $50. If money is tight, please contact me for volunteering opportunities and pay-what-you-can options. Reserve your spot via Eventbrite, or venmo me directly to avoid the ticketing fees.

The heart of circling is exploring the space that is created by two or more people interacting with one another. We each arrive with our collection of experiences, expectations, needs, and wants. How these intersect can be magical, disastrous, or mundane.  

At this all-levels circling session, we’re going to slow down, explore, and celebrate these moments, with the goal of ultimately being able to communicate at a deeper, more authentic level with one another.

Have you ever noticed that when you speak, your mind will often weigh what to say and what not to say? How much detail should I give? How to phrase that statement? What is engaging without being too revealing? What you say to your sister might be different from what you say to your coworker, friend, or partner, and the reasoning for it might related to how you wish to be perceived or what kind of impact you hope to have. 

At this session, we’re going to notice when we’re censoring ourselves and create opportunities to explore that. 

If you perform an internet search for the word presence, you’ll find results for meditation, positive affirmations, conversation starters, productivity, and religion, among others. What exactly is presence, why is it so sought after, and why is it so hard?

At this all-levels circling session, we’re going to discuss these questions, do some presence-building activities, and, best of all, get to experience how being present in a supportive group helps you feel grounded, safe, and brave.

One of the guidelines for authentic relating and circling is “no fixing, changing, or advising,” and yet many of us fall into doing that repeatedly. It happens so often that we’ve discussed what to do about it: should the first person who notices it call it out? Should we have a non-intrusive hand gesture? No one wants to be harsh to someone who clearly means well, but fixing someone’s problem takes us out of presence.

At circling session for experienced practitioners, we’re going to keep an eye out for advice-giving, and when we notice it, we’re going to examine what lies beneath that nearly irresistible urge to help in all of us.

According to the experts, the majority of Americans are lacking in community, even though community is something we need to thrive and supposedly all want. What is community, and how do we get to belong in one? We will discuss these topics, have some exercises that explore them, and then circle together.

This session is open to everyone, including people who have never circled before.

Even mundane experiences can cause a flurry of emotions to rise in us. For example, if someone bumps into us in the street, gives us an ugly look, and then proceeds without a single word, we might feel startled, embarrassed, confused, and outrage – all in a matter of moments and with a stranger. It gets more complex with interactions with friends and family – which can add overwhelm to the mix.

At this session for experienced circlers, we’re going to keep slowing down in order to tune into the layers and subtleties that make up our human experiences with each other.

This session is intended for people with prior experience circling. If you’re not certain, please refer to the page about circling to learn more. If you’re new to circling, please check out our all-levels sessions.

If you perform an internet search for the word presence, you’ll find results for meditation, positive affirmations, conversation starters, productivity, and religion, among others. What exactly is presence, why is it so sought after, and why is it so hard?

At this all-levels circling session, we’re going to discuss these questions, do some presence-building activities, and, best of all, get to experience how being present in a supportive group helps you feel grounded, safe, and brave. This session is open to everyone, including people who have never circled before.

This session is open to everyone, including people who have never circled before.

One of the guidelines for authentic relating and circling is “no fixing, changing, or advising,” and yet many of us fall into doing that repeatedly. It happens so often that we’ve discussed what to do about it: should the first person who notices it call it out? Should we have a non-intrusive hand gesture? No one wants to be harsh to someone who clearly means well, but fixing someone’s problem takes us out of presence.

At circling session, we’re going to keep an eye out for advice-giving, and when we notice it, we’re going to examine what lies beneath that nearly irresistible urge to help in all of us.

This session is intended for people with prior experience circling. If you’re not certain, please refer to the page about circling to learn more. If you’re new to circling, please check out our all-levels sessions.

Ever notice how we sometimes fall into certain ways of interacting in a circle? Maybe you share freely and enthusiastically from the moment we begin. Perhaps you tend to be a quiet observer. Do you tend to go meta and analyze how the conversation goes? \

We’re going to start the session by briefly talking about our tendencies and then make a conscious effort to do the opposite. What does it feel like to participate in a different way? Do we uncover different things in our circle?

This session is intended for people who have experience circling. If you’re new to it or have only circled a few times, please check out the all-levels circling sessions. Tickets are $20.