Seven years. Thousands of women. A quiet revolution, circle by circle.
This training wasn’t built in a day. It has been shaped by firelight, deep listening, and the courage of women who chose to lead.
This is for those who want to make a commitment to something deeper in their work and lives: a commitment to presence, purpose, and the lifelong practice of holding space.
A beginning that becomes a lifetime of circles.
A step into the work that you feel, in your bones, you are here to do.
This is an invitation to walk alongside a movement of women doing the kind of work that will change us as individuals and allow us to create real world impact in the collective.
We were never made to do this alone, come and join us.
SETTLE IN…
This page is not a quick scroll experience. It is a page full of information, full of heart - and one which holds the intention to help you feel into whether this is the right step for you to take. So take your time, take it in and feel into your intuition. It always knows…
THE INNER WORK THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING
Let’s begin here. This is not simply a course (although it has rigorous accreditation). It is a journey into who you are, what you stand for, and how you can bring your most deeply authentic, truly expressed, and loving self to your work.
We have to begin with you.
With your holding. With your heart, mind, and soul being tended to with exquisite care.
You hold deeper spaces when you’re more fully yourself.
You embody safety and connection when your own vessel has become a safe place to rest.
You become a space of belonging for others when you finally belong to yourself.
You create the community women are craving when you have found the one that holds you- a hearth to warm your hands and heart around.
I’ve been calling this a training for years.
But it’s not just training. It’s a coming home.
A return to self.
The deepest gift you can give yourself- and then, offer to others.
Fully supported.
Well resourced.
Heart full.
It’s time to give this to yourself.
“This is one of the most beautiful courses I’ve done (and I’ve done a lot of courses!). The women Gemma gathers for this course are overflowing with love. The material itself has such depth, resonance and richness. It is exquisite.”
Anna Day, Founder of Wild Simplicity
WHO THIS WORK IS FOR
There is not one kind of woman who chooses this path.
We’ve trained therapists and counsellors.
Yoga teachers, nurses, and healers.
Social workers, ICU consultants, and police officers.
Pharmacists, creative directors, television executives, opera directors…
Women from every walk of life from the ages of 19 to 80 years old.
What they shared was a sense of calling - to create deeper spaces, to bring more humanity and purpose into their work, and to be part of something that truly matters.
You don’t need a particular title or background. You don’t need to exude confidence and experience. You don't need to be a guru or an influencer. You just need to feel the pull-toward presence, connection and the courage to lead.
This is not just about learning to hold space for others.
It’s about finding your own pathway to becoming the kind of leader this aching world needs.
You’re in the right place if…
✨You feel strongly called to facilitate sisterhood and want to make an impact in the world.
✨You long to lead groups in a way that feels soulful, nourishing and full of purpose.
✨ You want to be part of a global movement spreading the magic of Circle.
✨ You’re ready to feel empowered and graceful in your leadership.
✨ You’re seeking a path of personal transformation alongside practical training.
✨ You want a clear, held container that guides you step by step, within a vibrant, supportive community.
How will life feel when…
✨You’re holding Circle regularly - anchored in purpose, joy, and connection.
✨ You have the knowledge, tools and inner trust to create the kind of space you’ve always longed for.
✨ You’re surrounded by a thriving community of women who come to circles for inspiration, growth and support.
✨ You’re part of something bigger - a global movement of women changing the world, one story at a time.
THE THREEFOLD TRANSFORMATION
This work moves through you in three ways - shaping who you are, how you lead and the world you help create.
Personally:
You’ll be guided through a tender journey of self-return.
Finding safety in your body. Trust in your voice.
Permission to be who you are, and lead from that place.
Professionally:
You’ll receive a structure that grounds your leadership.
A way to hold ANY group space with care, clarity, and confidence.
You’ll no longer wonder “Can I do this?” You’ll know that you can.
Collectively:
Circle is not just a space.
It is a countercultural act.
To gather. To listen. To build bridges across difference.
This work changes the world - and you’ll be part of that change.
“I would recommend Sister Stories training to any woman who feels called - it is without doubt one of the best personal investments I’ve ever made.
This world needs circles and the more ripples they create, the greater the level of change that can occur both personally and globally.”
