Listening Circle Facilitation

for inclusive teams and organizations in social work, mental health, community & social services, advocacy and non-profit sectors

who include or serve women, queer, neurodivergent, immigrant &/or BIPOC populations

in Ontario, Nova Scotia or Alberta

What Is a Listening Circle?

Based on & adapted from the teachings of Anima Leadership, a Listening Circle is a structured experiential communication practice that creates a structured space for teams or groups to share and be heard during times of crisis, rapid change or heightened emotions, whether in response to internal issues or world events.

Its purpose is to foster psychological safety, connection and collaboration — helping teams move forward together, even when challenges cannot be neatly resolved.

Participants are invited to reflect on a Guiding Question, sharing their own perspectives and experiences, while listening deeply to others without judgment, debate or the need to respond.

Let's Get Started Together
 

Why Facilitate a Listening Circle?

  • To hold space for teams during conflict, transition or crisis

  • To foster connection, safety and belonging in diverse groups

  • To allow people to be fully heard, without interruption or judgment

  • To help teams build resilience and move forward with more clarity and care

What to Expect in a Listening Circle

Listening Circles typically run 90 minutes to 2 hours, depending on group size (up to a maximum of 15 participants).

A facilitation session includes:

  • Welcome & Opening of Session

  • Gentle grounding (movement, breathing, reflection, intention-setting)

  • Quick introductions (name, pronouns, location)

  • Overview of guidelines

  • Two rounds of structured sharing (up to 2 minutes per person per round)

  • Group debrief reflecting on the experience

  • Closing of Session

All Listening Circles are offered virtually (through Butter) to professional teams and organizations across Canada.

Participant Guidelines

Listening Circles are most impactful when co-created with mutual respect and psychological safety.

Participants are asked to:

  1. Speak from the Heart and Your Personal Experiences & Perspectives

  2. Practice Compassion & Non-Judgement

  3. Welcome Emotions

  4. Respect Confidentiality

  5. Offer Full Attention to Others

  6. Respect the Structure of the Exercise

  7. Know You May Pass on Your Turn

  8. Ask Clarifying Questions Early

Participants are also welcome to bring what helps them feel grounded (e.g., a blanket, a cushion, a warm beverage, a snack, or something to doodle on).

Fees + Logistics

  • Up to 10 participants:

    • $375 + HST (90-minute facilitation)

    • $180/hr + HST for prep (1–2 hours, including planning meetings with the organization)

  • Up to 15 participants:

    • $500 + HST (2-hour facilitation)

    • $180/hr + HST for prep (1–2 hours, including planning meetings with the organization)

All Listening Circles are offered virtually (through Butter) to professional teams and organizations across Canada.

What Participants Are Saying

  • Building Connection Before Crises

    Participants wish they had engaged in a Listening Circle sooner — not only after challenges arose, but as a preventative way to strengthen trust, communication & empathy within their team.
    Participants recognize the value of having structured spaces to check-in with one another before tensions or misunderstandings grow.

  • Reducing Isolation & Strengthening Understanding

    Participants discuss the challenges of feeling “out of the loop”, and anticipating each other’s needs when team members & leaders are busy or working across different departments or regions.
    Participants appreciate that the Listening Circle offers a rare opportunity to be seen & heard outside of formal meetings, helping them better understand & support one another.

  • Experiencing Power of Structured Listening

    Participants emphasize the positive impact of Listening Circle’s intentional, guided format.
    Clear guidelines & a focused question created psychological safety & depth, allowing for meaningful reflection rather than reactive conversation.

  • Learning through Skilled Facilitation

    Teams noted the benefit of having a trained facilitator hold space for the process.
    Participants appreciated the modeling of trauma-informed & anti-oppressive communication practices, and the opportunity to learn skills they could take back into their own leadership & team environments.

  • Appreciating Depth & Impact

    Participants describe the experience as rich, grounding & surprisingly connective.
    Participants leave with a renewed sense of appreciation for their colleagues & gratitude for having the time & space to slow down, listen & reflect together.

