Frequently Asked Questions
Council Practice
WHAT HAPPENS IN COUNCIL?
The short answer: Participants sit in a circle, listen from the heart, and speak spontaneously and authentically of their lives and stories.
The long answer: Council is an age-old practice that involves bringing people together in a circle for candid and heartfelt conversations. Participants speak one-at-a-time, sharing their personal stories and experiences, rather than opinions, and they listen without judgement while others do the same. Sharing and hearing universal stories about love, loss, fear, and hope enables participants to recognize that, despite their many differences, they have much in common. By fostering attentive listening and authentic expression, council builds positive relationships between participants and neutralizes hierarchical dynamics formed by the inequality of status, race, or other social factors. It supports a deep sense of community and fosters recognition of shared humanity and interconnectedness. Council enables individuals to give voice to their stories, develop mutual respect and compassion for others, cultivate a compassionate response to anger, defensiveness, and violence, as well as strengthen emotional health and resilience.
The long answer: Council is an age-old practice that involves bringing people together in a circle for candid and heartfelt conversations. Participants speak one-at-a-time, sharing their personal stories and experiences, rather than opinions, and they listen without judgement while others do the same. Sharing and hearing universal stories about love, loss, fear, and hope enables participants to recognize that, despite their many differences, they have much in common. By fostering attentive listening and authentic expression, council builds positive relationships between participants and neutralizes hierarchical dynamics formed by the inequality of status, race, or other social factors. It supports a deep sense of community and fosters recognition of shared humanity and interconnectedness. Council enables individuals to give voice to their stories, develop mutual respect and compassion for others, cultivate a compassionate response to anger, defensiveness, and violence, as well as strengthen emotional health and resilience.
IS COUNCIL RELIGIOUS IN NATURE?
The short answer: No. People of all faiths (or no faith at all) will feel perfectly comfortable participating.
The long answer: Contemplative traditions weave in and out of all religious faiths and the roots of council are embedded in cultures around the world and throughout time. Council has no explicit values, per se, but is a practice through which values may emerge, as a group creates a generative space that invites the stories and experiences of its participants and a practice of listening without judgment or analysis is normed. The invitation to sit in council is a call to practice not agreeing or disagreeing, believing or disbelieving, but rather to maintain a curiosity and openness to the sharing of others and an allowing of all perspectives. Participants are encouraged to look beyond their opinions and beliefs to the stories and stirrings that are foundational and emergent and to maintain an open mind toward what comes up. Participants are often surprised by what shows up when we decide not to recite "the same old story" and spontaneously give voice to what is alive in us in this very moment.
The long answer: Contemplative traditions weave in and out of all religious faiths and the roots of council are embedded in cultures around the world and throughout time. Council has no explicit values, per se, but is a practice through which values may emerge, as a group creates a generative space that invites the stories and experiences of its participants and a practice of listening without judgment or analysis is normed. The invitation to sit in council is a call to practice not agreeing or disagreeing, believing or disbelieving, but rather to maintain a curiosity and openness to the sharing of others and an allowing of all perspectives. Participants are encouraged to look beyond their opinions and beliefs to the stories and stirrings that are foundational and emergent and to maintain an open mind toward what comes up. Participants are often surprised by what shows up when we decide not to recite "the same old story" and spontaneously give voice to what is alive in us in this very moment.
WHO INVENTED COUNCIL?
The short answer: No one person or culture; council is a timeless and ever-evolving practice.
The long answer: "Sitting in close, intimate circles, gathered around a warm fire, telling stories and sharing what’s on one’s mind or in one’s heart has been a core practice of human culture since the dawn of time." The weaving of myriad wisdom traditions and teachings is a fascinating story and one can peruse this website to learn more about the evolution of the practice of council through this lineage. The way of council draws from practices like Veche (Slavic), Satsand (Hindu), Ho’oponopono (Hawaiian), Daré (Zimbabwe), Fambul Tok (Sierra Leone), Ibitaramo (Rwanda), Diwan & Loya Jurga (Islam), Farbrengen (Hebrew), and Quaker Devout Listening Circles, to name a few. It is constantly evolving and co-arising in many forms and, we believe, has many names.
Center for Council acknowledges its many kindred carriers – and also a distinct succession of teachers and community-builders who have helped define and codify the practice we teach today. This information is shared in council trainings and workshops and can be studied in the various sections of this website, as well as in the seminal book, The Way of Council, written by Jack Zimmerman and Virginia Coyle. However, direct experience and interaction with veteran teachers remains the best way to learn about the diverse roots of council.
Please read more about what council is and about it's origins.
The long answer: "Sitting in close, intimate circles, gathered around a warm fire, telling stories and sharing what’s on one’s mind or in one’s heart has been a core practice of human culture since the dawn of time." The weaving of myriad wisdom traditions and teachings is a fascinating story and one can peruse this website to learn more about the evolution of the practice of council through this lineage. The way of council draws from practices like Veche (Slavic), Satsand (Hindu), Ho’oponopono (Hawaiian), Daré (Zimbabwe), Fambul Tok (Sierra Leone), Ibitaramo (Rwanda), Diwan & Loya Jurga (Islam), Farbrengen (Hebrew), and Quaker Devout Listening Circles, to name a few. It is constantly evolving and co-arising in many forms and, we believe, has many names.
