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Individual Testimonials

Altonya Sheppard

What I enjoyed about this training is everything. For me, it feels like you're amongst family and friends, it didn't feel like "a training". The process itself was helpful for me personally, teaching you how to be not only patient with other people, but patient with myself, give myself some grace.    

 I'm trained in two ways, I'm trained to be a listener, but I'm also trained to be a talker. So I'm going to be trying to take this skill and transfer it into my writing. I talk a lot and I write a lot. So and I'm very detailed in it and learning how to be concise with it has been troublesome for me. For years, I have a problem of learning how to do that. And I think this process is going to help me to be able to do that better. 

I'm also very interested in being a part of incorporating this into all the care industries. I think health care, social services, Human Services, behavioral health, could benefit from this process, because every last one of those industries requires you to not only be empathetic, but to be a great listener, because you have to connect people to resources, you have to pay attention to get the whole aspect and picture of a person's problem. So I think, seeing this being incorporated in all the care industries is going to be key and extremely important. I think, if we can do that, a lot of the problems that people are facing can be diminished or eliminated.  I know one of the problems and I mentioned this before, you know, we're over 500 homicides here, Philadelphia, and it's disheartening to me that a lot of these young people feel like they have no one to talk to. And, you know, it's it's vital to the well being of individuals or families across the world. And I think, being able to incorporate it into all those care industries is going to be highly important

―  Altonya Sheppard

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"What I enjoyed about this training is everything.
For me, it feels like you're amongst family and
friends, it didn't feel like "a training"."
―  Altonya Sheppard

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Anjali Mishra
Empathy training really helps learn about the space of communication, that's important when people talk, because oftentimes we assume what the other person is saying based on whatever we think or wherever we are coming from. So I see most value in that space of communication that gets created.

 In the future the places where this can be very useful, I was thinking more like long term, so that say, in psychology, for example, or in conflict resolution. The most useful places might be, for example, emotion regulation, in adolescence, for example, is not very good. So introducing something like this can be useful. I was thinking of restorative practices where this can be useful. And the third one is family systems, therapy in which families go through therapy, and encouraging better communication there. So those are the three places where I felt like this can be very useful. Of course, there's so many other places, and a lot of you have read examples, and you're already working with, you know, some of that. I think it has a lot of practical potential. 

It's just so simple. I think I think Edwin said that before, during our interaction and session, that it's just so simple, that it can be taught to anyone.  You don't need to have, you know, a degree or you know, whatever to make that just kind of like anybody who wants to bring good change in the world, they can introduce this.  I think that's the beauty of this. It's very simple, it's way easy to learn. It's very easy to teach as well. Yeah. 

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 "it's just so simple, that it can be
taught to anyone."
―  Anjali Mishra

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So I remember the values I had mentioned, were authenticity, open minded humility, and shared progress. And I think what I learned from this training is that sometimes it's alright, if you have different views, or it's alright, even if you have similar views. It's just like two strings coming together. And just like in knitting, you know, you can have two strings coming together and it eventually turns into one piece. And I think that's what like polarized views and different opinions are all about. They are part of the same conversation eventually. And and I think empathy training is one way of making that conversation happen. 

―  Anjali Mishra

Ann Jordan 

I've really appreciated with this cohort is, and I feel really honored by is the diversity within this group. And it feels really significant to me. I've really value it. And I'm learning from it. I've learned from it.

― Ann Jordan 

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"I feel really honored by the diversity
within this group."
― Ann Jordan 

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Brenda BJ Guiden

For me, connections, connections connections, I  really enjoyed, as a participant, the connections that I have made and plan to keep in touch with everyone and to keep it going. And it's already helped me within my business and my personal life. 

So what's next for me is to continue to be committed to empathy, listening circles, so commitment, commitment, commitment.  I just need to continue to make buddy calls, continue to facilitate empathy listening circles and just kind of see where I am in the next three months or so, because I think what I heard Rsaha say just keep doing it, and doing it, and doing it, and you will eventually get the confidence you need and be where you need to be. So that's kind of where I am.