Janine Begley
HOW THE JOURNEY UNFOLDS
This training has been carefully designed to offer both depth and structure - so that you not only learn how to hold space, but become the kind of leader who holds it with presence, clarity and heart.
There are two phases to the journey:
PHASE ONE: THE TRAINING
(4 MONTHS)
You’ll be gently immersed in the practice of Circle - not just learning about it, but experiencing it, being held within it and allowing it to shape you from the inside out.
You’ll receive a powerful foundational framework for facilitation, alongside a live curriculum that explores the philosophy, ethics, energetics and practicalities of space-holding.
You’ll practice. You’ll receive feedback. You’ll find your own, unique way - not by following a script, but by rooting into your own presence and voice.
You’ll also be held in community throughout - with live teaching calls, optional support circles, small group pods, and rich opportunities to ask questions and be witnessed. Many of the relationships formed here last for years. This isn’t just a course, it’s the beginning of a circle you’ll never have to leave.
PHASE TWO: LIVING THE MISSION
(ONGOING)
The training may end, but the path doesn’t.
Once you complete the course, you’ll become part of our free, thriving alumni community - a space of ongoing support, wisdom-sharing and encouragement as you begin to hold your own circles in the world.
You’ll also receive quarterly mentorship calls with Gemma, continued access to guest mentor teachings and lifetime access to the course materials.
This is not a one-off course. It’s a long-term journey and we walk it with you.
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN: THE 7 PILLARS OF FACILIATION
This training is rooted in a clear and robust framework that gives you the confidence to hold powerful spaces, while always inviting you to lead in a way that feels true to you.
We’ll journey through seven key pillars:
1. Circle Immersion
You’ll sit in Circle regularly - experiencing a wide range of approaches and deepening your trust in the space itself.
You’ll learn the roots and history of Circle and explore your own relationship to ritual, presence and sacred space.
You’ll learn to honour the teachers and lineages that you will come to share with the world.
2. The Mission
You’ll explore the deeper “why” behind your facilitation.
What kind of change are you here to create?
What do you want your circles to feel like, stand for, invite?
This pillar helps you shape a vision that’s both personal and powerful.
3. Inclusion as Practice
You’ll explore inclusion and anti-oppression work as a lifelong commitment - not a checkbox.
Together, we’ll look at how to create spaces that are truly welcoming, honour difference and acknowledge the wider systems we’re part of.
In this pillar we offer a dedicated space for women of the Global Majority to feel held, seen, and centred.
4. Core Facilitation Principles
From opening and closing circles to creating safety, navigating emotion and holding group energy - you’ll learn the essential skills that form the backbone of good facilitation.
This is about integrity, ethics and trust. Although we talk about holding space for women, these are applicable to working with ANY gender or mixed group.
5. Designing Your Circle
You’ll learn the foundational Sister Stories format, then shape it into something that’s uniquely yours.
You’ll receive feedback and support as you design, refine and practise your facilitation in real time.
5. SOULFUL MARKETING & BUSINESS BASICS
You’ll be supported to share your work - in a way that feels aligned, heart-led and sustainable.
This includes guidance on visibility, messaging and building a brand that reflects your truth.
7. Embodied Practice & Integration
We’ll explore how to hold space from a grounded, regulated place - using somatic tools, trauma -informed practice and nervous system care.
This pillar ensures that you’re supported as a human, not just trained as a facilitator.
“It’s given me a business, it’s given me an income, it’s been life changing for me…’
Charlotte Hueso
MY SToRY
Gemma Brady, Founder of Sister Stories & Lead Trainer
When I began holding Circles seven years ago, I had no idea of their potential to transform culture. As an award-winning documentary maker, I understood the healing power of storytelling. But nothing could have prepared me for what happens when groups gather in dedicated, sacred spaces to share their stories.
I’ve held hundreds of Circles and trained hundreds of women to lead them in their communities. Time and again, I’ve seen the magic of these spaces: how they soften our hard edges, deepen our connections, and help us meet life’s chaos with compassion and courage.
My dream is for a world where Circles are as common as yoga classes - where every town and city has Circles happening everywhere: in coffee shops, community centres, and even corporate boardrooms.
When I started this work, I thought it was simply about gathering around candlelight to share stories and connect as women. I now see it as a movement with the potential to profoundly change the world.
