Service Description

Talking circles are peer to peer listening. Based on the concept of women’s circles, that together there is wisdom, there is knowledge, there is power that we don’t have alone. LGBTQIA+ talking circles are about deeply listening to one another, hearing our stories, our experiences, our perspectives without the need to fix, solve or respond. In sharing, we find we aren’t alone and others have similar experiences or feelings. Others may have the solution we’re looking for or the bit of the puzzle we didn’t know was missing. At a time when the world is becoming more divisive and the lines of division are quite literally drawn on the bodies of those that are most marginalised, LGBTQIA+ circles give us the opportunity to safely be seen as ourselves without explanation, justification, or suspicion. Whether you are fully out, out in certain spaces, or completely hidden…you are welcome and there is no need to justify your choices. This is an opportunity to talk about your lived experience of being LGBTQIA+, or just to listen to others. There’s no requirement to talk, but regardless of if you talk you will find belonging, you’ll find shared understanding, you’ll find pieces of the puzzle you couldn’t see just on your own. Circles are totally confidential, except if anything is shared where I believe there is a real and imminent danger to you or someone else. What is shared in the circle stays in the circle. This is the first and most important agreement of the circle. The rest of the agreements we create together at the start of each circle. Each circle will have a theme and we can share anything related to that theme. I will begin by opening the circle by sharing the theme and setting the intention for it and we’ll create the agreements for it. I’ll then provide a reflection on the theme. And then I’ll open up for each person to share if they wish for a specific period of time. After that, other participants may ask questions for clarification, and reflect back to the person what they have heard. They can then make any further reflections upon this. Themes will relate to lived experience of being in LGBTQIA+ bodies, but may not necessarily be specific to that experience.