Center for Council acknowledges its many kindred carriers – and also a distinct succession of teachers and community-builders who have helped define and codify the practice we teach today. This information is shared in council trainings and workshops and can be studied in the various sections of this website, as well as in the seminal book, The Way of Council, written by Jack Zimmerman and Virginia Coyle. However, direct experience and interaction with veteran teachers remains the best way to learn about the diverse roots of council.
Please read more about what council is and about it's origins.
WHERE IS COUNCIL USED?
The short answer: Everywhere and anywhere.
The long answer: While council circles and methodology are the focus of our workshops and trainings, and the basis of our programs, it soon becomes clear to participants who learn the practice that it can be applied virtually anywhere, in one form or another. Creating a regular council practice can certainly become a very beneficial and healthy habit for a staff, a faculty, a family, an association or a community. Throughout this website, programs in schools, prisons, community-based organizations and professional settings are described and the integration of council by doctors, nurses, therapists, artists, chaplains, businesspeople, politicians and family members is touched on. One may read about council being used in new employee orientations, board meetings, back-to-school nights or memorial services, in the classroom, and on the prison yard, etc.
Advanced practitioners become aware of the way in which the practice of council shifts their everyday, informal interactions and relationships, as well. The embodied awareness of what one is sensing – in oneself and one's environment – that practicing council engenders is often eye-opening. And cultivating skillful means of communicating with respect and clarity has a profound effect on all the relationships in one's life – even the casual contacts we often take for granted with acquaintances. Council in intimate relationships is also a powerful and generative practice that is the subject of much interest and study (see the book Flesh and Spirit, by Jack Zimmerman and Jaquelyn McCandless for more).
The long answer: While council circles and methodology are the focus of our workshops and trainings, and the basis of our programs, it soon becomes clear to participants who learn the practice that it can be applied virtually anywhere, in one form or another. Creating a regular council practice can certainly become a very beneficial and healthy habit for a staff, a faculty, a family, an association or a community. Throughout this website, programs in schools, prisons, community-based organizations and professional settings are described and the integration of council by doctors, nurses, therapists, artists, chaplains, businesspeople, politicians and family members is touched on. One may read about council being used in new employee orientations, board meetings, back-to-school nights or memorial services, in the classroom, and on the prison yard, etc.
Advanced practitioners become aware of the way in which the practice of council shifts their everyday, informal interactions and relationships, as well. The embodied awareness of what one is sensing – in oneself and one's environment – that practicing council engenders is often eye-opening. And cultivating skillful means of communicating with respect and clarity has a profound effect on all the relationships in one's life – even the casual contacts we often take for granted with acquaintances. Council in intimate relationships is also a powerful and generative practice that is the subject of much interest and study (see the book Flesh and Spirit, by Jack Zimmerman and Jaquelyn McCandless for more).
IS THERE A RIGHT AND WRONG WAY TO DO COUNCIL?
The short answer: If it serves a purpose, and nobody gets hurt...
The long answer: Council provides a practice and a container for deepening presence and intentional conversation. There are skills taught in our programs, workshops and trainings that provide valuable tools for creating and maintaining that container, so that it may serve the individuals and groups that engage the practice and support their intentions for making their community and the world a better place. The skills and methodology taught are intended to support the facilitation of council in a good way, so that it may be beneficial. The etymology of facilitator is "to make easy, render less difficult," from French faciliter "to render easy," from the Latin stem facilis ("easy").
As every situation into which council is introduced is different (different participants, different physical surrounding, different moment in the world), there is no "correct" council form or approach that is separate from the context in which it is attempted. Council must be responsive to the conditions in the moment it is offered, so as to serve that moment and foster listening and sharing that is appropriate and beneficial to the group present and to the context in which the council unfolds.
A strategy for council that was successful in the morning may be the wrong strategy by the afternoon, if it is not attuned to the needs of the afternoon group. Veteran council trainers develop a deep and flexible facility with council and teach skills and approaches so that those who offer council can be attuned and well-resourced. We encourage rigor and mindfulness in working with council and an appreciation of containment and intentionality. And one learns to develop these capabilities by engaging and offering the practice and being stretched and guided by one's experience with it.
The long answer: Council provides a practice and a container for deepening presence and intentional conversation. There are skills taught in our programs, workshops and trainings that provide valuable tools for creating and maintaining that container, so that it may serve the individuals and groups that engage the practice and support their intentions for making their community and the world a better place. The skills and methodology taught are intended to support the facilitation of council in a good way, so that it may be beneficial. The etymology of facilitator is "to make easy, render less difficult," from French faciliter "to render easy," from the Latin stem facilis ("easy").
As every situation into which council is introduced is different (different participants, different physical surrounding, different moment in the world), there is no "correct" council form or approach that is separate from the context in which it is attempted. Council must be responsive to the conditions in the moment it is offered, so as to serve that moment and foster listening and sharing that is appropriate and beneficial to the group present and to the context in which the council unfolds.
