CIRCLE FACILITATION TRAINING
2025 COHORT
AN IMMERSIVE PROGRAMME WHICH WILL TEACH YOU TO CREATE,
FACILITATE AND SHARE THE HEALING MAGIC OF CIRCLE
Imagine a world where going to Circle is as common and widely accepted as going to a yoga class.
Imagine a world where authenticity, connection and compassion are held above individualism, competition and a fear of BEING your true self.
Imagine a world where the healing power of sharing stories ripples out from Circles into households, relationships, workplaces, and families, creating a more conscious, connected society.
Imagine being part of creating this change.
Imagine how YOUR life would change.
Imagine how YOUR RELATIONSHIPS would change.
Imagine how YOUR COMMUNITY would change.
This is the vision.
Will you join us?
PLEASE NOTE:
We will be running two training groups for this programme:
GROUP 1: Thursday at 1pm UK time
GROUP 2: Thursday 7pm UK time
You’re in the right place if...
You feel strongly called to facilitate sisterhood and want to make an impact in the world.
You desire to facilitate groups in a way that feels deeply nourishing, soulful and full of purpose.
You wish to make a contribution to the world and be part of a global movement of women spreading the magic of Circle
You long to feel empowered and graceful in your leadership, and as a facilitator.
You want to take a voyage of personal transformation and discovery as you move towards doing this precious work.
You want a structured, tried and tested training programme to hold your hand and help you to learn within a vibrant, supportive community, so you emerge feeling confident about leading your own spaces.
IMAGINE How will life feel when…
You are holding Circle regularly and it provides you with community, inspiration, personal growth and a deep sense of purpose.
You have the knowledge, tools, inner trust and support to create the kind of Circle space you most long for in your own life.
You have a thriving community of women who seek out your Circles for solace, inspiration, joy and growth.
You are part of a global movement making a positive impact as you help to spread the transformative magic of Circle worldwide.
A WORLD-CLASS, CPD-ACCREDITED TRAINING
Our training is accredited by the CPD Certification Service- a mark of quality, rigour and professionalism.
This is a huge step for our mission to take circle mainstream.
Our entire training programme has been assessed in-depth by this prestigious body to check content, leadership and learning methods. It is an honour for such a soul-led, yet practical, course to achieve this world-class recognition.
For those interested in bringing their circle work into more 'traditional' environments, having this recognition will be a huge bonus.
To find out more about the CPD accreditation, please see our FAQs at the bottom of the page.
WELCOME TO THE MOVEMENT...
It takes courage, conviction and confidence to create a thriving Circle.
It is always harder to go it alone.
Perhaps you’ve felt drawn to holding Circle, but lack the confidence, training and support to take the leap into actually doing it.
That’s what we are here for.
We are here to create a movement of facilitators who can share this ancient practice with the modern world…
And you can be part of it. We are stronger together.
This facilitator training is designed to give you the practical, emotional and spiritual tools to step into Circle leadership and create your very own Circle to share with the world.
You may be experienced in attending women’s circles or you may never have sat in Circle but are brimming with curiosity; this training is designed to support both those who are brand new to circles and those who are looking to deepen their relationship with Circle. The training provides a robust facilitation framework while supporting you to honour your own rhythms and intuitive guidance.
If you value the power of community and yearn to be part of a powerful network of women, you will love how we ensure that you come away from this training with a group of devoted peer mentors, confidantes and friends.
This is an opportunity for you to step into your feminine leadership, to become a lighthouse for other women in your community and to take the gentle yet bold step of leading women in Circle.
On this page, you will find lots of information to help you feel into whether this could be the right next step for you - take a moment to let the words sink in and see how they move you.
“I would recommend Sister Stories training to any woman who feels called - i
t 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 CIRCLES CHANGED MY LIFE
(Gemma Brady, Founder of SisTer stories)
One of the great mysteries of Circle work is that on the outside, it looks so simple, yet within it, mysterious magic occurs.