―  Brenda BJ Guiden

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"What's next for me is to continue to be committed
to empathy, listening circles, so commitment,
commitment, commitment."
―  Brenda BJ Guiden

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Cyreka Jacobs
I am feeling a lot of gratitude. I am thankful to have met so many like minded individuals. One of the things that I shared in today's circle was just kind of thinking back on the year and the past few years. We are in a very interesting time, I think, as a society where there's so much chaos in the world, that it's easy to get lost in it. But then, being a part of this cohort, I've met so many people that are actively working to change the world. And it's just made me really hopeful that the world isn't as I guess, scary, as it seems just focusing on the media and what's been going on. So just being really grateful for the different restorative practices that are available, and all of the people that are working to advance those practices.

What I liked about the training, I like that the training allows you to practice some of the most important life skills, which I think listening is a big one. I am a trained talker, our profession trains us to spend a lot of time talking and not as much time listening. So it allowed me to practice presence, practice stillness. I thought it was really useful when it came to that and then definitely the connections, I can't stress that enough. 

What I'll be doing next with empathy circles, I think trying to integrate it into whatever. This next phase of my life looks like so I'm using it in conjunction with other conflict resolution and restorative practices. That's what I plan to do moving forward. So thank you.
―  Cyreka Jacobs

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"I like that the training allows you to practice
some of the most important life skills,
which I think listening is a big one. "

―  Cyreka Jacobs

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Dena Crecy

As a participant, I like the fact that we get to practice as a facilitator trainee. I like the fact that we get a chance to practice. 

How I plan to implement it is this I've already done it with my immediate family, my adult children. I introduced it with my domestic violence group for men who batter.  Got to kind of squeeze it in there. But some of them are very interested.

 I'm introducing it in my premarital sessions that I do, and also with couples that I work with, and then as a shared responsibility topic, because communicating through empathy is a shared responsibility. Like Selene, so eloquently brought up in our group, the speaker also has an active responsibility as a speaker to make sure they're communicating effectively. It's not all just on the active listener. So communicating it as a shared responsibility. So that's how I plan to take it going forward to continue to take it going forward. Thank you.

―  Dena Crecy

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"How I plan to implement this?
I've already done it with my immediate family,  my
adult children. I introduced it with my domestic
violence group for men who batter."
―  Dena Crecy

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Dwayne Hearn
Every time I'm around a group of people like this, whose hearts are in the right place who are focused on, you know, creating positive change in the world, there's an opportunity for me to learn something.  One of the really amazing things about this process is this experience helped me to see even more beauty in the world, through the beauty of the people who've shared within this group, and where you know, that your hearts are and everything. And so, and it was, it was interesting, because this circle this morning with, for me morning with Michelle, Rasha and BJ, it was really an amazing and beautiful experience. And it was like, the perfect ending, which is really the beginning of this process, and I really enjoy the overall experience. 

I want to first and foremost use all the things that I've learned to enhance my own personal relationships with my wife, my other family members, my siblings, the community I live in first and foremost. 

And then the next step for me is to look for opportunities to continue my own personal growth and development, as far as coming back as a trainee and doing that training.  But also looking for opportunities to facilitate empathy circles, when there's opportunities to come up.  I'm retired, so I have a lot of free time and I'm looking for opportunities to contribute positively to the world that I'm living in. So, in short, continue my growth and development, continue to train and get better at this and to look for opportunities to contribute to the world.

―  Dwayne Hearn

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"I want to first and foremost, use all the things
that I've learned to enhance my own personal
relationships with my wife, my other
family members, my siblings,
the community I live in."

―  Dwayne Hearn

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Janna Weiss
I like that we got thrown into the water right away and practice facilitating. And I like the challenges they're sweet It's nice doing more empathy circles and being part of this community and Buddy Calls are a precious, meeting everyone and being able to share the practice. 

I'm not quite sure what will be next. I try to help people with psychiatric disabilities and, and so I don't know if I'll be able to share this practice with with any people with disabilities. But I would like to make this more diverse in that way as well and to extend that to a larger community.