A strategy for council that was successful in the morning may be the wrong strategy by the afternoon, if it is not attuned to the needs of the afternoon group. Veteran council trainers develop a deep and flexible facility with council and teach skills and approaches so that those who offer council can be attuned and well-resourced. We encourage rigor and mindfulness in working with council and an appreciation of containment and intentionality. And one learns to develop these capabilities by engaging and offering the practice and being stretched and guided by one's experience with it.
HOW DO I FIND OUT MORE ABOUT COUNCIL IF I CANNOT ATTEND A WORKSHOP OR TRAINING?
The short answer: Stay in touch and contact us!
The long answer: This website and our social media channels offer much background on the practice of council and a variety of ways to learn more and become involved in the work. We have included background and resources at "What is Council?" – at the bottom of that page, you will find a link to download a PDF with further reading recommendations.
Many of our kindred organizations offer programs and trainings in related modalities and you may find that much of what is encountered through myriad channels is compatible with the practice of council, if perhaps focused slightly differently. We hope that the resources available are inspiring and inviting and that your interest is piqued enough to engage further, whether through Center for Council or the many other congruent streams. And we encourage you to join our mailing list, follow us on social media and explore whether a training, workshop or program may fit with your needs and resources or that of your community or group.
The long answer: This website and our social media channels offer much background on the practice of council and a variety of ways to learn more and become involved in the work. We have included background and resources at "What is Council?" – at the bottom of that page, you will find a link to download a PDF with further reading recommendations.
Many of our kindred organizations offer programs and trainings in related modalities and you may find that much of what is encountered through myriad channels is compatible with the practice of council, if perhaps focused slightly differently. We hope that the resources available are inspiring and inviting and that your interest is piqued enough to engage further, whether through Center for Council or the many other congruent streams. And we encourage you to join our mailing list, follow us on social media and explore whether a training, workshop or program may fit with your needs and resources or that of your community or group.
HAS COUNCIL PRACTICE BEEN MISAPPROPRIATED FROM CULTURES WHO DEVELOPED IT?
Center for Council honors the lineages and traditions, both ancient and modern, that have influenced and informed the practice of council and the many teachers who have developed and offered these teachings over time.
Center for Council began as an initiative of The Ojai Foundation, which was host to decades of seminars, workshops, residencies and lectures by teachers and elders from a wide range of traditions and cultures. Council, as practiced within the programs and workshops offered by Center for Council, evolved from collaboration with these revered teachers and elders over the course of many years. We are deeply indebted to their generosity and insight and profoundly grateful for their care and partnership.
We also recognize that many communities and peoples have suffered and continue to suffer as a result of colonization, violence, and exploitation. Our programs do not condone the use of any language, symbols, objects, or rituals misappropriated from their cultural or spiritual context at the expense of the communities from which these elements originate. We honor the experiences of marginalized peoples, and work to hold space for all people to be empowered and connected in community.
Please read more here.
Center for Council began as an initiative of The Ojai Foundation, which was host to decades of seminars, workshops, residencies and lectures by teachers and elders from a wide range of traditions and cultures. Council, as practiced within the programs and workshops offered by Center for Council, evolved from collaboration with these revered teachers and elders over the course of many years. We are deeply indebted to their generosity and insight and profoundly grateful for their care and partnership.
We also recognize that many communities and peoples have suffered and continue to suffer as a result of colonization, violence, and exploitation. Our programs do not condone the use of any language, symbols, objects, or rituals misappropriated from their cultural or spiritual context at the expense of the communities from which these elements originate. We honor the experiences of marginalized peoples, and work to hold space for all people to be empowered and connected in community.
Please read more here.
Council Programs
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WORKSHOPS, TRAININGS AND PROGRAMS?
The short answer: Public Council Training are open to the public; Customized Programs are privately contracted; council-based programs are designed by Center for Council internally and typically funded by grants and donations from our allies and supporters.
The long answer:
The long answer:
- Public Council Trainings: All are welcome to sign up to join us in a pre-arranged workshop, led by our certified council trainers. These programs are intended for individuals looking for ideas and tools to improve wellbeing, strengthen personal or professional communication, sharpen attention and renew intention. No prior knowledge of council is necessary, though many participant have heard of the practice and are drawn to find out what it entails. Attending one of our two-day Council Training 1 (CT1) workshops, which are organized periodically throughout the year, is a great way to experience council first-hand and learn the context and the skills necessary to begin to integrate it into one's life and work.
- Professional Trainings: Unlike Public Workshops, we arrange these offerings to take place at a time and location of your choosing. Professional Trainings are for businesses, schools, organizations and groups looking to improve communication, build trust and morale, become more cohesive, reenergize intention and improve wellbeing and positive culture. They can be customized to suit the needs of the client and particulars of the group. Two of our most popular programs are for School Faculty and Staff and our Peace Officer Wellness, Empathy & Resilicience Training Program.
- Center for Council offers an assortment of Interactive Presentations, Customized Consultation, Mentoring and Coaching to organizations and individuals; contact our staff for more details.