For me, that magic has taken so many different forms.
Developing trust in the unknown. Connecting to a profound sense of sisterhood I hadn’t been able to access before. Working with the power of intuition as a transformative tool - and so much more.
But one of the biggest things for me, was creating space for extraordinary stories to emerge. And, in turn, finding the courage to tell my own.
I’d always been drawn to creating spaces for people to tell important, tender and vulnerable stories and sought out a career that allowed me to do that. I worked in the television industry for 14 years, creating celebrated content, from BAFTA-winning projects, to holding senior positions on some of the most popular documentary series on TV, all of which had sensitive stories at their heart.
In that world, you are holding space every day, but your voice is never heard and your face is never seen.
I became curious about how the kinds of beautiful, tender spaces for storytelling could be transmuted into real world experiences and in 2017, Sister Stories was born in my living room in London.
It felt vulnerable, daunting, terrifying, even, to offer something like this. Women’s Circles were not something that my immediate community were familiar with, but through the gentle power of conviction and showing up, I was able to create something which over the years has not only had a huge impact on my life, but a huge impact on hundreds of women around me.
What started as an experiment in seeking to facilitate a space where women could come together and experience the transformative power of being seen and heard has since grown into a movement of women stepping forward to take the same step into holding Circles.
The personal transformation I’ve experienced as a result of this work is huge. As someone whose voice would shake when speaking in public, someone who would be wracked with nerves before any sort of presentation, someone who actively wanted to hide away, I have stepped into a level of visibility that has transformed my life.
Leading Circle has been the catalyst to an entire life transformation. I have found the courage to do the work my heart truly desires. I have moved to the sea. I have been able to express myself more confidently, articulately and with the type of authenticity I never could have done before.
And, more than that, I have seen the impact of what taking those first uncomfortable steps into Circle leadership has done for others. Without individuals taking that courageous step to offer Circles to their community, the opportunity for others to experience their life-giving and healing transformation isn’t possible.
What started as a hobby has become my life commitment - I am dedicating myself to creating a global revolution of space holders showing up, spreading the magic of Circle and allowing its healing, transformative power to create a more connected, compassionate world.
I’m offering this training to invite you to be a part of it.
To take those courageous steps into life-changing work.
Are you feeling the call?
PLEASE NOTE:
We will be running two training groups for this programme:
GROUP 1: Thursday at 1pm UK time
GROUP 2: Thursday 7pm UK time
Please choose which group you would like to be part of upon booking. We have women from all over the world joining this programme, you can convert UK times to your local timezone here.
“The training was a magical and awe-inspiring experience that I’ll never forget.
Gemma is an invaluable guide, supporting us throughout the whole practice."
Carlota Gil Carretero
Sister Stories Circle Facilitation Framework
Stepping into circle leadership is a journey of inner and outer transformation. Dazzling in its simplicity, and daunting in its complexity, holding space for a group of women takes skill, compassion and courage.
Our framework combines the crucial aspects of Circle theory, design and facilitation skills with the emotional, energetic and intuitive, ensuring you are not only practically ready to lead Circle, but that you have a brimming emotional toolkit.
CIRCLE FACILITATION TRAINING
This comprehensive four-month online training means you can join from anywhere in the world.
With live classes held every two weeks, guest mentors and circles and a community learning space, this programme will mean that you haven’t just learned about the core elements of Circle; you have lived them.
Our programme means you will have experienced the transformative power of Circle space firsthand through the training - you’ll have felt it in your bones, and integrated it into your heart, so you can take this beautiful work forward full of knowledge, confidence and with the power of community behind you.
All of our live calls will be recorded and you will be supported by additional Q&A sessions with me to help you with the design of your individual Circle and a library of online learning resources, which you can come back to again and again.
Because accessiibility and inclusion are a key value, we provide both anti-racism training for white women at the outset of the course, and a private and dedicated space for women of colour to gather, share and support their space-holding practice as women of colour.