MEET YOUR MENTORS
CORE TEAM
GEMMA BRADY:
FOUNDER, sister stories
Gemma started her career as an award winning filmmaker for BBC, Channel 4 and held senior roles on some of the UK’s biggest and most loved documentaries. Since founding Sister Stories in 2017 it has gron into a global movement with over 10,000 women worldwide accessing our teachings and circles. She is a trained Coach, Narrative Therapist, conflict Mediator and trauma-informed space holder.
She is on a mission to make going to circle as common as yoga class.
emma johnson:
HEAD OF COMMUNITY CARE
“The spiralling out of my world through Circle has created such a rich tapestry of experience, connection, knowledge and community. Circle work has become my soul-food, my medicine, my way home and my journey forward.
I trained in 2022 and have been running circles, retreats and events ever since. I have also founded a successful nationwide online women’s circle directory; and delivered circles for several charities working in mental health and trauma.. Being with you on this journey is such a gift, I love seeing the beautiful unfolding as new circles emerge.”
AMELIA DONKOR:
SENIOR FACILITATOR
Amelia is an actor, maker, yogi and facilitator. She trained with Sister Stories in 2019 and since 2020 has been part of the Facilitation team.
A career in the theatre was a spring board for storytelling, but it’s in circle with other women she feels tender connection and authenticity. Amelia’s approach is with simplicity and warmth, and a deep belief that every woman should be heard. She will lead you through potent workshops to develop your relationship to using your voice, working with the medicine of anger and offer the experience she has gained as a seasoned facilitator with corporates.
GUEST TEACHERS
Each month, you will receive the wisdom of one of our guest teachers.
Gayle Berry
Founder of Blossom & Berry:
The Basics of Soulful Branding & Marketing
Gayle Berry is the founder and leader of Blossom & Berry Baby Massage & Yoga. She has grown Blossom & Berry from a small local business to be a global leader in the field of mother and baby wellness with over 1000 baby massage and yoga teachers across the world generating a six-figure turnover. She is an expert in marketing and promotion from a soulful, heart-led place. She has launched a sister site in Spanish and has trained across the world in locations including Mexico, Dubai, Australia and Italy. Gayle leads a team of seven with love.
Eva Glamaris;
BSN, M.Div, M.A, PCC
Nurse. Theologian. Mental Health Therapist. Military Chaplain. Pastor. Life Coach. Writer. Businesswoman. Educator. Facilitator.
Racially Profiled. Wrongfully Accused. Physically Assaulted.
All of these experiences have informed the way Eva shows up in the world as an instrument of liberation in a space that is bound by power and fear. As the creator, educator, and facilitator of Sacred Inclusion, Eva holds the space for deeper exploration, taking sincere, committed white women leaders through a journey that addresses the conscious & unconscious ways in which harm is perpetrated towards people of color (POC) so they can learn to create truly inclusive and safer spaces.
claire rother:
TRAUMA INFORMED CIRCLE HOLDING & NERVOUS SYSTEM REGULATION
Claire Rother MSc is a somatic practitioner, nervous system expert, trauma coach and integrative health specialist with over ten years experience working with women to help them heal, grow and improve their physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.
She brings her vast experience of working with the nervous system to help you learn to regulate yourself and support your Circle participants as you hold space.
This guest module is packed full of practical tips, exercises and tools that won’t just support your space holding, but will support you in all areas of your life.
TAMU THOMAS
Tamu is an emotional well-being coach trained in somatic coaching, with a background in social work.
She is passionate about supporting over-functioning, high achieving women to cultivate emotional safety and self-trust that enables them to experience fulfilment without losing their edge.
She will guide you through a powerful workshop to root your facilitation practice in embodiment, alignment and a grounded place.
GRIEF CIRCLES:
NICI HARRISON
Nici Harrison is founder of The Grief Space offering grief circles, retreats, and trainings. Nici’s work is to remember the lost art of grief tending and to create a space where grief can be deeply acknowledged, witnessed and welcomed. She believes that, in time, grief brings us closer to the raw and vulnerable wonder of being alive.
Nici’s heart’s path is to share all that she has learned about nurturing a reverence for grief as a way to heal and love more fully. Nici is changing the narrative around grief, having been featured in The Telegraph, Elle and Psychologies Magazine.