- The programs described here include Center for Council's Organizational Wellness Project (formerly Social Justice Council Project), for the staff and stakeholders of community-based organizations, Inmate Council Program, for incarcerated men and women learning to practice and facilitate council circles in prison, Trainer Leadership Initiative, providing council training, mentorship and support for 30 emerging community leaders, and the Peace Officer Wellness, Empathy & Resilience Training Program for law enforcement officers. All of this programming is made possible by grant funding and the gifts and donations of our generous allies and supporters. We hope you will take time to read about this varied programming and check back to learn about the new initiates we are developing to make council training and programming available in wide-ranging settings and contexts.
HOW ARE PROGRAMS FUNDED?
The short answer: Grants and donations.
The long answer: Center for Council is deeply grateful to the private foundations, government grant programs and individual donors who have provided the resources to deepen and expand our council-based programming in a variety of new settings, including prisons, community organizations and law enforcement. Our development department is constantly looking for opportunities to align with funders whose priorities are congruent with our emerging programs. We seek to build and deepen these relationships and continue to find ways to innovate new programming with available resources. At the same time, we make our work available to individuals, through our Public Council Trainings, and to businesses and others that have resources to co-develop Customized Programs, to fit the particular needs of their organizations and groups.
Additionally, Center for Council engages in field-building though a number of affiliations and collaborations around the world, intended to support the emergence of skillful means for compassion-based community building initiatives and projects – and to foster the spread of council as a practice for building bridges, opening hearts, strengthening communities and fostering collective wisdom. Our operations depend upon the continued support and care of our partners, benefactors, clients and allies.
The long answer: Center for Council is deeply grateful to the private foundations, government grant programs and individual donors who have provided the resources to deepen and expand our council-based programming in a variety of new settings, including prisons, community organizations and law enforcement. Our development department is constantly looking for opportunities to align with funders whose priorities are congruent with our emerging programs. We seek to build and deepen these relationships and continue to find ways to innovate new programming with available resources. At the same time, we make our work available to individuals, through our Public Council Trainings, and to businesses and others that have resources to co-develop Customized Programs, to fit the particular needs of their organizations and groups.
Additionally, Center for Council engages in field-building though a number of affiliations and collaborations around the world, intended to support the emergence of skillful means for compassion-based community building initiatives and projects – and to foster the spread of council as a practice for building bridges, opening hearts, strengthening communities and fostering collective wisdom. Our operations depend upon the continued support and care of our partners, benefactors, clients and allies.
HOW DO I BRING A PROGRAM TO MY COMMUNITY OR ORGANIZATION?
The short answer: Contact our staff!
The long answer: Center for Council offers a variety of services to meet the needs and resources of individuals, organizations and groups interested in learning more about and integrating the practice of council into their lives and work. Please check out our schedule of public workshops and read more about our Programs and Professional Training and Consultation offerings described throughout this website. Generally, our program offerings are organized based on grant cycles and roll out along a timeline we negotiate with our funders.
When our programming provides opportunities for new organizations and individuals to participate, we announce these opportunities in our newsletter and on social media. Please subscribe to our newsletter – and contact our staff with any questions or comments.
The long answer: Center for Council offers a variety of services to meet the needs and resources of individuals, organizations and groups interested in learning more about and integrating the practice of council into their lives and work. Please check out our schedule of public workshops and read more about our Programs and Professional Training and Consultation offerings described throughout this website. Generally, our program offerings are organized based on grant cycles and roll out along a timeline we negotiate with our funders.
When our programming provides opportunities for new organizations and individuals to participate, we announce these opportunities in our newsletter and on social media. Please subscribe to our newsletter – and contact our staff with any questions or comments.
We are also eager to hear your ideas about opportunities to bring the work of council into new settings and contexts, as well as potential resources to facilitate new program offerings. Please feel free to reach out to our staff with any ideas for new programs or to discuss potential development opportunities.
IS COUNCIL SOMETHING I CAN BENEFIT FROM PERSONALLY?
The short answer: Definitely.
The long answer: Council has been described as a personal transformative experience that has helped individuals reconnect with themselves, their families, and their co-workers. This is precisely why Center for Council offers Public Workshops periodically throughout the course of the year. In fact, the Public Workshops are designed to help you integrate council into your daily life.
Private Professional Trainings are also available for groups and organizations that have interest and ability to bring our workshops to them.
The long answer: Council has been described as a personal transformative experience that has helped individuals reconnect with themselves, their families, and their co-workers. This is precisely why Center for Council offers Public Workshops periodically throughout the course of the year. In fact, the Public Workshops are designed to help you integrate council into your daily life.
Private Professional Trainings are also available for groups and organizations that have interest and ability to bring our workshops to them.
WHO ATTENDS THE PUBLIC WORKSHOPS?
The short answer: Anyone with an interest in learning a heart-based practice of listening and speaking.
The long answer: Council Workshops are remarkable for the diversity of the participants who attend. Students, retirees, professionals, artists, teachers, therapists, activists, caregivers, politicians – the list of those drawn to the work of council is quite expansive. Consistently, workshops are populated by both those seeking a mindful practice to deepen their relationships and their capacity to hold space for community-building and healing, as well as those simply curious about learning something new about effective communication.