In addition, we also have a module on accessibility, covering how we can create and hold inclusive, accessible spaces.
The course offers you a framework to start from in planning and running your own circles, with plenty of space and capacity for you to develop this model and carefully bring your own unique expression, gifts, interests and individuality to your space-holding.
The invitation is to enter this training with a curious, open heart - so that the group and I can hold space for you to connect to whatever needs to be expressed through you.
Lay down your insecurities, uncertainties and lack of clarity at our door, step into the glow of the warm fire around which we gather and allow the magic to unfold.
In order for the magic to be created, it is my experience that we need a beautiful, structured container, and this training will lead you through circle facilitation in six carefully designed pillars
PILLAR 1: Circle Immersion
The history of Circle - placing our learning in the rich lineage of what has gone before, paying homage to the traditions from which our work has emerged and been sustained.
Circle, ritual and ceremony - exploring your relationship to these traditions, developing a deep and personal dialogue with the work.
Immersion in the space - experiencing a variety of Circles delivered by our guest mentors, to feel first-hand the importance of individual expression.
PILLAR 2: THE MISSION
The vital, radical and beautiful mission of Circle - a guided masterclass to provide strong foundations for your work.
Your unique expression - identifying your gifts, interests, passions and desires and how can you start to transmute them into your Circle offering.
A powerful group session - in which we weave a tapestry of our individual and shared vision for the world, which will act as beautiful inspiration in times when doing the work feels hard.
PILLAR 3: CORE FACILITATION PRINCIPLES
The core elements of Circle - a masterclass on why they’re important and how to translate them into practice.
Creating agreements - how to create strong group agreements to allow the space to feel secure and allow brave sharing.
Defining your scope of practice - ensuring you can bring a professional approach to your Circle work and create clear boundaries around what you are and aren’t qualified to do.
The Ethical Circle - your commitment to a code of practice.
PILLAR 4 : DESIGNING YOUR CIRCLE
Circle Format - A masterclass in the core Sister Stories format as a foundational pillar on which you can build your own Circle.
A creative framework - to support you in designing your Circle.
Q&A - support to receive feedback and develop your individual Circle format.
Practice sessions - in which you can test elements of your format with the group so you can develop clarity and confidence.
PILLAR 5 : SOULFUL MARKETING & THE BASICS OF BUSINESS
Connection - How to connect to your ideal client.
Invitation - How to create clear, soulful and magnetic Circle invitations.
Inspiration - Creating a visual brand.
The Energetics of Business Module - Gayle Berry, founder of Blossom & Berry, brings her 20 years of business experience to share with you.
PILLAR 6 : EMBODIED PRACTICE & INTEGRATION
Nervous System Regulation - Working with nervous system regulation as a tool to support your facilitation practice.
Trauma-Informed Circle Practice & Module - Tools to support the nervous systems of people in your Circle with guest teacher Claire Rother
Celebration Ceremony - integrating all you have learned and being celebrated as you walk the path to starting your own Circle.
As part of the training, you’ll also have access to world-class voice workshops with Amelia Donkor, and Sacred Inclusion training with Eva Glamaris.
PLUS: NEW FOR 2025
In addition to all the support available to you on the live calls and online course, we have added weekly Processing & Support calls, for you to check in, ground and centre yourself, receive additional help, ask advice, share your experiences and really dive into the materials with depth and curiosity.
"This has been the best course I’ve done and boosted my confidence and self worth."
Michelle Morrow
““I can’t put into words how important and life-changing this training has been for me.””
Guest Teachers
The Basics of Soulful Branding & Marketing: Guest Module with Gayle Berry Founder of Blossom & Berry
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
TRAUMA INFORMED CIRCLE HOLDING & NERVOUS SYSTEM REGULATION: Guest module with
claire rother
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.
VOICE WORKSHOP:
AMELIA DONKOR
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 has been 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.