ABI OSHO
Abi is an BAFTA award-winning retreat facilitator, visibility coach, author, and speaker. She has led over 25 retreats across the UK, Europe and Africa.
She was featured as lead retreat facilitator in the award-winning "White Nanny Black Child” shown on Channel 5. This documentary won the prestigious Royal Television Society Award (RTS) and has recently won the 2024 BAFTA in the Special Factual category.
IS YOUR HEART ON BOARD? LET’S BRING THE HEAD ALONG
Key dates, investment, and accreditation:
all the details you need to make the leap
APRIL 2025 COHORT
Each cohort meets every other Thursday for a 90-minute live session - Group 1 at 1pm, Group 2 at 7pm- allowing you to choose a rhythm that works for your life. Please choose your group when you sign up.
Key dates and details:
🕯 Opening Ceremony: Thursday 24 April
🌀 Core Curriculum Calls: Fortnightly on Thursdays (1pm or 7pm)- choose your preferred group
📚 Total of 12 core sessions, including a Closing Ceremony on Thursday 25 September
☀️ Summer Break & Integration: 1–27 August
💬 Optional Support Calls: Every Monday at 1pm (open group space for sharing, questions, and receiving 1:1 coaching/mentorship)
🌕 Live Circles: Held throughout the training, scheduled flexibly to support life rhythms and time zones
🤝 Pod Groups & Peer Support: Small circles formed early on for deep, ongoing connection and real-time practice
🌿 Closing Ceremony: Thursday 25 September
12 CORE CALLS:
Opening Session: Thursday 24 April
Thursday 8 May
Thursday 22 May
Thursday 5 June
Thursday 19 June
Thursday 3 July
Thursday 17 July
Thursday 31 July
1-27 AUGUST - Summer Break
Thursday 28 August
Thursday 4 September
Thursday 11 September
Closing Ceremony: Thursday 25 September
If you are unable to join our APRIL 2025 cohort
“My heart feels attended to, listened to and nurtured. I have ignited a life full of purpose. I feel a part of something greater. Through Gemma’s support, my need for sisterhood, connection and community has been realised.”
Marianne Love
CPD ACCREDITED
This training is fully accredited by the CPD Certification Service- the UK’s leading body for Continuing Professional Development.
This means your learning has been independently verified for quality, professionalism and impact. On completion of the training and our assessment process, you’ll receive a CPD certificate recognising your hours and achievements.
“THIS TRAINING OVER DELIVERS.”
Cheri Gillings
LET’S TALK ABOUT MONEY…
This training is one that will change you as a human being and a professional from the inside out. But it will also give you the opportunity to make an income from your circle spaces if you wish.
To make back your investment in this course you just need to run: 10 Circles or 1 retreat.
Year after year, we see our trainees fly, creating new offerings, new income streams and new ways of living their mission in the world, with integrity, ethics and accessibility at the heart of their spaces.
Across a lifetime, the return on this investment is priceless.
investment
PAY IN FULL
BEST VALUE
3 MONTH PAYMENT PLAN
3 monthly payments
6 month payment plan
6 MONTHLY PAYMENTS
BURSARY PLACES
Our goal with Circle Facilitation Training is to give women the tools to confidently hold spaces for compassion, care and community, while also pushing for more communal and inclusive access to these spaces. That means making the course accessible to a broad range of women, including those who don’t have the financial resources to pay for it. We are offering a pay what you can model for those who need it most.
For more information on our bursary scheme, and to apply, click here >>
“Training with Sister Stories has transformed my life and work: Circle has become pretty much the centerpoint of my life and offerings, and I can only thank you for guiding me into that remembrance within myself.”
Marta Manuel
READY TO JOIN US?
This is the moment
We only open this space twice a year.
If your heart is leaning in, let it.
Not because there’s pressure - but because there’s possibility.
Because the work you’re here to do isn’t waiting.
And this could be the beginning.
Of a life shaped by purpose.
Of circles you haven’t yet imagined.
Of becoming the leader you already are, deep down.
Come walk with us.
The door is open.
If you have questions about payment plans, access needs, or if this is the right path for you - we’d love to talk. You don’t have to figure it out alone.
TESTIMONIALS
HEAR THE STORIES OF HOW OUR TRAINING HAS CHANGED LIVES
FAQ
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You are very welcome to enrol in this course and watch the calls as replays. As connection and community are so valuable to us, the course is designed as a group experience, so will be most enriching for you if you join live wherever possible.