Council is often experienced as a "remembering" of ways we used to come together, often long gone – family meals, show and tell, community groups, faith clubs – and sometimes it's a response to a nagging feeling that something has been missing from one's relationships at work or at home. The practice of council aligns with the desire to improve resilience and wellness and the call to build bridges.
Council Workshops offer an interactive and immersive introduction to the basic forms of council, as well as a grounding in the pedagogy, methodology and context for the practice. Each workshop contains a unique mix of perspectives and interests and thus a lively consideration of how council might enter one's life and work. The endless applications to work and professional settings, community needs and interpersonal relationships are woven into each unique group. And, often, advanced practitioners of council return to a Council Training 1 workshop with "beginner's mind," eager to revisit the subtleties and depth of the practice and the simple elegance of the form.
The long answer: Council Workshops are remarkable for the diversity of the participants who attend. Students, retirees, professionals, artists, teachers, therapists, activists, caregivers, politicians – the list of those drawn to the work of council is quite expansive. Consistently, workshops are populated by both those seeking a mindful practice to deepen their relationships and their capacity to hold space for community-building and healing, as well as those simply curious about learning something new about effective communication.
Council is often experienced as a "remembering" of ways we used to come together, often long gone – family meals, show and tell, community groups, faith clubs – and sometimes it's a response to a nagging feeling that something has been missing from one's relationships at work or at home. The practice of council aligns with the desire to improve resilience and wellness and the call to build bridges.
Council Workshops offer an interactive and immersive introduction to the basic forms of council, as well as a grounding in the pedagogy, methodology and context for the practice. Each workshop contains a unique mix of perspectives and interests and thus a lively consideration of how council might enter one's life and work. The endless applications to work and professional settings, community needs and interpersonal relationships are woven into each unique group. And, often, advanced practitioners of council return to a Council Training 1 workshop with "beginner's mind," eager to revisit the subtleties and depth of the practice and the simple elegance of the form.
DO I NEED SPECIAL PREPARATION TO ATTEND A COUNCIL TRAINING?
The short answer: Come as you are!
The long answer: Council is an opportunity to create a more intentional and open-hearted space for communication – whether that means listening to one's body and noticing how we respond to the world around us, finding ways to communicate with others that are skillful and authentic, or connecting with one's role in the community and one's sense of purpose. Ideally, participants meet the opportunity to step into a Public Council Workshop with open ears, an open heart and an open will, ready to listen without judgement, connect with one's authentic self and engage fully. Sharing in council is always consensual, never coerced or compelled. The simplest of our interactions are often conditioned with self-judgment, pre-conceived ideas and agenda. Council is an opportunity to explore how much of that serves and how to regulate those filters.
The practice of council introduces a container in which the intention is to simply listen without judgment, speak what is true, be current and attentive, and recognize what is valuable to contribute. Council trainers often describe these intentions as: "listening and speaking from the heart, being spontaneous and lean." The only requirement is a desire to be present and to practice those four intentions. In fact, more preparation than that – and more expectation of what the experience is all about – often inhibits the experience of participating in a Public Workshop.
No preparation or prerequisites are required for attending a Council Training 1 workshop – but advanced workshops ask participants to do some reflecting on what their experience of council has been since their initial introduction to the practice, what they've been encountering and where they see opportunity for growth.
The long answer: Council is an opportunity to create a more intentional and open-hearted space for communication – whether that means listening to one's body and noticing how we respond to the world around us, finding ways to communicate with others that are skillful and authentic, or connecting with one's role in the community and one's sense of purpose. Ideally, participants meet the opportunity to step into a Public Council Workshop with open ears, an open heart and an open will, ready to listen without judgement, connect with one's authentic self and engage fully. Sharing in council is always consensual, never coerced or compelled. The simplest of our interactions are often conditioned with self-judgment, pre-conceived ideas and agenda. Council is an opportunity to explore how much of that serves and how to regulate those filters.
The practice of council introduces a container in which the intention is to simply listen without judgment, speak what is true, be current and attentive, and recognize what is valuable to contribute. Council trainers often describe these intentions as: "listening and speaking from the heart, being spontaneous and lean." The only requirement is a desire to be present and to practice those four intentions. In fact, more preparation than that – and more expectation of what the experience is all about – often inhibits the experience of participating in a Public Workshop.
No preparation or prerequisites are required for attending a Council Training 1 workshop – but advanced workshops ask participants to do some reflecting on what their experience of council has been since their initial introduction to the practice, what they've been encountering and where they see opportunity for growth.
IS COUNCIL RIGHT FOR MY GROUP OR ORGANIZATION?
The short answer: Yes, there is a form of council that can benefit your group.