This potent voice workshop will invite you into a new relationship with your voice, to support your work with Circle and beyond.
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.
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. We emerge with the capacity to hold it all - love and loss, grief and gratitude, agony and awe. 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 publicly, including The Telegraph, Elle and Psychologies Magazine and multiple festivals.
“I was drawn to do the Sister Stories training because of a craving for softness, femininity and community. I was changing my life and knew I needed to experience the presence of women with deep hearts and brave souls, knew that I needed to learn my place amongst them, to learn belonging so that I could then extend that gift to others.
Only that I often think about how lucky I have been to be even a small part of something so very special. I think and speak about my experience with sister stories often and feel profoundly changed by it and somehow still held by it from afar
”
“The training was a reminder that I believe in myself, that I believe in women, and wow does that feel good. I’m crossing a threshold into something new and I’m ready to make space, to stoke fires, to open my heart.”
Amelia Donkor,
This training is for you if:
You feel strongly called to facilitate sisterhood and want to make an impact in the world.
You are ready to say ‘yes’ to an opportunity that could transform both you and the community you live in.
You value a supportive, nurturing environment in which to take the leap and grow.
You feel aligned with our Values and Mission .
You are not afraid to ‘do the work’ and are committed to taking the action needed to get a successful Circle up and running in your community.
You are committed to developing yourself, your feminine leadership and are looking for a space in which to be held while you defy your own expectations of what is possible.
You have some experience of holding space. What this experience looks like can take many forms. Our current facilitators come from a wide range of backgrounds from yoga teachers and coaches to filmmakers, charity sector workers and corporate backgrounds.
You absolutely love the idea of being on a journey of creation, depth, adventure and purpose alongside a group of fabulous women.
The training is designed for those who are looking to lead circles but is also a healing journey in itself. Women who attended the previous trainings found it was a bigger journey of self-discovery and coming home to themselves. If you are curious about whether the experience is for you and want to hear first-hand what it involves, we can connect you to women who have trained previously.
This training is NOT for you if:
You do not thrive in group environments and prefer 1:1 learning. This experience is designed to be enriched by taking part in community and we are looking for women who will actively contribute as well as receive.
You are not willing to commit time, energy and resources to training as a facilitator and getting your groups up and running. We will give you all the training and support you need to get started and hold beautiful circles. Your role is then to take this work out into the world and spread the word in your local community.
You do not enjoy personal development, working with your own triggers and approaching challenges with curiosity. Holding space for other women is nourishing and rewarding, and it can also uncover new areas of emotional development that we must undertake.
“I had thought about the Sister Stories training for quite a long time, wondering if I was good enough to do it.
I can truly say from my heart that I wish I had taken the plunge earlier.
I’ve done lots of training courses but this is the best ever.
It allowed me to develop in a non-judgemental way. To see myself with fresh eyes. The groups were so interesting and we learnt from one another with compassion. The course itself is totally fascinating and I’m still dipping into it. It rings true with so many of my beliefs. There is so much to discover, so many extras. I love the poems, the music, learning about trauma, the list is endless. Gemma is so kind, thoughtful, encouraging, modest, creative. A great role model for Women to show up as we are. She certainly listens, hears us and sees in us what we don’t always see in ourselves. 100% recommend this truly wonderful, beautiful, tender course. It is a gift for life as I am still growing from it today.”
MEET YOUR MENTORS
Gemma Brady
founder of Sister Stories
I’ve shared a little of my story, now let me introduce you as your guide.
It is my mission in life to help women step into creating, holding and being in a relationship with Circle.
I have supported hundreds of women in stepping to Circle leadership & have seen lives change as a result.