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Our opening ceremony on 17 October will be two hours long. All of our Thursday callS after this are 90 minutes; and our optional Monday Processing and Support calls are 60 minutes.
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Truthfully, we don’t know!
It will run again in 2025, but it it may not be until the second half of the year.
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There are three, six and nine month payment plans available to assist with spreading the cost of this training. If you would like to discuss a bespoke longer payment plan, please contact us.
There is also a bursary place available at a heavily reduced fee for those in genuine financial need. Please contact us directly for more information on this & to apply.
If you are applying for a busary place we ask you to please refrain from booking a call; due to the sheer volume of applications it isn’t possible to have a call with everyone and we seek to keep the process as fair as possible.
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The location of circles varies. Since the pandemic, many of the facilitators who have taken this training have chosen to take their circles online, to allow them to continue. This has worked beautifully.
Where in-person circles are permitted, some choose to host them in their home, for others, a local yoga studio, some have even transformed local book shops and cafes in the evenings. The only requirement for a space to host circles in is that it’s a safe, welcoming and intimate environment. During the training, you will be given ideas and guidance on how to create a beautiful space.
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Attending a variety of women's circles before, during and after your training can be a very supportive practice to help you connect to this work. It is not, however, mandatory - for some, access to women’s circles is still geographically challenging and the purpose of this training programme is to help spread the work to new locations with a pioneering set of women at the helm. You will have the opportunity to attend lots of Circles during your training to ensure you have immersed yourself in them.
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The only requirement to become a facilitator is an open heart, a curious spirit and a compassionate soul. Women who have trained to be facilitators in the past have hailed from a wide set of professional backgrounds. We have had those from the media, charity sector, entrepreneurs, yoga teachers, actors, coaches, mothers, writers and so much more. The skills needed for facilitation require a desire to explore the complex inner landscape of our humanity. There is no one-sized fits all approach to doing it, so the more varied & diverse a set of skills within our facilitators, the richer the community.
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The CPD accreditation means that this training programme has been assessed and evaluated by independent regulators for quality, relevance and that it meets the standards for Continuing Professional Development. The learning value has been scrutinised to ensure integrity and quality. Upon completion of the training and the assessment process, you will receive a certificate from both Sister Stories and the CPD Certification Service to show your successful completion of the training.
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One of the glorious challenges of setting up a Circle in a new area is finding new pockets of the local community who will cherish a women’s Circle arriving in their area. Often, women who come to Circles share that they didn’t know how much they needed this work in their lives until they stumbled across it. You are offering an opportunity people may yearn for, yet not yet be able to name.
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Each individual facilitator is encouraged to find a method of running their circles which is supportive to them and their community, including setting pricing. There is no requirement to charge for tickets, but experience tells us that offering tickets for a fee helps create an exchange that supports facilitators to keep offering the work & encourage those attending to honour their agreement to show up to the space. We do not want women who are unable to pay for tickets to be excluded from Circles, so most facilitators choose to offer at least one heavily subsidised or free ticket per Circle to a woman who otherwise would not be able to attend.
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As often or as little as you like. Each facilitator finds their rhythm; perhaps once a fortnight feels good to you, once a week or once a year. There is no right or wrong way to do it. Once you have completed your training, you are encouraged to run a Circle within a month to give you the best chance of creating a thriving Circle community whilst momentum is high.
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Sister Stories is a space which encourages even the quietest voices to be heard and we infuse our training with this spirit. Those who facilitate are responsible for gathering and opening the circle & gently keeping it safe for attendees, but there is a dynamic of complete equality. There is no ‘leader’ of the circle, only a guardian who encourages its dynamic unfolding. Many women who are naturally quieter & less likely to ‘put themselves in the spotlight’ have found that facilitation has been transformative for them both in itself & in other areas of their life.
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To keep the space intimate, and allow space for everyone's voice and different approaches to learning, we cap each group at 25 women. Within each cohort, there is lots of small group work, including the opportunity to join a 'Pod' of 3-4 women who you meet with regularly and develop deep relationships with.
You also receive a high level of personalised feedback and input from Gemma throughout the course.
As long as you show up, you won't get lost here. We've got you.