―  Janna Weiss

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"I like that we got thrown into the water right
away and practiced facilitating."  
―  Janna Weiss

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Jaya Nuty 

What I loved about this training is the love with which it was offered.  That is what drew me to the circle. Having said that, I think the next step would be to just take it to the wider audience, to family, to friends, to whoever comes in touch with me, I think that's where I would like to take it. I don't know, the, the number of people I would reach or I don't have any such things in my mind. But I think I'll take care that every conversation that I have, has empathy as its basic, fundamental, you know, entity there, that's what I would like to do.  

So one of the things I realize is the most difficult parts of a person is just to be human, you know, to be human is the most difficult part. And one of the things that I realized, no matter whichever role, you know, in my work with leaders, government servants, and all these people, I realized, the important thing is to acknowledge them for who they are, first, before getting into their roles and what they need to do. I think that is a piece where empathy comes in so much. It's so relevant, you know, acknowledging them, knowing them for who they are, and connecting with them in that space. I think that's the most beautiful part of this whole process. 

I keep telling myself if I love myself, you know, the way I take care of myself the way I love others from that same space I can operate for for others as well. So that's the piece that empathy brings in. And I'm so grateful to be part of this whole group. And thank you, Edwin, you know, whenever I see your mail, there's this thing, okay. I have to be here, you know, and that's the calling I have. And but because of you know, the time differences and all it becomes very different, very difficult for me, because I get zoon, lose mail, and I think I want to go to that cafe, you know, but the time differences sometimes don't allow for that. So I would like to join circles and you know, do more work with this group. If the time could be accommodated. Thank you so much.

― Jaya Nuty 

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"What I loved about this training is the love
with which it was offered.  That is what
drew me to the circle."
― Jaya Nuty 

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Pornrutai Lohachal (Jeng)
What I like about the practice in this circle is this it is a really hands on practical practice of doing learning about something.  I met many people that have very interesting  view toward the world and the environment.

 In the future, what I think is, as the more I practice, this empathy circle, the more I realize about myself, you know, the nature of myself as a listener, as a speaker, especially with as a listener.

 I will implement this into my life of the way of listening to people and within my work, when I work with the client, you know, to become a better service for them.  I think, to use this circle, to implement is to work with the people in my shamanic circle, that we meet sometime and attempt to  implement this practice with them, which is a thing is on top or a spiritual practice or ceremony that we do is is good to implement something that very earthy, practical, you know, that they can use in their normal life, toward the  people that close to them, with their relationship, with the community, or whatever. I think it's a good practice to make people understand each other better. With that, I think, is will help the community to be a better lovelier community and continue to have a lovely world

―  Pornrutai Lohachal (Jeng)

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"What I like about the practice in this circle (training)
is this it is a really hands on practical practice
of doing learning about something. "
―  Pornrutai Lohachal (Jeng)

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Johnny Smith 

The only thing I can really think of is that I'm going to be consistently looking for people to facilitate the idea of the empathy circles.  I think it's going to be a really good fit for me in terms of what I want to do in life and my purpose. 

One thing I liked about it is it gives us the answer for that magical third door. You know, I'm a big, big sci fi fan. So when we use the Matrix, you know, every the conflicts that Neil lost, were because the answers were bipolar. Right? There's either there's either just one choice, that's the fire, or the other choice that's the frying pan.  I think magical third door that we're looking for, can only be opened with empathy and authenticity, since I was accused of being authentic, in my breakout session. That's definitely a lesson I learned and I'm appreciating

―  Johnny Smith  

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"I think it's going to be a really good fit for me in terms of
what I want to do in life and my purpose."
―  Johnny Smith  

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Joyce Mok
For me, I just really liked that I was able to hear a lot of stories and meet a lot of people with just similar interests and priorities. I feel like I would have been able to do that in both contexts in the same way. And so what I hoping to be able to do with these circles is, I'm trying to build my own trainings that are centered around climate and social resilience. And I'm hoping I could use elements of empathy circles to really reset peoples  thinking and help people be more open.

