Welcome, Gathering Facilitators!

1. Action Item: Review Intake Form
   You will be sent a Google Drive link with your client's intake forms. Please ensure you have reviewed this information before your group launches.
   
   
2. Action Item: Create & Save Recurring Zoom Link
   You will require a Zoom account on a paid plan to do this. If you have your own paid account, proceed to the instructions below to create your recurring Zoom link for participants. If you do not have a paid account, please email peg@gatheringgroups.ca to get your link.
   
   How To Create a Recurring Zoom Link
   To create your recurring Zoom link for your weekly meetings, follow these steps:
   - Sign in on your website browser (not on the app) and select “Meetings”
   - Select “Schedule Meeting”
   - Create your meeting, customizing it to your own unique group time, date, and password.
   
   Save & Share Your Recurring Zoom Link
   Ensure your Zoom link is stored in a safe location for you to refer to i.e., in your own personal calendar. You will be using this link every week! Please copy & paste this link into your Welcome Email so all participants have access to this recurring link, cc’ing apply@gatheringgroups.ca. Once we receive the link, we will then insert your link into your weekly question emails for ease of reference.
   
   
3. Action Item: Send A Weekly Calendar Invitation to Your Group
   We highly recommend sharing a calendar invitation to all 12 weeks so participants will automatically have the invite in their digital calendars for all 12 sessions. This is helpful for them when planning other events, making sure their group sessions remain a priority throughout the whole 12 weeks. This is a superstar Facilitator move!
   
   
4. Action Item: Send A Welcome Email to Your Group
   See the template email below, customize, and send (cc’ing apply@gatheringgroups.ca) to participants as a warm welcome. This email is sent one week before the start date. Ensure you have removed the words marked within the [BOXES] and replaced them with your own info and Zoom link.
   
   Hello Gathering Group Participants:
   
   We wanted to extend a warm welcome to Gathering. We are so honoured to launch this 12-week online group with all of you. Below is your Week One Question, Recurring Zoom link, and an overview of what to expect in your weekly online group meetings. Please review this information before your group begins. We look forward to being a part of this journey with you!
   
   Week One Theme & Question
   Theme: Breathe. I can slow down and pay attention to what’s happening inside of me.
   Question (come ready to share for 3 minutes): What in your life brought you to this journey? Who would you like to be at the end of this journey?
   
   Reoccurring Zoom Meeting [TIME / DAY]
   [INSERT LINK HERE]
   
   What to Expect in Each 90-Minute Group
   Each week we follow the steps below for creating a safe trauma-informed community of practice. 

• Welcome / grounding and gratitude

• Learn (video): we watch a video outlining a strategy or tool for the week. 

• Pause (video): we watch a video walking us through a breathing exercise, guided meditation, or body movement.

• Open: each participant will state 1 or 2 physical sensations and 1 or 2 emotions they are feeling at this moment. No story or explanation, approximately 30 seconds each.

• Share/Embody: each participant will have 3 minutes to share an answer to the questions for the week. 1 or 2 group members will respond to the share with embodied listening. This is not an opportunity for advice or encouragement, but rather an opportunity for the one who just shared to feel seen and heard. We are all practicing listening to our bodies and co-regulating with each other by listening with intent. This will be explained in more detail during the first few sessions.
• Close: each participant will state 1 or 2 physical sensations and 1 or 2 emotions they are feeling at that moment. No story or explanation, approximately 30 seconds each.
  
  We are looking forward to getting to know you over the next 12 weeks!
  
  [Facilitator’s names]

Theme: Breathe

I can slow down and pay attention to what’s happening inside of me

• Learn and Pause: https://vimeo.com/fallingfrogs/week1 (Winchester introduction and Heather intentions)
• Question (share): What in your life brought you to this journey? Who would you like to be at the end of this journey?

Theme: Listen

I can listen with my body to the feelings of others

• Learn and Pause: https://vimeo.com/fallingfrogs/week2 (Winchester Listening to others, Box Breathing)
• Question (share): I feel the most fear/vulnerability/anxiety when....I feel the most authentic (in flow, safe, etc.) when…

Theme: Embody 

I can connect my emotions to physical sensations in my body

• Learn and Pause: https://vimeo.com/fallingfrogs/gathering3 (Winchester Embodiment and Heather with a body scan)
• Question (share): When you feel anxiety or stress being signaled in your body, what is the story you are telling yourself? If you were to have a conversation with your body, what would it say to you?

Theme: Compassion 

I can treat myself with love and gentleness

• Learn and Pause: https://vimeo.com/fallingfrogs/gathering4 (Winchester Compassion, Heather R.A.I.N.)
• Question (share): When do you notice you treat yourself with harshness or criticism? If someone who loves you spoke compassionately to that part of you, what would they say? What feelings come up for you?

Theme: Co-Regulation 

I can feel seen and known by others

• Suggested watch: (automatically sent out the day before along with the question):
  Please watch this 9 minute video:
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdIQRxwT1I0&t=6s# (Trauma and the Nervous System: A Polyvagal Perspective)
• Learn and pause: https://vimeo.com/fallingfrogs/gathering5 (Winchester and Heather Resonance Breathing)
• Question (share): What prevents you from being more seen and known by others? When do you find yourself hiding your voice or making yourself small?

