A Safe Space to be Heard, where all stories, all experiences and all emotions are welcome
Project Empathy’s Community Listening Circles began with the Second Wave of Covid-19 in India, as a collaboration between enCOMPASSion and Connext Coaching.
In our first phase, we offered 65 days of daily circles (which reached over 200 people), 1 hour long, daily. In our second phase, we are offering Biweekly Community Listening Circles, 2 hours long, twice a week.
All our Listening CIrcles were offered were free of cost.
Project Empathy ran for a total of 25 weeks, reaching 300+ individuals.
What We Did: Power of Community Listening Circles
A Community Listening Circle is a safe space for our experiences – where we share and are received exactly as we are, in a community. This space is held by spaceholders who offer reflections and set guidelines for sharing. But really, every circle is formed by everyone who comes. Your presence and listening offers as much as your sharing. A Community Listening Circle is not a discussion group, a workshop, or therapy. It is a space to be heard, in empathy, for whatever is alive for you.
Covid-Context
Project Empathy began with a Covid-Second-Wave focus, we added to our focus “Covid Context” – allowing our experiences as they are on surface within the reality of our times.
The Project Empathy Circles were offered for anyone experiencing anything, in isolation.
A Collaborative Effort
Project Empathy is a collaboration between enCOMPASSion and Connext Coaching, and a collective volunteer group of about 20 people trained in Nonviolent Communication (NVC).
Spaceholding Team
CNVC Certified Trainers Barbra Esher, Manasi Saxena, Ranjitha Jeurkar, Samuel Odhiambo, and Saleem Ebrahim.
In the past, this has also included, Dian Killian, Mary Mackenzie, Karen Starz.
NVC Practitioners Abhigya Akester, Daya Lakshmi, Fareen van der Put, Gayathri R, Kerstin Graebner, Prachi Tulshan, Pranjal Tiwari, Ruchika Shukla, Samvidha, Siddharth Shah, Shannon Casey, Karine Audeguy, Shera Lyn Parpia, Liesbet Bickett, Stacey Martino Rivera, Vega Moon
Coordination Team
Aditya Prakash, Manasi Saxena, Pranjal Tiwari, and Ranjitha Jeurkar.
Gratitude
It was our privilege to be able to offer these circles. Thank you, each of you, for trusting us with your stories, your experiences, and your hearts. We are also grateful for the support of the Nonviolent Communication (NVC) community across the world.
Mental Health Resources
In case you need to speak to a counsellor, please click here for an open source list of counsellors ready to offer pro bono services in a time of crisis.