―  Joyce Mok

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" I really liked that I was able to hear a lot of
stories and meet a lot of people with
similar interests and priorities."
―  Joyce Mok

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Kevin Patterson
With the five weeks, and the trust, the honesty, the value that it comes from everyone being involved it it just picked up one step at a time on a session, which allows for the stronger community. I think with this community, it was such a transparency and organic based on different values and topics allows for a more stronger connection. And everyone's here to learn, to be a part of, and to connect, no matter where you're from, which to me is like a truth in itself. I Thank You.

 I'm looking to learn more, hopefully move to the next level of understanding and also to facilitate on a level that you all are doing and that grace that you do it in and do more participation going into year. I'm learning a lot. The community itself is awesome, powerful, to trust and truth that come from it and the knowledge and I definitely appreciate each and every one of you

―  Kevin Patterson

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"The community itself is awesome, powerful,
the trust and truth that come from it, and the
knowledge. I definitely appreciate each
and every one of you."
―  Kevin Patterson

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Krista Pearson

I liked about the training, the tangible practical sort of sense of rehearsal for my own future experiences.  I believe this next section is a time for reflecting on how I will use this. This affirmation of the power of relationship, of the relational approach that empathy circles is so, simply, beautifully, eloquently, elegantly, designed to do.   I see finding ways to integrate it into already existing points of relationship, you know, work into my understanding and shared understandings of leadership, personal development, parenting, and just generally being in mutual community care with my world.  I just like everyone's has I feel really grateful and thank you

―  Krista Pearson

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"This affirmation of the power of relationship,
of the relational approach that empathy circles is so,
simply, beautifully, eloquently, elegantly, designed to do."
―  Krista Pearson

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Laura Osborn
What I liked about this is, I feel a lot of gratitude and helpfulness. Like I said, in my circle, I want to be working with mentally ill substance abusers, and I really feel that this, this will save lives, for me.  I think more professionals would be really well served by by doing this. So Bill, I would like to get to you get together with you some point because I have developed a CEU, two of them one for quarters, and one for series games, to develop a CEU program for two different areas that fell apart because the groups fell apart. 

Nurses, doctors, all kinds of people who need a bedside manner could really be helped  by this.   I got into this to sharpen my skills, because right now I'm retired, but I need to go back to work. And what I found was, I ended up needing it for me, to feed and nurture opening my heart and being more present. 

As a trainee, what I liked about it, is I really felt supported and mentored on how to do the whole thing. And there were some days when I was a little too vulnerable and I couldn't handle any what they call the challenges, and they said, okay, and then another time, you know, I could have but I liked watching other people get challenges isn't how they got it and the challenges were pretty easy to handle. So I really, I really liked how well supported I was through the whole process of learning this and doing this

―  Laura Osborn

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"Nurses, doctors, all kinds of people who need
a bedside manner could really be helped by this."
―  Laura Osborn

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Melissa Fernandez

It was great, a wonderful opportunity, being able to take up the roles which others have done, and be in their shoes, and actually empathize with what they do. So to be able to recognize and learn from the challenges and how to improve from what I see the way they do. And yes, I do miss going to Bills, Thursday trainings, because I'm not able to.  It was such a wonderful opportunity to learn because that's the field I have taken now.  It is health care, but it's new.   I would reach out to him for more advice and I would be grateful for that.

 Actually, I'm still thinking of what is brought up in the circle, about focusing on the good and not the bad of children and distress on that behavior. And I think the same goes for all of us. And just now the words I heard everyone say are positive, gratitude, getting together, beauty, peace, actively working to change the world. Restorative practices, advancing hopeful and operating from love. And I feel all focus on concentrating on good things and make good things happen. The piece that this empathy circle is focused on moving towards could be done sooner.

―  Melissa Fernandez

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"It was great, a wonderful opportunity..."
―  Melissa Fernandez

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Ralph Galen

I just feel like saying I just think this is a phenomenal group of folks already dedicated to helping other people and now we'll be carrying this forward. In many ways, it takes my breath away. 

I'm not exactly sure what my next steps will be other than the unsuspecting cashier at the supermarket this afternoon. There's a community of Buddhist practitioners who value mindful listening and mindful speech. And I think this would be a refinement for some of their interactions. I when Edwin talks about getting the former president and the present president together, I think yes, exactly. Yes. Yeah. Don't go after the low hanging. Yeah. How can we bring that? 