The long answer: Perhaps the single most difficult aspect of working with people is simple communication between them. This is true if you are working in a well-established corporate structure, a start-up managing its growth, or if you are one of a loose group of citizens interested in a community project. This is particularly the case if you are a group or entity that has a power differential with the the people you serve; for example, a social justice non-profit geared toward helping a particular community, a law firm assisting those without financial means to represent themselves, or a police department patrolling a community. While some may be eager to pick up a practice like council to integrate into their work groups or personal lives right away, others may prefer to take a more cautious approach. Council is consensual and the silent witness seat is always honored – in other words, nobody is ever forced to share.
Council is also not a "magic bubble" where power differentials and hierarchical relationships cease to exist. To the contrary, it is important to name the relationships we bring to council and to determine a comfortable way to include other aspects of ourselves that allow for a fuller presence in the group that is context-sensitive, appropriate, and in line with the group's shared intentions.
Diversity is honored in council! While some participants may feel to spend time delving deeply into issues that warrant reflection and consideration, some individuals may take longer than others to engage in council and may benefit indirectly, as the group establishes a variety of tools for appropriate and productive communication.
The long answer: Perhaps the single most difficult aspect of working with people is simple communication between them. This is true if you are working in a well-established corporate structure, a start-up managing its growth, or if you are one of a loose group of citizens interested in a community project. This is particularly the case if you are a group or entity that has a power differential with the the people you serve; for example, a social justice non-profit geared toward helping a particular community, a law firm assisting those without financial means to represent themselves, or a police department patrolling a community. While some may be eager to pick up a practice like council to integrate into their work groups or personal lives right away, others may prefer to take a more cautious approach. Council is consensual and the silent witness seat is always honored – in other words, nobody is ever forced to share.
Council is also not a "magic bubble" where power differentials and hierarchical relationships cease to exist. To the contrary, it is important to name the relationships we bring to council and to determine a comfortable way to include other aspects of ourselves that allow for a fuller presence in the group that is context-sensitive, appropriate, and in line with the group's shared intentions.
Diversity is honored in council! While some participants may feel to spend time delving deeply into issues that warrant reflection and consideration, some individuals may take longer than others to engage in council and may benefit indirectly, as the group establishes a variety of tools for appropriate and productive communication.
WHO LEADS THE PROFESSIONAL TRAININGS?
The short answer: Certified Council Trainers who have affiliated with Center for Council.
The long answer: All trainings offered by Center for Council are led by council trainers who have completed a rigorous certification process and have affiliated with Center for Council. Often, prospective trainers who have been fully trained and are reaching the end of their certification path will apprentice or co-facilitate on workshops and trainings.
The standard curriculum for Council Trainings 1, 2 and 3 is the foundation of all Public Workshops and Professional Trainings, though each training is unique and shaped by the trainers, the participants, and the setting. Our team of Certified Council Trainers have logged thousands of hours in council, have varied and impressive resumes, and bring a wealth of experience and skills to their work. You are invited to explore their bios, listed on the "Affiliated Trainers" page.
The long answer: All trainings offered by Center for Council are led by council trainers who have completed a rigorous certification process and have affiliated with Center for Council. Often, prospective trainers who have been fully trained and are reaching the end of their certification path will apprentice or co-facilitate on workshops and trainings.
The standard curriculum for Council Trainings 1, 2 and 3 is the foundation of all Public Workshops and Professional Trainings, though each training is unique and shaped by the trainers, the participants, and the setting. Our team of Certified Council Trainers have logged thousands of hours in council, have varied and impressive resumes, and bring a wealth of experience and skills to their work. You are invited to explore their bios, listed on the "Affiliated Trainers" page.
DO YOU GUARANTEE RESULTS?
The short answer: That depends on what results you're looking for...
The long answer: In the end, the intention of all of the offerings is to teach the practice of council, so that it may be of benefit. What use it is put to is up to those who take the work into their personal life, community or workplace. A grounded perspective, the capacity to regulate reactivity, communicate respectively, and cultivate skillful relationships is intended to offer benefit to the individual, organization or community – and the impact that has may be surprising. In many cases, participants feel that their capacity for self-regulation, empathy, tolerance and relationship-building is greatly enhanced by working with council. Often, unseen gifts and unexplored challenges show up. This evolving capacity can prove to be the fulfillment of a hope – or the introduction of greater complexity. And, as always, we invite participants to use discretion about where and how they bring the work of council into their lives and work, such that it aligns with their intentions and supports their growth and that of the relationships, organizations, and communities in which they function.
Council is an emergent process. Our experienced trainers offer workshops and programs that bring the practice of council to a wide variety of individuals and situations. Participation is always consensual and the invitation is made to step into the intentionality and containment offered by each unique council in a way that serves oneself, the group at hand, and "the greater good." This is a personal process for everyone and, thus, each council experience has a unique combination of elements, like a particular assortment of ingredients adding up to a one-of-a-kind meal. Center for Council works hard to clarify expectations and intentions for each of its offerings, whether a Public Workshop, a Professional Training or another programmatic offering. Our job is to teach the practice of council and point towards ways it could be of benefit in one's life and work. How it is implemented is unique to each participant.