I’ve undertaken training with some of the world’s best
mentors & teachers to assist my journey in holding space:
Narrative Therapy training with the Institute of Narrative Therapy
Dialogue For Peaceful Change- Conflict Facilitation Training & Mediation
Pause Place Practitioner Training- cultivating love, presence & connection with Katie Abbott
Beautiful You Coaching Academy Training with Julie Parker
Two years of Mentorship with Nisha Moodley, founder of Global Sisterhood Day
Heartmath Coach Certification with Heartmath Institute UK
Trauma Informed Space holding training with Katie Kurtz
Sacred Inclusion training with Eva Glamaris
With 14 years of experience as documentary storyteller, I bring a wide range of space holding experience to our training and learning community.
I am committed to my personal and professional development, infusing all of my teachings with the wisdom I have learned from these great teachers. As a space holder I believe it is my responsibility to engage in supervision and support to ensure I can support those who train with me at a deepend level.
I take holding inclusive spaces very seriously & am perpetually engaged in anti-racism training and working with my blindspots.
The deepest intention of my work is to create nourishing learning environments in which the ancient magic of Circle can be passed into the hands of a movement of dedicated facilitators who can take it out into their communities with love, devotion & hope.
Over the years I have cultivated a reputation as a trusted guide, mentor and offer all my students care, compassion and an approach centred on integrity.
It is my belief that Circle is a powerful agent for change in the world and I’m here to help you be part of it in a soulful, conscious and responsible way.
emma johnson
HEAD OF COMMUNITY CARE
“We talk a lot about ever-decreasing circles, and yet my experience of life since I found Sister Stories has been about ever-increasing circles. 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 fortnightly in-person circles - and several larger seasonal circles and events - ever since. I have also been commissioned to write the opening chapter and introduction of a new book on women’s circles; founded and run a successful nationwide online women’s circle directory; and delivered circles for several charities working in mental health and trauma.”
Circle training has reconnected me with my deeply matriarchal family line, and made real the legacy of women’s stories that have been passed down through my ancestors. And now, in my own life, that legacy is being passed on and seeded in my children, my wider family and my community.
I often say in my circles, that gathering in this way feels like a quiet revolution, a way of holding each other with a compassion and openness that we then take with us from the Circle and out into the world. The ripples of this work are never-ending. And they are vital.
Every single woman I sit in Circle with says that it has changed their relationships for the better. Many, many of them have told me: “This has done more for me in two sessions than years of therapy.” Three of them have gone on to train in Circle themselves. Lots of them have wept as they reconnected with their divine feminine energy, and shook off a sense of patriarchal stifling. All of them have found that Circle was there to catch them when they fell.
As it was there to catch me.
Its impact on my life has gone far beyond anything I could have imagined, and I am only at the beginning. The Circle moves ever outwards, ever-increasing, with so much possibility. It is such an honour to hold each new cohort of women as they walk this path together.”
“We encourage women to come with an undefended heart. We want them to feel seen, heard, not judged, welcomed, honoured. We want people's self-compassion to be increased, for them to hear themselves and feel gentle and tender towards their own experiences.”
Gemma Brady
““Attending a Sister Stories circle for the first time was so humbling, so sweet and so powerful and supportive with women that I had not even met before. I knew immediately that I wanted to return. What I did not expect during the days that followed were new beginnings. I found myself celebrating the beauty of what was about to be, but was unknown, and that was that I wanted to lead a circle. The act of telling our stories really did have a profound effect on me. Such unity and strength when women sit together...
”
training FORMAT & key info
This training will be held over Zoom, so you can join from anywhere in the world.This training will be held over Zoom, so you can join from anywhere in the world.
Everyone learns in different ways, so this course is made up several elements:
Self-study materials online via Teachable - that you can work through in your own time and come back to again and again.
Core fortnightly live group calls - dates below - which is your chance to gather as a group, learn the ancient and powerful art of circle, ask questions, test out facilitation methods, and much more.
