CIRCLE EXPERIENCES WITH CARRIE HAYNES, LPC
A gathering like no other...
...where group psychotherapy, holistic healing, and spirituality meet.
Integrative
Transformative
Sacred
Why Circles?
A return to wholeness
Circles aren’t a New Age trend — humans have gathered in circles for millennia for support, healing, and joy.
While we may have veered off-track, modern healing Circles re-center and re-connect us.
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Ancient Gatherings
At least 30,000 years ago, our ancestors gathered in circles around wells, fires, or other sacred spaces to share stories, worship, and pass down traditions, create, and celebrate.
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Sacred Circles
Ever since, both ancient and modern cultures have honored the power of the circle. The Native American Medicine Wheel was used for healing, teaching, and meditation, whereas stone circle formations marked sacred community gatherings in Celtic traditions. In some African cultures, tribes gathered in circle formations to make decisions and resolve conflicts. No matter how diverse our cultures, the circle carries a universal meaning of unity, connection, and healing.
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Broken Circles
From the rise of patriarchy to Colonialism to the Industrial Revolution, focus shifted from the community and healing to the individual and power, changing the way people—especially women—gathered.
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The Circle Revival
Interest in healing circles has recently been restored in response to our disconnected world through leaders such as Jalaja Bonheim, PhD.
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Coming Full Circle
More than ever, we need the power of the Circle to reconnect us to our communities, to nature, and to ourselves. As we find our wholeness through Circles, we create a dynamic ripple effect that expands far beyond us and into the world.
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“A circle of women may just be the most powerful force known to humanity. If you have one, embrace it. If you need one, seek it. If you find one, for the love of all that is good and holy, dive in. Hold on. Love it up. Get Naked. Let them see you. Let them hold you. Let your reluctant tears fall. Let yourself rise fierce and love gentle. You will be changed. The very fabric of your being will be altered by this, if you allow it. Please, please allow it.”
Jeanette LeBlanc
Circle experiences are not "trainings" as you know them — here, we trade manuals for embodiment and patriarchal protocols for profound human connection.
The result is a deep exploration and celebration of
being whole and being human.
Spheres of Influence: The Pillars of Circlework
Over 20 years of clinical experience and personal development, I’ve created my own style of transformational Circles. They are deeply rooted in the foundational pillars of Jalaja Bonheim’s renowned Circlework:
GLOBAL CONSCIOUSNESS
Circlework recognizes the oneness and interconnectedness of the global community. We are not working in isolation, interconnected as we are at every level, from the physical to the spiritual, we dedicate our work to our own personal healing and the healing of the entire planetary community.
SPIRITUALITY
Circlework meets the unmet need for spirituality by offering inclusive & non-religious avenues for individuals to immerse themselves in sacred spaces, discovering their own spirituality & aligning with their soul's deepest desires.
THE MANDALA
Circlework approaches the geometric form of the circle as a medicinethat can help us becomewhat it is:whole, centered, balanced, and sacred. In this respect, Circleworks tands in the lineage of all those who saw the circle as a form inbued with sacred power.
THE FEMININE
Circlework fosters margiinalized qualities associated with the feminine: gentleness, tenderness, compassion, softness, beauty and grace. It's essential that we cultivate these universal qualities since they hold the key to maintaining peaceful, fulfilling relationships.
EMBODIMENT
Circlework facilitates a transition from head to heart thinking by emphasizing embodiment through movement, touch, sounding, silence, & immersion in nature, enabling participants to come home to their bodies & the earth.
RELATIONAL EDUCATION
Circlework prepares us to relate peacefully to diverse kinds of people, including those whose beliefs differ significantly from our own. It empowers us vto stay centered, and open, even in the midst of the most challeging interactions-a crucial key to maintaining peace, be it between individuals, groups, or nations.
SPACIOUSNESS
Circlework emphasizes spaciousness and an essential key to happiness and spiritual fulfillment. Through guided meditations and other practices, it helps us access the inner sense of freedom and expansiveness we long for. As much as possible, retreats are held in spacious natural environments and include lots of "down" time.
Holistic Healing: The Practices of Circle
A transformative Circle balances insights from Western therapy and the wisdom of whole-body, holistic healing practices. Here are just a few of the modalities you can include in your Circle:
Psychological Practices
From self-compassion to Internal Family Systems and more
Embodied Movement
Through yoga, Goddess dance, tai chi, breathwork, and more
Meditation & Prayer
To cultivate inner peace and connection without the dogma
Art Therapy
Self-discovery and expression through painting and collage
Healing Touch
Reiki and other touch therapies for mind-body balance
Nature Practices
Grounding activities that tether us to Mother Earth
Psychedelics
Activate non-ordinary states for enhanced awareness, connection, and healing
Music
Embodied joy through singing, chanting, drumming, and dancing
& Beyond
The beauty of the Circle is that you can create a unique experience by integrating any healing practice that has meaning and power for you. Let your expertise and passions guide you in creating a transformative Circle for the souls you are inspired to serve.
Here are just a few of the Circles our past participants have created:
Here are just a few of the Circles our past participants have created:
Ancestral Healing Circle
Melissa Gonzales, LPC
“After participating in the Circle facilitator’s retreat and then the mentorship program, I created an Ancestral Healing Circle. A sacred space to delve into our ancestral roots and understand their impact on our daily lives, offering healing across generations through guided meditation, movement, and embodiment practices.
Carrie’s training was instrumental in shaping these circles. Her guidance helped me understand what my circles could feel like and anticipate participants’ experiences. I learned to tailor activities to meet each circle’s needs, gaining the confidence, knowledge, and skills to bring my vision to life. . I am profoundly grateful for her invaluable guidance on this transformative journey.”
Soul Circle: Remembering Wholeness
An EMDR and IFS-informed Circle
Maggie Robbins, LPC, EMDRIA Approved Consultant
Integrating what I’ve learned about facilitating circles into my EMDR groups has been a truly transformative experience for both my clients and myself. Working alongside Carrie allowed me to blend my expertise with hers, and I realized I didn’t have to run my circles exactly as she did. This freedom enabled me to incorporate Circle energy into the EMDR groups I was already facilitating. Finding my unique offering has been invigorating, and sharing it with my corner of the world has brought immense joy.
The circle, symbolizing wholeness, fosters healing, connection, and attunement, all of which are crucial for trauma clients. Integrating EMDR with this powerful dynamic has revolutionized the healing process. By addressing shame and rejection within the circle’s message of wholeness, EMDR becomes even more effective. Clients often describe their experiences as magical, and it feels equally magical to facilitate these sessions.
The circle, symbolizing wholeness, fosters healing, connection, and attunement, all of which are crucial for trauma clients. Integrating EMDR with this powerful dynamic has revolutionized the healing process. By addressing shame and rejection within the circle’s message of wholeness, EMDR becomes even more effective. Clients often describe their experiences as magical, and it feels equally magical to facilitate these sessions.
