Welcome to the Circle Dynamics Group newsletter -- a short semi-monthly email. Please share this newsletter with anyone you think may benefit from it.
The dancers in ballroom tango initially move across the floor through the flexing of the lower joints (hip, knee, ankle) while the feet are delayed, then the feet move quickly to catch the body, resulting in snatching or striking action that reflects the staccato nature of this style's preferred music. Our emotions, like tango steps, can vary widely in timing, speed, and character, and follow no single specific rhythm.
I dare say all of us have been with a person who was expressing anger or another unpleasant emotion. It can be an intense experience, whether the anger seems justified or not. How can you diffuse an angry person? Do you know what words calm an angry person?
We know that students and teachers are feeling unprecedented levels of stress, uncertainty, and anxiety. Our tools will help you re-establish and reconnect in meaningful ways with your students, colleagues, friends, and family.
We are currently booking training for the fall 2022 semester. We can work with your school or district with either teacher training or train-the-trainer programs.
If you have an existing SEL program, we work alongside that to provide training and practice in using Curiosity, Listening, Respect, and Support (CLRS).
Learn more on our website, or click below to have a conversation with us.
When we speak with groups, we always begin by asking people how they are feeling right in this moment, and to share that with the group.
“How are you feeling right now?”
It’s a simple question, and it would seem at first glance that there are some simple answers: “I feel good.” “I feel fine.” “I’m OK.”
Or, if someone is really brave, they’ll say “I feel a little nervous right now.” Of course they do! They didn’t know that they would be asked to “expose” their feelings out loud to a group of their peers or a group of strangers. That’s scary stuff! Anyone on their right mind would be “a little nervous” doing that!
This simple question exposes the difficulty in discussing our emotional lives. We don’t even have the vocabulary to describe our feelings in useful detail — over three-quarters of the people we talk to have a hard time coming up with a “feeling” word.
Thanks, as always, for reading our newsletter. Let me know what you think of this week's edition by simply emailing info@CircleDynamicsGroup.com.
Did someone forward this newsletter to you? Sign up for it here.
