What we’re about
[GROUP RULES BELOW.] Make friends over coffee, at farmer’s markets, hikes, clothing swaps, & all kinds of get-togethers. Bare your soul in a women's circle or try yoga or meditation in a group environment. Feel strong at a women’s self-defense class with us. Find a supportive community of women who want to empower each other.
It's all here, and you can contribute too if you have wonderful ideas. (Dig around in your heart and ask yourself, "What do I need? What do I wish existed for people like me?" I bet you're not the only one who feels that way, and we can help!)
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Group RULES (read prior to joining):
#1: Show up or let us know you can’t make it. We have a 1 no-show & you’re out policy. Messaging me afterwards to tell me about your emergency is fine too, but if you don’t show up & don’t reach out, bye. (I had to remove 9 members after our first event in July; with 10 on the waitlist wishing they could go, it was terrible that 9 members who took up one of the 15 spots did not show up.)
#2: Be kind to other members. Bigotry and disrespect will not be tolerated.
#3: Please be in your 20s-40s so you’re more likely to have things in common with other members.
#4: Use the name you wish to be called by (in English) and a recent photo on your profile so we can recognize you at events (no sunglasses/group photos).
#5: Do not try to sell your products or services to other women in this group unless this happens outside of our events and specifically if they requested your product/services. Otherwise, you will immediately be removed from the group.
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- Women’s Circle & Trauma Healing Book Club & Support GroupArcadia, Arcadia, CA$7.00
*** PLEASE COME ON TIME *** We meet once a month to grow together. For the duration of time we spend on "The Body Keeps the Score," we will keep the circle small and intimate, with a supportive community of women who feel safe with each other as we learn healthy coping mechanisms for making progress in our healing journeys (and unlearn the unhealthy ones).
IF YOU MISSED ANY OF THE PREVIOUS SESSIONS, see the bottom of the event details for catch-up info. IF YOU HAVE NOT ATTENDED ANY SESSIONS BEFORE, please text me, as this group is not open to new members except by special request.
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Reclaim Your Life!
WHAT: Learn how to stop letting your trauma responses/triggers take control and wreak havoc in your life. The trauma happened. You can’t undo it. It damaged parts of you. And healing is hard. And yes, the people who caused it are responsible for the damage done to you. But YOU are responsible for healing it (a task you never asked for, but unfortunately, it’s yours).
WHO: Anyone with trauma. Whether you have a PTSD diagnosis or not, if you feel you have acquired some unhealthy coping mechanisms in response to trauma, this is for you.
HOW: We will read The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk. Please obtain your own copy and read Chapters 1-5 before the next group meeting. I recommend purchasing it so you can take notes/underline. We will also be working on exercises to help you process what you read + apply it to your life. Plus, we'll discuss various other books (by authors such as Brene Brown), watch TED Talks, participate in guided meditations, and journal on thought-provoking prompts together. The group is hosted by me, Elina, and I will have a plan for each session, but ultimately it will be led by all of us into whatever direction we need to go on that particular day. Feel free to bring your own insights, stories, book recommendations, etc.
WHY: I have c-PTSD, and this book probably saved my life. It jumpstarted my healing journey in a way that years of talk therapy/trauma counseling hadn’t. It requires me to sit back with what I learned and compartmentalize it before moving forward. And I want to share it/discuss its contents with others. This is not an easy, speed-read sort of book. It is life-changing. Your goal, in reading it, should be to completely upheave everything you think you know about yourself and your triggers in response to trauma. The intended result is to learn how to shatter obstacles in your healing journey and make measurable progress every year of your life, for the rest of your life. And this journey is not one you have to undergo on your own. We’re going to do this together—you, me, and the rest of the women in this group who are ready to reclaim our lives after trauma.
ABOUT: "A bold new paradigm for healing. Veterans and their families deal with the painful aftermath of combat; 1 in 5 Americans has been molested; 1 in 4 grew up with alcoholics; 1 in 3 couples have engaged in physical violence. Such experiences inevitably leave traces on minds, emotions, & even on biology. Sadly, trauma sufferers frequently pass on their stress to their partners and children. In this book, author/trauma expert Bessel transforms our understanding of traumatic stress, revealing how it literally rearranges the brain’s wiring—specifically areas dedicated to pleasure, engagement, control, and trust. He shows how these areas can be reactivated through innovative treatments. He offers a way to reclaim lives."
WHERE: My home. See image above for how to get the exact address (it is not on MeetUp for safety reasons).
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Important Note: This is for people who are committed to their healing journey. This is also for people who commit to show up for each other. We want to keep this group intimate and safe, full of friendly faces you've grown alongside. This means showing up regularly. If you can't come to a future session, please let me know.
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IF YOU MISSED A SESSION, CATCH UP ON THE CHAPTERS/DISCUSSION BY ACCESSING THIS DOC:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DoHSsNgMb6Zj658UB8q4ZKNhdOSk4FQNM4L30Ihra7w/edit?usp=sharing
