Circling Participant Agreement

These Circling Groups offered by Jeremy Walker are intended to provide an opportunity for you, the Participant, to learn and practice relational attunement skills together with others in a safe environment, striving to deeply see and be seen by each other in a manner that facilitates authentic connection, personal discovery and growth.

Jeremy is a professional, certified coach holding a PCC credential with the ICF (International Coaching Federation). While his training and experience as a coach, circling facilitator and autistic adult inform his ability to effectively facilitate these groups, he does not have any association with organizations that offer training in circling facilitation. While the practice of circling may have the potential for therapeutic benefit, these groups are not offered as a form of therapy and should not be considered as a substitute for working with a licensed therapist.

While Jeremy’s commitment as facilitator is always to serve the aforementioned goals of circling and maximize the benefits of these groups to all Participants, the ultimate result of what each Participant experiences in these groups depends on many factors, some of which are outside of the facilitator’s direct control. Achieving a successful outcome with circling depends on the authenticity and willingness of Participants to be vulnerable and take risks, on the developmental abilities and state of consciousness of the Participants, and on the degree to which the Participants are able to see each other beyond the labels that their minds might automatically create. The quality of any circling group therefore cannot be guaranteed. Jeremy’s commitment is to help Participants to learn the practice of circling and guide the process for maximum benefit while striving to maintain a balance between intervening to maintain the correct format and allowing the group process to unfold organically.

New learning can sometimes be uncomfortable and it is possible that these circling groups may bring difficult emotions to the surface. These groups are intended for growth-oriented individuals who understand this and are willing to be uncomfortable for the sake of the potential benefits. As a Participant, it is important to accept personal responsibility for finding a balance between respecting and challenging your own comfort zone according to what feels right for you. You will never be required to answer any question, or proceed in any topic of conversation that doesn’t feel safe or right for you. It is OK to “pass”, break eye contact, or disengage if you need to in order to take care of yourself. If you do, please re-engage as soon as you feel ready, communicate your needs, and continue to seek the right level of challenge for yourself. 

Each circling group session should be treated like a sacred container, founded upon mutual respect, trust, and a commitment to safety. As a Participant, your engagement has the power to strengthen or weaken this container. As such, all Participants are asked to commit to the following:

• Hold as confidential everything that is shared by other Participants.
• Maintain a kind, respectful and non-judgmental attitude.
• Be honest, vulnerable, and loving towards yourself by sharing anything that others should know to help you feel more safe.
• Practice “owning your experience” by using I statements when speaking about other Participants. Take care not to try and make anyone else responsible for how you feel.

As part of this agreement, you grant Jeremy permission to record your name, contact information and dates of the circling sessions in a coaching log which is kept secure and will be shared only with the ICF for accreditation purposes. In the case that Jeremy is audited by the ICF, you may be contacted by an ICF representative to confirm your participation.

Jeremy accepts payment for these groups in advance of the first session. Current rates are as indicated on the Circling Groups page. In order for a group to be effective and valuable to all participants, it is essential that all participants make their best effort to attend all sessions. As such, the cancelation policy does not offer full refunds if the cancelation occurs within seven days of the group start date. If anything comes up that would affect your commitment to attending, please contact Jeremy as soon as you become aware of it so that we can make our best effort to accommodate you. Your continuous attendance is critical to the quality of the group experience!