Virtual Listening Circles available to organizations & teams across Canada

Book a Listening Circle:

To explore whether a Listening Circle is right for your team, please email me OR complete this form to arrange a FREE 30–45 minute video consult to discuss your organization’s needs, group size and goals, before scheduling your session:

  • I’m a Registered Social Worker (RSW) in Ontario, Nova Scotia, and Alberta.

  • I work with women, queer, BIPOC, immigrants and neurodivergent folks between the ages of 18–55, as well as organizations that include &/or serve these communities.

    I specialize in supporting marginalized and minoritized people whose experiences and identities are often overlooked by dominant systems.

  • I provide:

    • 1:1 Clinical Consultation

    • Group-based / team-based Clinical Consultation

    • 1:1 Leadership Coaching

    • Listening Circle Facilitation

    • Educational workshops (on select topics)

    *for professionals, leaders and teams in the social work, mental health, community & social services, advocacy & activism sectors.

  • I most often support professionals and teams navigating chronic stress and burnout, including:

    • Vicarious trauma and compassion fatigue

    • Ethical or spiritual pain

    • Systemic barriers and oppression

    • Challenging workplace and team dynamics

    We go beyond stress management to:

    • strengthen clinical, communication and leadership skills

    • navigate ethical dilemmas

    • address team conflicts

    • explore workplace accommodations

    • explore professional development goals

  • My work is:

    • Trauma-Informed

    • Anti-Racist and Anti-Oppressive (ARAO)

    • Intersectionally Feminist

    • Neurodivergent Affirming

    • Queer Affirming

    • Sex Positive

    • Harm-Reduction-Based

    • Strengths-Based

    I use a holistic, eclectic and integrative approach – drawing on multiple modalities to meet the unique needs of each professional, team and organization.

  • My background includes:

    • Undergraduate &/or Graduate Degrees in Psychology, Cultural Anthropology and Social Work

    • Clinical Training in:

      • Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT)

      • Internal Family Systems (IFS)

      • Mindfulness

      • Narrative Therapy

      • Sex Therapy

      • Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT)

      • Somatic Attachment Therapy (SAT)

    • Leadership Training in:

      • Anima Leadership’s DEI framework for navigating race, identity and power in leadership positions and the workplace

      • Brené Brown’s Dare to Lead™ program

      • Julie Diamond’s Diamond Power Index (DPI™) framework and 360 leadership assessment

    • I have worked in a variety of roles and organizations in Toronto’s nonprofit sector (2012–2021) and in my clinical private practice since 2017.

    • I speak Farsi fluently.

  • I’ve provided consultation, coaching and workshops to:

    • Athena’s Sexual Assault Counselling & Advocacy Centre

    • Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies (CAEFS)

    • Egale Canada

    • Friends of Ruby

    • Indexing Society of Canada (ISC)

    • Rainbow Railroad

    • The Elizabeth Fry Society of Greater Vancouver

    • and more…

    • For 1:1 Clinical Consultation or Leadership Coaching, click the BOOK NOW button to schedule a free 15-minute phone consult.

    • For team-based or organizational services, email me to arrange a 30–45 minute video consult to discuss your needs and budget.

    • 1:1 Clinical Consultation = $180 / hr + HST

    • Group-based / Team-based Clinical Consultation = $250 / hr + HST

    • 1:1 Leadership Coaching = $200 / hr + HST

    • Virtual Workshop Facilitation = $500 / hr + HST

    • Listening Circle Facilitation = $375 to $500 + HST

    • Consultation on Organizational / Team Needs = $180 / hr + HST

    • Organizational Document Review & Analysis = $150 / hr + HST

    • Organizational Document Preparation / Creation / Customization = $150 / hr + HST

  • I recommend meeting virtually every 2-6 weeks, depending on your availability, budget, goals and needs.

    Our work together can be short-term, time-limited / goal-specific, or long-term, depending on your professional goals and needs.

  • You can count on me to:

    • Be fully engaged, honest and compassionate

    • Share new perspectives and practical tools

    • Offer relevant books, articles, podcasts, videos and other resources

    • Encourage reflection and sustainable action

    • Bring warmth, humour and balance to our sessions