Deep within you is a primal memory of women, coming together.
Listening. Encouraging. Gently challenging. And most of all, supporting each other.
This is a place where community thrives, creativity blossoms, and wisdom is honored.
When women come together within the circle, amazing things happen: trust deepens, fear transforms, and answers arrive that you didn’t even know you were looking for.
So what would it be like to have that in your life now?
You’d feel empowered, accepted, whole, and complete.
Truly known for who you are.
And free to be you – all of you.
Think about that for a minute.
Imagine what you could create within yourself and out in the world. Wow!
“This group is my healing tonic and soul food!” -R.M.
Creative Sisterhood
Call them your Sisters. Your Tribe. Your Confidantes.
Or, like one circle member did, you might even call them your own personal Justice League.
Whatever you call them, one thing’s for sure: when you enter into the circle to share stories and create with other women, you feel like you’ve finally come home.
And then, you can breathe a little easier.
You’ll experience the loving support of other women who are traveling the same road, remembering to see all of themselves.
And remembering to honor all of their gifts: light, dark, and everything in between.
How It Works
The circle is a blend of group process (listening, talking, supporting, telling our stories) and creative process (simple creative activities that require no previous experience). It’s a small gathering of women, no more than six.
I’m the proud mama and loving facilitator of the circle. I’m not the expert or the teacher or the one with all the answers, though. But I am right by your side, lightly guiding, deeply listening, and creating a safe and sacred space. I’m also a member of the circle, sharing my own journey and diving into creative process with you.
In the circle we explore many forms and combinations of expressive art: collage, doll-making, painting, mask-making, mandalas, storytelling, drawing, guided imagery, writing, movement, improvisation, music/sound, poetry.
And at the end of each evening we bring it all together with a closing ritual, where you can clarify your biggest insights and say how you plan to take them out into the world.
“You certainly have an excellent way of helping others to ‘see for themselves.’ And I feel like we have known each other for a LONG while, even if it is a few months.” -N.W.
What You’ll Get
Bottom line: you can count on feeling more alive, joyful, creative, real, seen, heard, and supported.
Beyond that, you’re likely find the experience very transformative, even if you don’t quite know what you need from it.
Although it’s not specifically focused on one area of life – relationships, creativity, work, dreams, confidence, healing, transitions, wellness – you can put a check mark by all of that. Because the circle expands to hold a safe space for whatever is needed from it.
And when you give yourself over to this particular process of personal growth, it will transfer to (and transform) the rest of your life.
Just in case you’d like something more concrete, here’s a sampling of what other women have experienced from the circle:
- Revive your imagination, intuition, and creative mojo
- Create deep and lasting bonds with other women
- Be kinder, gentler, and more accepting with yourself
- Gather courage for a big life transition
- Build trust, empathy, vulnerability, and authenticity
- Celebrate ageless beauty and wisdom in yourself and others
- Deepen your experiences of life’s meaning and mystery
- Claim your voice and name yourself
- Nurture yourself and ask for what you need
- Release self-judgment, criticism, overwhelm, stress, worry
- Live in a way that’s more in touch with your true desires and values
- Make decisions you’ve been putting off and take the leap
“It has been such a meaningful experience. I found the activities helpful in better understanding hidden parts and long lost pieces of myself. Thank you for that! Also, I am so amazed by the wisdom, insights, openness, fragility, strength, humor, love, and hope these women have shown and shared. I am blessed because of their examples of how to live life.” -J.M.
All the Details
The circle runs year-round in Sacramento, although we do take a pause in December, July, and August. (If you’re not in Sacramento, please scroll down to my new tele-circle offering: LIVING DEEP – the creative way of transition.)
We meet three times a month on Thursdays, from 6:00 to 8:30 pm, and usually we’re scheduled for the first three Thursdays of the month.
***SPACES IN THE CIRCLE ARE OPEN FOR FALL***
***THE NEXT CYCLE STARTS ON SEPTEMBER 6, 2012***
***FALL 2012 DATES: 9/6, 13, 20; 10/4, 11, 18; 11/1, 8, 15***
The fee is $115 per month, and includes all creative materials. Although many women stay longer, I ask that you make an initial commitment of at least three months.
You can claim your spot in the circle by scheduling a brief phone chat with me and then making your first payment.
When we talk I’ll answer any questions you have and we can both make sure the circle fits your needs. Please send me an email to get the ball rolling: pattybechtold -at – gmail – dot – com.
Can’t make it to Sacramento?
New Women’s Tele-Circle Pilot
LIVING DEEP: the creative way of transition
Coming in Fall 2012!
I believe so wholeheartedly in this equation:
women telling their stories + creating together in real time =
living deeply, meaningfully, transformationally
I believe in it so much, in fact, that I want to bring the women’s creative wisdom circles to the tele-circle format.
And this time it will be just for women in transition. Because we’re simply not meant to do transition solo.
Way back when, there were rituals and resources for transition. An entire community of support.
And when I say transition, I mean all of it: both the event-driven kind, when something happens in your life to bring it on (milestone birthdays, career changes, retirement, loss, relationship beginnings/endings), and the non-event kind that seem to appear out of nowhere (when you’re feeling a little lost and don’t exactly know why).
No matter what kind of transition you’re in, though, you know the feelings that can go with it: floating, unanchored, disengaged, uncertain, confused.
An Invitation to Step into the Deep Heart of Transition
- Share your transition stories and support other women to do the same
- Celebrate the places of uncertainty within you
- Use expressive arts to gain insight into your transition journey
- Experience the transformational power of creating with other women
- Explore guided imagery, color, scribbling/doodling, writing, collage
- Learn to trust that the answers you need will reveal themselves
- Move toward the sacred space of both inner being and outer doing
*important: this is not an online course or class, but meets in real time*
What’s Next?
I’m looking for five women for five weeks for the fabulously affordable price of $105.
In return, you get a virtual version (90 minutes for five weeks) of the in-person circle, created just for you as a woman in transition. I can’t tell you exactly how it will play out, but I’ve got a hunch you’ll end up in a good place about your transition. Not to mention feeling more alive, joyful, creative, real, seen, heard, and supported. Plus, you’ll be a pioneer, helping me figure out what works and what doesn’t.
I’m not exaggerating when I say that being a part of a women’s creative wisdom circle has changed my life and helped a whole lot with my own transition. And I’m betting that it can do the same for you too.
Sound good? Then shoot me an email and let me know you’re interested (pattybechtold -at – gmail – dot – com). More dates and details will come once I’ve gauged the level of interest out there.