An automated email will go out between week 5 and 6 with preparation instructions and retreat documents. You do not need to provide this information.

Theme: Belonging 

I can embrace and honour all of my parts

This week we are looking at the idea that all of us have multiple internal parts, or “selves”, that exist inside of us at all times. These parts are intended to protect us from danger based on past experiences. For example, a part of me may feel anger, while another part of me may feel fear from a difficult childhood experience. Often we have parts of us that may cause us to get into trouble, act in a childish way, or shift into paralysis. There are no bad parts. All of them belong.

• Suggested Watch: (automatically sent out the day before along with the question) Dick demonstrating a live IFS practice on a podcast - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MesvXKa8Rg
• Learn and Pause: https://vimeo.com/fallingfrogs/gathering6 (Heather introduces IFS and Parts and Peg does an IFS meditation)
• Question (share): What is a part of you you’re scared to share with others because you think they may reject you if they knew the real you?

Theme: Worthiness 

I can access self-energy and feel confident

This week we will be using the 8 C’s of Self to help navigate a conversation with a part we would like to get to know better. The 8 C’s of Self are: Calmness, Compassionate, Curious, Creative, Connected, Clear, Courageous, Confident. This is taken from the work of Dick Schwartz. 

• Suggested Read: https://www.seancuthbert.com/post/the-self-in-internal-family-systems-ifs-therapy#:~:text=The%20Self%20is%20characterised%20by,or%20built%20by%20the%20therapy.
• Learn: https://vimeo.com/793708956 (Heather on the 8 C’s of Self)
• Pause: https://vimeo.com/743213959/f94593c108 (Heather Resonance Breathing)
• Question (share): Which of the 8 C’s of Self do you want to celebrate in yourself? How does it feel in your body when this strength serves you well?

Note: An automated email with Peg's intentions video will be sent the week before your All-Day Retreat.

The following questions will go out in order according to your retreat date.

Track One (retreat lies after Week 8): 

(1) Intentions Email

(2) Celebration Email

(3) Resilience Email

Track Two (retreat lies after Week 9):

(1) Resilience Email

(2) Intentions Email

(3) Celebration Email

Theme: Resilience

I can widen my window of tolerance for uncomfortable feelings

• Learn:  Widening your Window - https://vimeo.com/793716286
• Pause: https://vimeo.com/756406957/051ca3c33a (Heather RAIN meditation)
• Question (share): - When you notice uncomfortable feelings come up, what is your typical pattern in the way you respond in your life? Describe a time when this pattern did not serve you well.

All-Day Retreat Theme: Intentions

I can set intentions for myself to facilitate growth.

• Learn & Pause: https://vimeo.com/793710644  Peg Intentions, Heather RAIN 
• Question (share on retreat day): What are your intentions for your upcoming retreat session? What patterns do you want to break? What parts do you want to get to know better or work with? What feelings come up for you when you think about your retreat session?

Action Item: Send Playlist & Integration Guide

Your Gathering Group has just gone through a life changing journey and are feeling incredibly in-touch with their thoughts, feelings, and emotions. It is important that each individual is equipped with the Gathering Groups Integration Document as well as their Playlist to reflect on the same day that they complete their retreat experience. 

Please send your group an email, sending the link to our Integration Guide as well as a link to the playlist they listened to that day and a personal note from you, the Facilitators!

Note: Please add the playlist in slack as well.

Theme: Celebration 

I can celebrate and delight in myself

• Learn: https://vimeo.com/793708937 (Heather on Growth Mindset & Body Scan: 11 min.)
• Pause: https://vimeo.com/769249945/1c1e89c4f5 (Heather Body Scan meditation) 
• Question (share): Since your retreat session, what do you need to give voice to? What is coming up? What is coming alive in you?

Theme: Being (Gratitude)

I know that I am enough.

• Learn and Pause: https://youtu.be/gXDMoiEkyuQ (Louie Schwartzberg - 10 min. Invite participants to focus on their own breathing while watching), Cyclic Breathing.
• Question (share): What changes in your own patterns of behaviour or your relationships are you grateful for?

Theme: Growth 

I can celebrate the changes and growth that I have experienced

• Learn: https://vimeo.com/793708967 (Peg on endings and celebration)
• Pause: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQlM1E8lTSE (Cyclic Breathing technique)
• Question (share): What are you recognizing about your True Self as you move forward on this journey? Who are you becoming? What has the last 12 weeks meant to you?

The final week is one of many emotions, thoughts, and feelings. Should participants wish to continue meeting weekly on their own, without the support of Gathering Groups, we have provided a template of the standard weekly meeting model below. Please inquire with your group if you would like to exchange contact information and continue connecting on your own.

Please provide the group with a PDF copy of the Gathering Groups Standard Model of Practice after their last session should they wish to continue meeting on their own. 

Please also inform the group that Gathering will be providing Alumni drop-in groups weekly should they wish to continue in a facilitator-led format. More information will be provided to them after the final week.