The long answer: In the end, the intention of all of the offerings is to teach the practice of council, so that it may be of benefit. What use it is put to is up to those who take the work into their personal life, community or workplace. A grounded perspective, the capacity to regulate reactivity, communicate respectively, and cultivate skillful relationships is intended to offer benefit to the individual, organization or community – and the impact that has may be surprising. In many cases, participants feel that their capacity for self-regulation, empathy, tolerance and relationship-building is greatly enhanced by working with council. Often, unseen gifts and unexplored challenges show up. This evolving capacity can prove to be the fulfillment of a hope – or the introduction of greater complexity. And, as always, we invite participants to use discretion about where and how they bring the work of council into their lives and work, such that it aligns with their intentions and supports their growth and that of the relationships, organizations, and communities in which they function.
Council is an emergent process. Our experienced trainers offer workshops and programs that bring the practice of council to a wide variety of individuals and situations. Participation is always consensual and the invitation is made to step into the intentionality and containment offered by each unique council in a way that serves oneself, the group at hand, and "the greater good." This is a personal process for everyone and, thus, each council experience has a unique combination of elements, like a particular assortment of ingredients adding up to a one-of-a-kind meal. Center for Council works hard to clarify expectations and intentions for each of its offerings, whether a Public Workshop, a Professional Training or another programmatic offering. Our job is to teach the practice of council and point towards ways it could be of benefit in one's life and work. How it is implemented is unique to each participant.
Becoming a Council Trainer
HOW DO I BECOME A TRAINER?
The short answer: Explore the trainer certification process through this site.
The long answer: The curriculum included in Center for Council's three levels of training workshops form the background for the path to stewardship of the practice. Certification as a Council Trainer involves completing those trainings, along with a rigorous practice and mentorship path, a period of practice, observation, internship and discernment, as well as integration into one's life and work.
If you have completed at least one Council Training 1 workshop and are interested in exploring the formal path to certification, find out more about the path to becoming a council trainer and then contact Center for Council for more details.
The long answer: The curriculum included in Center for Council's three levels of training workshops form the background for the path to stewardship of the practice. Certification as a Council Trainer involves completing those trainings, along with a rigorous practice and mentorship path, a period of practice, observation, internship and discernment, as well as integration into one's life and work.
If you have completed at least one Council Training 1 workshop and are interested in exploring the formal path to certification, find out more about the path to becoming a council trainer and then contact Center for Council for more details.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A COUNCIL PRACTITIONER, LEADER, FACILITATOR AND TRAINER?
The short answer: Embody the practice before you hang up a shingle...
The long answer: Council is practiced in many forms around the world. The lineage that is taught by Center for Council trainers has a distinct path to certification that begins with the practice itself and one's willingness to experience council and step into holding and offering the practice to others. Council is the best teacher of council.
Council Training 1 workshops teach enough methodology, terminology and skills to get you started as a practitioner and facilitator – and it is hoped that those who have practiced and enjoyed council will leave the workshops and experiment with facilitating council on their own. While it is expected that participants will introduce, describe and share the practice with others, facilitating council circles for friends, family and perhaps even co-workers, certification as a council trainer is reserved for those who have completed the rigorous process described above and elsewhere. In addition to the three levels of council training workshops, a period of practice, observation, apprenticeship and discernment is required before certification is considered. Certified Council Trainers offer training workshops and, when officially affiliated with Center for Council, may be employed to deliver council training programs professionally in initiatives coordinated around the world.
The long answer: Council is practiced in many forms around the world. The lineage that is taught by Center for Council trainers has a distinct path to certification that begins with the practice itself and one's willingness to experience council and step into holding and offering the practice to others. Council is the best teacher of council.
Council Training 1 workshops teach enough methodology, terminology and skills to get you started as a practitioner and facilitator – and it is hoped that those who have practiced and enjoyed council will leave the workshops and experiment with facilitating council on their own. While it is expected that participants will introduce, describe and share the practice with others, facilitating council circles for friends, family and perhaps even co-workers, certification as a council trainer is reserved for those who have completed the rigorous process described above and elsewhere. In addition to the three levels of council training workshops, a period of practice, observation, apprenticeship and discernment is required before certification is considered. Certified Council Trainers offer training workshops and, when officially affiliated with Center for Council, may be employed to deliver council training programs professionally in initiatives coordinated around the world.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO BECOME CERTIFIED?
The short answer: It's really up to you...
The long answer: This website provides a resource for finding upcoming council training workshops and exploring ways to engage in council work through the many programs, initiatives and resources described here. After one has attended a Council Training 1 workshop and practiced council in their own life, one may feel a calling to enter the path to becoming a Council Trainer. That path is rigorous and requires a great deal of time practicing and facilitating council, as well as advanced training, apprenticeship and mentoring.
Depending upon life-circumstances, the path to certification can take anywhere from two to many, many years to complete. There is no set timeframe and the road to certification offers opportunity to deepen and explore many components of this work, as well as a more intense and focused trajectory for those who are so inclined. Rather than focusing on making it through to the end quickly, you are invited to explore the qualities and skills necessary, so as to be prepared to offer this work professionally in a safe, resourced, and responsible way. The pages and documents contained on this site will provide background and greater detail on these qualities and skills, and the training process. Please review what you can find on this website first, but you are invited to contact our staff if you have further questions.
