The Why

Deep down, we do this work because we're called to help, to make a difference, to contribute, to be of service.  We are born givers, or life shapes us into givers.  Whatever way you became a giver, it can sometimes be hard/impossible to receive from others.   We want to be taken care of by others, but either we haven't built our lives in a way that cultivates reciprocity, or we have orchestrated it so that we're the only ones who can give/help/do/rescue.  

You Can't Pour from an empty cup

You're coming to realize that selflessly giving to others isn't sustainable, and there must be another way that includes more balance.  When you don't take care of yourself, you can't be your best self in any arena of your life- home, work, relationships, etc.   

A lack of support

There is 100% Consensus that there is not enough support for helping professionals in the communities of teachers, nurses, physicians, therapists, and counselors, and others.

You feel overwhelmed with emotional and physical exhaustion and don't have adequate time for self-care.  You feel that it's hard to maintain the patience and tolerance that's always expected of you. You are fatigued with always being "on-call" to give to others without having anyone on-call for you.   

what you need

What you really need is a place to vent, problem solve and think about how to cope.  You want to learn actionable ways to care for yourself that don't require a lot of time, ways to put yourself first without feeling guilty, and connection with other members of the HP community who get it and don't judge you for being vulnerable. 

your (probable) concerns

And, as expected, you have concerns about joining a Healing Circle of this nature because privacy is paramount.  You also don't want to be judged for being a helping professional who is human with his or her own needs and problems.  You need confidentiality and trust.  You don't want someone wearing their professional hat in a personal setting.  Even more, you're concerned that your erratic schedule may interfere with group attendance.

what the healing circle will look like

• A tribe of people like you who get what your days are like, what your schedule demands, and how this may affect your personal relationships.
• A non-judgmental, confidential space.
• Partly virtual, partly in-person to help with the demands on your time.
• A place to explore what is UP with us re: giving and receiving help.
• A safe space to create connections that are real, vulnerable and human-- not just based on professional commonalities.
• Creative audio, visual, and kinesthetic exercises to help move the work from our heads to our hearts.
• A space to normalize the disconnect between knowing what we should do and actually doing it.  
• Individual exercises to be completed outside of the Healing Circle.

How Healing Circle can Help

We are human, not superhuman, meaning that we need connection, empathy, validation, and support just like everyone else.  I know it still might be hard to grasp that concept, but by the end of Healing Circle, the goal is for you to feel that your needs are just as important, if not more so, than others'.

• Find relief in knowing your struggles are valid and not something to feel ashamed about.
• Gain awareness about the reality of why you avoid asking for and receiving help/support from others, and new permission on how to receive with an open heart. 
• Feel lighter and more free in having a place to share your real life issues without having to wear the "professional" hat, self-diagnose and treat, etc.