Talking Circles

Talking Circles are a 60- or 90-minute sharing group to strengthen listening skills, empathy, and create psychological safety in your organization. I developed the HS Talking Circle after studying various kinds of sharing groups, including Indigenous Peoples Talking Circles, Quaker meetings, 12-step programs, and consensus-based discussion models. I created the principles and guidelines for a Human Systems Talking Circle to meet the needs of both personal and professional systems.

Talking Circles can also be used as a powerful systems assessment tool. I use qualitative research techniques to analyze recordings from Talking Circle sessions; these analyses reveal both systems challenges and possible pathways to solutions.

Talking Circles are most effective when they are conducted on a regular basis with consistent participation.

HS Talking Circles Pricing

Positive outcomes from Human Systems Talking Circles are strongly supported by scientific research. Doctoral student Joshua Aceves from Walla Walla University developed a logic model to show how Talking Circles work and what short-term and long-term outcomes can be expected in an organization that participates in a Talking Circle series. Download a PDF of the logic model to learn more about research-supported Talking Circle outcomes.

Watch a video to learn more about how a Human Systems Talking Circle works.

Shopping Cart
Scroll to Top

Subscribe to Idea Drop

Enjoy a brief twice-a-month email from Human Systems with one practical tool or idea you can use to improve:

  • Organizational health
  • The health of your relationships
  • Your own mental and emotional health

This is totally optional – feel free to enjoy everything on the HS site whether you sign up or not :)

If you want to sign up later, just go to the “Get In Touch” menu option and choose “HS Newsletter“.