Empowering Life Affirming Small Group Experiences
My Circle Journeys are innovative and hugely rewarding experiences that I create for small groups of up to 6 people across community.
I am often invited to work with people in specific circumstances, perhaps in recovery from addiction, or older people in community and those who may be experiencing poor mental health.
I bring my professional experience of story telling, theatre and performance to create a sanctuary for every participant, a shared intimate space where a small group meets once a week for an hour over a series of weeks to consider an important theme. These meetings can be in person or online.
Themes a circle journey might explore are, the place we live, how we feel about ageing, a reflection on teenage years and many other experiences.
My Circle Journey process positively changes the way individuals relate to, and connect with, others. This creative experience is extraordinary, empowering and transformative.
Participants find that experiencing this journey with me is deeply empowering, supportive, creative and insightful. I created many circles creatively exploring many aspects of life for clients including The Brink in Liverpool, supporting people in recovery, for the Happy Older People Project, for Imagine Independence and The National Lottery national pilot project Build Up Stronger to creatively discover how the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted l mental well being across some of the the most disadvantaged areas of our community.
Here’s just some of the positive feedback from the participants in the Phoenix Rising circle journey:
Phoenix Rising has changed me. You seem to lose your identity when you care for someone. I felt like I was a dogsbody, the one who runs to the shop. But here I feel like part of something, and I am getting my identity back.
This group has made it all come back into shape. It’s far more valuable to me than anything else.
Phoenix Rising has been amazing. I can’t believe the difference I feel.
I love this group. It feels like I have made friends for life and we have each other’s backs.
My Circle Journeys have strong legacy and the opportunity of many potential outcomes. The findings and stories are carried forward and outward in creative and engaging ways and this innovative work has enormous impact and value.
Mental Health First Aid
I am a qualified Mental Health First Aider, trained to support adults and also trained to support the mental well being of young people.
I bring the experience of training in Body based Strategies to Lower the Risk of Secondary Trauma. For this ground breaking and transformational work, I studied with Charlie Blower of Moving Pieces.
The Moving Pieces approach embraces the relationship between the arts and science, particularly body based approaches emerging from neuroscience, which support mindfulness and self regulation.
Moving Pieces is an organisational partner at the Collaborating Centre for Values-Based Practice in Health and Social Care, St Catherine’s College, Oxford.
brigid benson 