The Art of Careful Listening – Workshop Series

• You are drawn to learning in person, through reflection, practice and group coaching.
• You would love to cook, eat and practice skills together in a low-pressure social setting.
• You may have training or work in a care profession (social work, facilitation, counseling, caregiving of any kind) and you want to practice listening and connection skills in everyday community life, not just in formal settings.
• You’re intentional about your communication and relationships.
• You want to provide emotional support for others without losing your connection to yourself. 
• You want to have go-to supports when people are in distress
• You want to feel more ready to engage with people who hold different world views
• You’re tired of surface conversations and interested in practicing more connected conversations and relationships
• You want to start dismantling the agree/disagree polarization in conversations and create space for open curiosity and connection

This program celebrates openness, curiosity and self-awareness. It is not about fixing, advising or saving anyone — it is about being present. 

We encourage everyone to bring their gifts, and together, practice the skills of connecting deeply and growing in community.

• You don’t have the complete time during either of the 3 week cohorts  listed above
• You currently need personalized healing support before engaging vulnerably in a group setting
• What you most need right now is rest or solitude
• You’re living with significant mental health challenges that would be better supported by professional care. (Most of us struggle with our mental health from time to time — that’s expected. This space isn’t equipped to hold more acute or complex needs such as ongoing crisis or trauma processing.)

If you are going through a difficult time right now, we welcome you to join us at the oven first and consider the training when you feel more equipped.

What: A three-week free workshop  where we’ll learn and practice the skills of careful listening and space-holding in a community setting.

What we’ll practice together:

Our practices and reflections will focus on unlearning habits that lead to separation such as: right/wrong, good/bad thinking,  agreeing /disagreeing, fixing and advising.

We will practice:

• Slowing down and noticing
• Connecting with deeper layers of our shared humanity, regardless of shared experience
• Uncovering what is underneath our beliefs, thoughts, words and actions. 
• Transforming our judgmental thoughts 
• Staying centered and resourced while also providing emotional care for others

We will explore:

• Moving beyond small talk → build skills for cultivating deep-rooted, authentic
  friendships
• Give full attention without burning out → offer emotional support without losing yourself
  
• Support others in your community → learn to holdsafer spaces when people need support
• Connect across divides → create space for curiosity when judgements and stereotypes arise

Where: TBD (Wolfville)

When:

First Cohort/Group
Workshops — 3 Tuesdays (June 16, 23, 30) 6pm–8:30pm
Practice what you’ve learned at community cookouts — 3 Thursdays (June 18, 25, July 2) 7pm–8pm

Second Cohort Group
Workshops — 3 Tuesdays (July 14, 21, 28) 6–8:30pm
Practice what you’ve learned at community cookouts — 3 Thursdays (July 16, 23, 30) 7–8pm

You’ll get 7.5 hours of group learning, 3 hours of in community practice, and resources for reflection.

All participants must be available for the complete set of workshops (3) and practice sessions (3) in one of the two cohorts. 

This workshop is offered as a gift to the community because of support from Healing Pathways Community Grant Funding and the community of support that made it possible for Anne, Duncan, and Selah to dream up and write the funding application.