The long answer: This website provides a resource for finding upcoming council training workshops and exploring ways to engage in council work through the many programs, initiatives and resources described here. After one has attended a Council Training 1 workshop and practiced council in their own life, one may feel a calling to enter the path to becoming a Council Trainer. That path is rigorous and requires a great deal of time practicing and facilitating council, as well as advanced training, apprenticeship and mentoring.
Depending upon life-circumstances, the path to certification can take anywhere from two to many, many years to complete. There is no set timeframe and the road to certification offers opportunity to deepen and explore many components of this work, as well as a more intense and focused trajectory for those who are so inclined. Rather than focusing on making it through to the end quickly, you are invited to explore the qualities and skills necessary, so as to be prepared to offer this work professionally in a safe, resourced, and responsible way. The pages and documents contained on this site will provide background and greater detail on these qualities and skills, and the training process. Please review what you can find on this website first, but you are invited to contact our staff if you have further questions.
Getting Involved & Supporting the Work
WHAT ARE SOME WAYS TO GET INVOLVED?
The short answer: Enroll in a public offering, stay in touch, invite us in, consider a gift.
The long answer: Through our newsletter and social media, Center for Council provides regular updates on its programs, workshops and initiatives. We welcome your input and engagement and we hope to see you at an upcoming workshop, training or program! We are also building initiatives and collaborations around the world and invite you to explore ways your network or contacts may benefit from knowing what we do and engaging in our work.
Please feel free to share links to this website and the descriptions and videos with your contacts and networks. We rely on our friends and allies to help us keep the organization strong and resourced. Financial support from people like you make it possible for this work to happen and fund our small and capable staff. We invite your engagement in our work and welcome any material support you may offer, as well as ideas for other potential resources, as our elopement team continues to build stability and sustainability.
The long answer: Through our newsletter and social media, Center for Council provides regular updates on its programs, workshops and initiatives. We welcome your input and engagement and we hope to see you at an upcoming workshop, training or program! We are also building initiatives and collaborations around the world and invite you to explore ways your network or contacts may benefit from knowing what we do and engaging in our work.
Please feel free to share links to this website and the descriptions and videos with your contacts and networks. We rely on our friends and allies to help us keep the organization strong and resourced. Financial support from people like you make it possible for this work to happen and fund our small and capable staff. We invite your engagement in our work and welcome any material support you may offer, as well as ideas for other potential resources, as our elopement team continues to build stability and sustainability.
WHAT KIND OF SUPPORT WOULD BE MEANINGFUL?
The short answer: All support is meaningful. Financial support is critical.
The long answer: We believe that there has never been as immense a need for us all to stop and listen to one another and to seek cooperative solutions to our shared human challenges—and this is precisely what Center for Council both supports and achieves in its programs with disadvantaged, low-income, and at-risk communities. It is also the core value underlying all of the council trainings and workshops we offer. We are deeply committed to the work we do in the world and to building a movement of mindful, heartfelt, compassion-based community building.
We are energized by your care and partnership in whatever way is meaningful to you. We are eager to expand our grant-funded programming and to offer our training and consultancy services to a wide array of potential partners. And financial support provides essential operating dollars to help Center for Council grow its capacity and increase delivery of its innovative compassion-based programming. Without financial contributions, our organization cannot survive.
We rely on our growing family of partners who have capacity and a desire to provide resources for bringing compassion and cohesion to a world in need, and whose philanthropic values are congruent with ours. Grants and contributions of any size help us grow our work and bring council to more and more individuals and communities where the need is great. We are deeply grateful for this support and our development department is eager to follow up on any and all opportunities to align with like-hearted supporters.
The long answer: We believe that there has never been as immense a need for us all to stop and listen to one another and to seek cooperative solutions to our shared human challenges—and this is precisely what Center for Council both supports and achieves in its programs with disadvantaged, low-income, and at-risk communities. It is also the core value underlying all of the council trainings and workshops we offer. We are deeply committed to the work we do in the world and to building a movement of mindful, heartfelt, compassion-based community building.
We are energized by your care and partnership in whatever way is meaningful to you. We are eager to expand our grant-funded programming and to offer our training and consultancy services to a wide array of potential partners. And financial support provides essential operating dollars to help Center for Council grow its capacity and increase delivery of its innovative compassion-based programming. Without financial contributions, our organization cannot survive.
We rely on our growing family of partners who have capacity and a desire to provide resources for bringing compassion and cohesion to a world in need, and whose philanthropic values are congruent with ours. Grants and contributions of any size help us grow our work and bring council to more and more individuals and communities where the need is great. We are deeply grateful for this support and our development department is eager to follow up on any and all opportunities to align with like-hearted supporters.
ARE DONATIONS TAX DEDUCTIBLE?
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he short answer: Yes!
The long answer: Tax-deductble donations to Center for Council can be made through the website or by sending a check to: Center for Council P.O. Box 292586 Los Angeles, CA 90029 Please make checks payable to: Community Partners for Center for Council Please note that participation fees for our public offerings are not tax-deductible, however. |
