Testimonials
Testimonials from the Empathy Circle Facilitation Training Course
Benefits of the Empathy Circle Facilitation Training CourseThese are testimonials about what participants liked about the Empathy Circle Facilitation Training Course. (See the project to transcribe these testimonials, you can help)See the Testimonials by Cohort
General Testimonials Below
In a world where work environments are toxic, bullies seem to be around every corner, and the news assaults us with violence, hate, and injustice, the Empathy Circle Facilitator Training was a safe haven. It was a place of refuge where I felt cared for and accepted. It was a place where I was gently challenged to explore my values and to have the courage to be vulnerable with strangers. It was also a road to becoming a competent Empathy Circle Facilitator, a road that was paved with inspiring humane individuals seeking to create empathic connections and guiding me along the way.
Thanks for making this all happen. It IS creating a more empathic world, one person at a time, one organization at a time, one community at a time.
― Felicia
Amazing training today! Thank you Edwin Rutsch, EC Trainer. I'm grateful and will be Committed to getting Certified. Being with people from different countries, cultures, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and spiritual beliefs Was Priceless. EC reflects the world as a whole. Thanks
― Brenda B.J. Guiden
Building a culture of empathy starts with understanding how we can inject this practice in our daily lives. Being a part of this training is helping me become more aware of how I can develop empathy. Take a look at this training and join us as we promote and build a culture of empathy.
― Shawnna Hunter
Dear Empathy Circle Team and Edwin,
I cannot express enough how much I appreciate the work that you are doing. Not only does this positively impact the world but it has really been an integral part of my personal growth since I discovered you on YouTube a few months ago. It amazes me how powerful yet simple human interconnection can be.
You have demonstrated that by sharing these videos with the world. PLEASE share with us the Module 2 work on feelings if you decide to do it. That would be so helpful and appreciated. I hope to one day participate in the trainings but for now, I listen and practice along. When I have some time to myself, I pause after a speaker and reflect back as a listener. I have learned a lot, thank you so much.
― Irene (posted to one of the recordings of the training on YouTube)
I am currently a part of this empathy circle training cohort (13.C) and it's been a wonderful experience thus far. I highly recommend it for everyone. I look forward to hosting many empathy circles and truly connecting and listening to people and sharing this skill with others. Back to basics. Thank you Edwin Rutsch!
― Dominica Rae Barber
I am so glad to attended Empathy Circle Facilitation Training and through training I learned a lot about empathic listening and connection enabled by the structure of Empathy Circle, as well as being a facilitator myself. I was surprised by the positive feedbacks when being a facilitator. I also met wonderful people from all around the world. Thank you, Edwin Rutsch and other trainers to teach me this valuable skill which can be widely used for multiple purposes. We need more people to join Empathy Circles to connect in this hard and uncertain times.
― Renato Katić
Since attending and becoming part of the culture of empathy my inner rage/anger/distrust/self-loathing has dissipated and a new clarity has come that enables me to truly hear the needs of others/self. My white wolf has finally started to be present as my black wolf is no longer being fed, as balance has always been my quest. As a spiritual seeker, formly self titled as spititual warrior, my journey has finally moved beyond what and why onto when. The three w's what, why, when/where. The first step is always the hardest but if followed by another it marks the start of a new journey.
HI Bill and Janna:
Thanks so much for organizing and operating today's Empathy Circle Facilitator Training. It laid the groundwork for me to be trained as a competent facilitator. The directions before and during the session were clear. The prerequisite preparation provided a solid foundation for me to participate at a high level in the training. I felt like the overall design of the session optimized my full potential to become a successful facilitator of Empathy Circles.
The choice of focus prompts were relevant to our lives and were, therefore, inclusive. You all kept to the starting and ending meeting times and the 4 minutes for each of us to talk. I felt like my ideas were heard and taken up. There were lots of human resources in the room, as the new people and the more experienced facilitators were in a ratio of 1:1. Timely reminders were provided in chat about protocols. The trainers of facilitators worked as one cohesive team.
I am so grateful that I was able to attend. One does not usually receive that level of training at no cost. I was not bored for even a second, and yet I did not feel overwhelmed, either.
Thanks,
Felicia
"I'm so very inspired by the goodness you are bringing to the community with this training, deeply grateful for the superb quality and so deeply moved by the amount of benefit that this is having."
― Michelle Clarke
"I am so inspired. You should really celebrate what a monumental gift you've put together in this movement. You are touching so many lives all over the world and creating ripples of empathy everywhere."
― Maria Ross
"Thank you and Bill and Lou for making these circles and trainings happen. I'm emailing to say that I really appreciate the people who take part despite it cutting into their sleep or dinner or breakfast hours. I think it's great that people in Korea, Israel, England, Scotland, Berlin... are willing to give up time and make such a sacrifice. My proverbial hat is off to everyone, and especially to them."
"Dear Edwin, Lou, Bill, Erin, Tim, and Michelle,
I wanted to thank you all again for the training over the past few weeks. It was so lovely to meet you all and the whole cohort from around the world. I really valued your time, expertise, and patience as you guided us through the process and practice of Empathy Circles. I can already feel it will have a lasting impact on how I listen and communicate, thank you!
I look forward to seeing the circles grow and the network expand as people learn to truly listen and connect. I can see so much potential for a real change in how we engage in dialogue and understand the sources of division right now. Thank you and wishing you all a wonderful week.
All best wishes,"
"Dear Edwin,
I am writing to first express my gratitude to the leanings of the Empathy circle facilitator training, I experienced. It has been very helpful to me. I am using the leanings with my child often. Also doing a one-o-one 30mins thrice a week to offer my time to listen to members from the community. I am noticing how it is helping them; feeling listened to, gaining clarity, feeling confidence, clearing their mind, slowing down and many more. I am planning to document this process by seeing what is showing up as themes and patterns. I would be happy to share more as I go along. Look forward to the next part of my cohort 11.B.
Regards"
My basic thought is that I've been offered a gift and that's participating in this little learning environment. And the kind of thing that I'm discovering is that there are lots of threads where I'm building up, or inching up, my skills, my competence, my confidence as well; and this will naturally evolve into me doing something similar. ― Graham Berends