About the Teen Talking Circle Project

The Teen Talking Circle Project
PO Box 4492
Rolling Bay, WA. 98061
P. 206-842.3000
email: info@teentalkingcircles.org

ORGANIZATIONAL BACKROUND

The Teen Talking Circle model was developed in 1993 by Wind Hughes and Linda Wolf, the founders of the Daughters Sisters Project, during research for their book Daughters of the Moon, Sisters of the Sun: Young Women & Mentors on the Transition to Womanhood. In July of 2004, the Teen Talking Circle Project grew into the parent organization for the DaughtersSisters, BrothersSons and GenderTalks.

We offer local Teen Talking Circles on Bainbridge Island, and offer guidance and support to others to start circles in their communities. Click the links below to learn about our documentary DVD and Facilitator's Handbook, as well as our other books; or learn about our intensive training workshops to become a facilitator: Speaking and Listening From the Heart: The Art of Facilitating Teen Talking Circles.

For more details on our journey from the Daughters Sisters Project to the Teen Talking Circle Project, view our History.

WHAT TEEN TALKING CIRCLES PROVIDE YOUTH:

The Teen Talking Circle Project provides high school aged youth with weekly single-gender talking circles, called DaughtersSisters and BrothersSons, and monthly mixed-gender circles, called GenderTalks. We also set up day-long workshops between different circles to nurture more understanding between diverse youth. Teen Talking Circles are safe spaces where youth can tell the truth about their lives, look at the issues they're living with, and practice the skills it takes to maintain healthy with self and others, and create sustainable relationships.

Weekly Talking Circles provide many different things for youth and adults:

• A place to tell the truth without fear of judgment.
• The experience that they are not alone.
• An honoring of who they are and where they're at in life.
• People they can trust.
• A place to be truly heard and practice Compassionate Listening and communication skills
• An experience of the rewards of having the emotional courage take down protective masks and tough guises.
• A place to be real.
• The feeling of healthy interconnection.
• Self-acceptance.
• A chance to explore choices and decisions from all angles.
• Real friendship in a diverse, peer group environment.
• A chance to identify and change negative behavioral patterns and strength healthy resistance to unhealthy options.
• Insight into the many ways their issues are rooted and connected to larger global issues.
• An understanding of diversity.
• A place to let off steam.
• The empowerment that develops when one knows that they have something important to offer.
• The feeling of knowing true power and strength that comes from being vulnerable, open and honest.
• Uplifting experiences.
• A sense of meaning. And much, much more.

The Project has established itself nationally and internationally as a leader in empowering young women and men, and nurturing youth activism for the benefit of a world that works for all.

OUR CONSTITUENCY

The Teen Talking Circle Project has a local and national Board Council and Board of Advisors, made up of highly dedicated colleagues in the fields of education, women's history, men's work, nursing, activism, counseling, education, the legal system, and the arts. We serve a broad and diverse cross-section of young women and men, and adults, from all walks of life.

PUBLICATIONS

Daughters of the Moon, Sisters of the Sun: Young Women and Mentors on the Transition to Womanhood (New Society Publishers, 1997)

Global Uprising: Confronting the Tyrannies of the 21st Century - Stories from a New Generation of Activists (New Society Publishers, 2001)

The Teen Talking Circle Project: Speaking and Listening From the Heart - Facilitator's Handbook (dsistas Press, 2004)

DVD: The Heart of the Daughters Sisters Project: A documentary

Click here to learn more about our Handbook

OUR CLIENT LIST:

The following are some of the organizations, institutions, and youth serving programs that have participated in our facilitator trainings, invited us to speak, or use our handbook.

Addictions Counseling/ Squamish Nation
Alliance for Excellent Education
Asian Counseling & Referral Service
Aspen Youth Center
Associated Ministries
Auburn AmeriCorp Team
Auburn’s Neigthborhood Program
Bethany House
Boys & Girls Club of Fond du Lac
Brandon University
Bremerton Kitsap County Health District
Bush School
Centerheart
Centerpoint Inc
Chico Peace and Justice Center
Circle Yoga
Counseling Psychology Ct., Monmouth U.
Creative Crossings
Crook County Juvenile Department
Culver Girl's Academy
Culver Military School
East Cherry YWCA, Washington
Edmonton Film Festival
Fairview Junior High School
First Presbyterian Church
Fond du Lac Health Department
Fond du Lac School District
Fond du Lack Family Resoure Center
Fun House
Gather The Women
GI Jane of Illinois
Girls EnCircle
Girls Outdoors
Grubb Farm
Guiding Lights Mentoring Conference
Harlem Community Center
Howard Community Counseling
Kewaskum High School
Lake Washington Girls Middle School
Life Skills Education Organization
Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians
Lopez Island Middle School
Marysville YMCA, Washington
Media Island International
Omega Institute
Oklahoma Commission on Children/Youth
Passages Northwest
Peace Corps
PeaceFirst
Pearls for Teen Girls
Pep Girlz Program
Planned Parenthood
Power of Hope
Puget Sound Community School
Renton Area Youth and Family Services
Renton Teen Health Center
Robinson Community Learning Center
Rose Circle
Prevention Program
Saint Mary’s College
Seattle Girl's School
SGA Family and Youth Services
Sister Made International Services’ Office
Suquamish Tribe
The Orcas Island Fun House
Timiskaming First Nation Band's 45
Travers City Juvenile Justice Department
University of Toronto
University Universalist Church
US Department of Women’s Health
Voices and Choices
Women in Support of Education
Women’s Center/University of Wisconsin
Women and Youths in Africa
YWCA Metro Seattle

OUR ORG ALLIES

• The Northwest Girls Coalition
• The Ms. Foundation
• Men Against Sexism
• Mentors in Violence Prevention
• The Pride Foundation
• The Compassionate Listening Project
• Taking IT Global
• Let's Talk America
• UTNE online
• YES: Youth for Environmental Sanity
• Global Exchange
• Ruckus Society
• The Third Wave
• Cybergrrls
• YWCA Leaders in Progress
• The Power of Hope
• Women of Wisdom
• NOW
• The Suquamish Tribal Youth Center
• Positive Futures Network
• The National Black Women's Health Foundation
• Mid East Children's Alliance
• The Washington State Juvenile Justice System
• The Lelenau County Coordinating Committee
• Bainbridge Island School District
• