Healing Circles - The Art of Groups

Embracing the Transformative Power of Sacred Circles

Dive deep into the realm of healing circles and unlock their potential for personal and collective transformation. The Art of Groups will teach you how to guide your participants on a journey of discovery and empowerment.

The Art of Groups embraces a unique approach to healing circles, employing the powerful modality of Circlework as its cornerstone. Circlework, as envisioned by renowned author and teacher Jalaja Bonheim, is a sacred and ancient practice that invites individuals to come together in a supportive and inclusive space. It harnesses the power of intentional dialogue, deep listening, and shared wisdom to foster healing, connection, and growth.

With Jalaja Bonheim’s mentorship, support and encouragement, I have started offering training retreats in the practice of Circlework. This immersive training experience supports practitioners in integrating the foundational pillars of Circlework with their own gifts to create a unique offering.

The philosophies of Circlework pair wonderfully with psychedelic medicine. To learn more about the Art of Group’s approach to psychedelic medicine in the context of group therapy, visit our Psychedelic Medicine page.

How Are Healing Circles Different From Traditional Therapy Groups?

Healing Circles are a transformative approach to healing and personal growth that differ from traditional therapy through their approach, focus, perspective and accessibility to different modalities. Experience the power of Healing Circles as they foster deep connections with oneself, others, and the world, leading to profound transformation and self-discovery.

Collective Healing

A large portion of our present suffering stems from collective trauma and societal disarray. Regrettably, many conventional therapeutic methods overlook these roots, fixating solely on individual aspects. In doing so, they overlook the potential for healing that arises from collectively acknowledging and sharing our communal grief, pain, and experiences.

Embodiment

In many traditional group therapy models, the body is ignored. However, in healing circles, participants are encouraged to slow down and attune to their bodies. The Art of Groups focuses on practices that support participants in connecting to their innate intelligence available through the body allowing them to establish a connection with their bodies and to the earth.

Multifaceted Approach

Conventional methods of group therapy primarily revolve around verbal communication. On the other hand, healing circles employ a variety of diverse techniques, encompassing rituals, ceremonies, moments of silence, physical movement, melodic expression, and meditation. These practices establish a profoundly sacred, interconnected, and transformative group experience that encourages participants to engage with their inner selves and one another.

Integration of Your Specific Modality

Circlework seamlessly integrate with a diverse range of practices including somatic embodiment work, meditation, yoga, music therapy, sound healing, reiki, nature-based work, end-of-life care, community ritual, and plant medicine. By synergistically combining these modalities, participants experience a holistic and transformative journey that nurtures the mind, body, and spirit, fostering deep healing, self-discovery, and connection with the natural world.

What People Are Saying

The time I spent at the CSU Health Network in group supervision with Carrie taught me more than any other experience in my graduate studies - in fact, it taught me more than any professional development program I've participated in. I learned about myself and my personal triggers, about group dynamics, about recognizing and attending to the energy in the room, about how to co-lead alongside another practitioner, about common themes that clients presented and how to support those clients, and how to support the entire group as an entity in moving forward so that the participants could do the work they came to do. I take any opportunity I can to be in Carrie's presence - she has a profoundly powerful ripple.

Carrie is an exceptional group therapist! She has a passion for group work and knows the positive impact a group experience can have on a participant’s life. Through her skillful facilitation, Carrie has helped many people make significant changes in their lives and deepen their connections to others. Carrie is also an experienced teacher and consultant. As Counseling Services’ Assistant Director for Group Services at Colorado State, Carrie taught our group seminars and supervised the work of multiple graduate students and staff. She fostered excitement about groups among our staff that translated into a thriving group program. Our extensive group training and successful group therapy services were frequently a reason students chose our internships. Her expertise also earned her teaching positions in graduate programs at both CSU and the University of Northern Colorado. As a group therapist, teacher and consultant, Carrie is among the very best!

Carrie Haynes has extensive knowledge and experience with group therapy modalities. During her time as the director of group services at the CSU Health Network, she created and ran a group program that averaged 25 therapy groups every semester, covering a wide range of topics and using a wide range of approaches. Whether interpersonal process, skills groups, or anything in between, Carrie created outstanding group curriculum, and provided gold standard training to staff and counseling trainees learning how to effectively facilitate therapy groups. Many therapists who worked and trained at CSU say they owe their group knowledge and skill to the solid and compassionate training they received from Carrie. She is truly a leader in the field of group therapy.

I took a group facilitation seminar with Carrie and she has been one of the most insightful teachers of group process I have had. She really understands what is happening under the surface in interpersonal relationships and group dynamics. From the logistics of filling groups and screening members to the art of handling difficult group situations, Carrie has the expertise needed to create a transformative, healing environment in any type of group. Her style is experiential, not just talking about theory, but living and practicing the work directly. Carrie group instruction is well above the basics taught in most grad programs and I highly recommend her work if you want to be more effective and confident as a group leader.

I attended IPT Group training with Carrie during my time in graduate school at CSU. I found Carrie to be a very insightful, enthusiastic, and supportive supervisor. My training in IPT groups was so eye opening, and I believe it has been a vital contributor to my effectiveness with clients. Even though I am not currently facilitating any therapy groups, I continue to apply the IPT concepts and awareness that I developed during this training in my individual counseling sessions, and also in my daily life. IPT interventions are often some of the most beneficial interventions for relationship and insight building in my work with clients.

Group therapy training with Carrie helped to expand my knowledge about the benefits of group therapy, different group therapy styles, and ways to increase client commitment to group. Her warm, nonjudgmental, and supportive facilitation style allows for genuine, vulnerable growth opportunities as an individual as well as professional. I highly recommend Carrie's group therapy training.

I am so thankful for the training I received from Carrie at CSUHN during my MSW internship around group theory and practice. Carrie really helped me see the 'magic' of group therapy as well as the evidence around group intervention. She helped me develop confidence and a passion for treating clients in group therapy settings. Carrie is a very intentional teacher, therapist, and human and her authenticity and vulnerability make her very relatable in a training setting.