Regular guest mentor sessions and masterclasses - to deepen your knowledge and skillset
Weekly Processing and Support calls - on Mondays, at a choice of two times
Free guest circles - to offer you a chance to be held in circle as much as you need to during the training
One of the unique elements of this training is the strong community it creates. Women that train with Sister Stories tend to form bonds that last for years, so we ask that you enter this training with the intention to commit to the group and attending the live training calls.
2025
LIVE CALLS: DATES AND TIMES
We will be running two training groups for this programme:
- Thursday at 1pm and Thursday at 7pm -
YOU WILL BE ABLE TO choose which group you would like to JOIN upon booking.
DATES TO BE CONFIRMED
YOUR TIME IS NOW…
It can be daunting to make a decision that requires emotional, spiritual and financial commitment. Yet, these places outside our comfort zone are the spaces where true change happens.
Sister Stories Facilitation Training can support all areas of your life: it shines a new light on existing relationships, allowing new depths to emerge. It opens doors to new and unexpected connections and friendships. It connects you to something ancient, primal and deeply feminine. Facilitation work can be done alongside a job, as a mother, as a carer, single or in a relationship.
It is an opportunity to be part of a global network of women who, circle by circle, are bringing more connection, compassion and much-needed real-life community to our planet. You will be supported every step of the way. You will be held by the group. You will receive training at the highest level and feel yourself sink into the essence of your feminine leadership that was there all along.
This is transformational work.
We hope you choose to say ‘yes’ to this invitation. We welcome our arms to you...
Come on in…
The training felt really personal and I felt really supported, like I was able to purge out any fears I had and to know that others had the same stuff coming up. It also felt really practical, like a step by step process. By the end I felt really capable to do it.
Ellie Dobbie
Price for the course is £2500 (including VAT) -
we ALSO offer payment plans of three, six & nine months - AND several PARTIAL OR FULL BURSARY PLACES FOR THOSE WHO NEED IT.
(DETAILS OF PAYMENT AND BURSARY SCHEMES WILL BE SHARED WHEN OUR DOORS OPEN)
Lucy Lee Testimonial: Circle Facilitation Training
Want to watch conversations with previous students about their experience of training? Click here.
“The training left me feeling light, confident and blessed. I can't describe the feeling of excitement I'm now experiencing as I acknowledge the collective strengths and talents of the women I'll be collaborating with as I continue on this journey.”
Helen Williams
“The group was diverse and the women were like old friends. Every exercise, or discussion or circle was a beautiful experience. We laughed and cried and shared and held each other.
If you a looking to provide a space for women, then take a look at this. I feel part of something much bigger than myself.”
Nicola Morgan
““A week [after the training] and I feel wonderful. I’m not sure what has happened this past week, all I know is that something shifted. I truly want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. I feel as if I’ve stepped into a part of my power that I never knew I had and it feels beautiful.
The training covered so much including the history of circles, how to lead our own, as well as the important business and admin stuff. There was lots of time to ask questions and get to know each other, spending a whole weekend immersed in the magic of Sister Stories with 12 other women is something I’ll never forget. I came away feeling so excited and, most importantly, prepared to starting leading my own circles. I cannot wait to share this special experience with lots of other brilliant women.””
The Circle Leaders Facilitation course supported me to understand my purpose and what fuel I needed for this journey of connection, community, presence & leadership... You will be guided to connect to the
rhythm of living from your heart and allowing the ripple to flow out and into your community.
Lynette Greenaway
““When the invitation to join the Sister Stories facilitation course came I felt such a strong pull, a sense that it was exactly what I needed to be doing. Everyone who attended had different experiences, some had been to the very first circle, and some hadn’t been at all, but they also all felt they were exactly where they needed to be.
The training covered so much including the history of circles, how to lead our own, as well as the important business and admin stuff. There was lots of time to ask questions and get to know each other, spending a whole weekend immersed in the magic of Sister Stories with 12 other women is something I’ll never forget. I came away feeling so excited and, most importantly, prepared to starting leading my own circles. I cannot wait to share this special experience with lots of other brilliant women.””
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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.