Authentic Portland's practice groups are closed facilitated groups of about 8 people who meet regularly for 8 sessions, with the intention to get to know each other better and cultivate trust with a particular group over time, encourage community, and have people in your life who want to relate in this honest, vulnerable and aware way.

 

We do some similar practices to that of an Authentic Relating Games event, but get to do it more intimately. There are opportunities for learning, to stretch outside your comfort zone, to be seen and held with acceptance by a group of supportive peers. Different from public Games and public Circling events, there's usually more space to share personally with each other, either in the form of group check-ins or pairs or triads; all within the framework of authentic relating, listening with presence, intending to connect.

 

We do structured activities that can look like AR Games if these games were given more time and depth, they can also look like Circling or like role playing a situation from real life. Practice groups are not necessarily focused on the present moment, though that is a big and fundamental part of it. We try to have a balance between structure and following the group's spontaneous unfolding. The idea is to gradually grow the breadth of connection, with just the degree of self-revealing that feels honoring to the given state of the relationship. People often choose to then get together informally, outside of the structured setting, and part of our mission at AP is to grow community based on AR values. At the same time, it's up to each person how much they want to bring the people from the group into their life.

 

Practice groups start several times per year. If you are interested in participating, click here to sign up.