―  Ralph Galen

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"I just feel like saying, I just think this is a phenomenal group
of folks already dedicated to helping other people,
and now we'll be carrying this forward."
―  Ralph Galen

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Shawnna Hunter
What can I say, the training? I really enjoyed the challenges. They helped a whole lot, because I had few before the challenges, and I didn't know, how do I pick out. So when I got the opportunity to, you know, thankfully to, of course, Ralph, you know, presenting that, it really gave me the opportunity to say, Aha, these are some ways in which, you know, I can approach or address the challenges.  I always look forward to the feedback because that helps build my confidence as a newbie. That's definitely one of the things I will remember.

 What I'm planning on doing, I really want to practice having empathy circle, at least once a week, based on my schedule, I want to make it realistic, and try to have like a consistent empathy circle. And of course, that will build up over time, especially within my immediate circle, and then continue with my classmates.  As a social service worker, I think that this is essential, because they've been stressing empathy for us to really exercise. I really want to continue that  with my peers. 

 I'm so grateful that I was a part of this training. I, again, starting off with Larry, taking my values and the ones that Larry shared, clarity and curiosity, and that has been literally a part of how I think of empathy and how much those two values I never focused on or even thought of, has been so beneficial. When I listened to others and seeing what's happening in organizations and recognizing this approach having an empathy circle can really create that space of clarity and, and curiosity. Because of the diversity that we have in the world. I found that this has been extremely beneficial for me and for my studies. I think Laura mentioned, you know, the helping professionals. It's  important. I really would see this injected in these programs or is that happening right now because it is crucial for our world today.

―  Shawnna Hunter

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"this approach, having an empathy circle, can really
create that space of clarity and curiosity."

―  Shawnna Hunter
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Tré Griffith
What I liked about the training? I I enjoyed that it felt like something was happening consistently. That to help me understand more and get practicing. A lot of times, you don't get that actual real practice, but it really facilitated that for me. Now I feel a lot more confident, getting the feedback from every group that I've been in. The whole process to me just has been wonderful. I really enjoyed it, 

How I plan to moving forward with what I've learned? I plan to incorporate it in my personal life and my interactions with my family and my friends, and also at work where I can try to help them create systems that  involves a lot of listening, that the process of empathy circling. It's just a matter of how soon or how possible, seeking after how I can incorporate it now.  And get people on board and actually interest in the process. What I realize is that I usually recently have been engaging in empathetic listening and then telling, like, whoever I'm engaging.  oh, that's part of the practice I'm doing. It kind of brings an excitement.  You just listened to me and I felt that.  So thank you, everybody.

―  Tré Griffith

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 "I plan to incorporate it in my personal life and
my interactions with my family and
my friends, and also at work.."
―  Tré Griffith

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Tiffany Mitchell
The trainee role actually gave me a sense of confidence. I intend to just move forward practicing empathy with confidence as opposed to overthinking things or even trivializing things. 

What did I like about the trainee role? The responsibilities were pretty much the same, but it allowed me the opportunity to get support from some of the trainers here before and after the class. 

What will I be doing next? I'm currently looking into some classes that are offered for empathy and just seeing the curriculum that's being formed in the United States or even abroad just dedicated to that.

―  Tiffany Mitchell

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" The trainee role actually gave me a sense of confidence.
I intend to just move forward practicing empathy with
confidence, as opposed to overthinking things,
or even trivializing things."
―  Tiffany Mitchel

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Vera Fair
I feel like there's so much that can be done with, with this process. This training has been amazing. I've loved connecting with so many of you. It has been such a loving and just a really beautiful community that we've that we're in.

 I plan to use this just in many different settings, You know, within my family within the community. I'm in different community groups, and I would love to introduce it to, to some of these groups that I'm a part of.  I just, you know, have really loved this whole experience and I think there's so much we can do, you know, with this process. So thank you so much.

―  Vera Fair

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"It has been such a loving and just a really beautiful
community that we're in."
―  Vera Fair

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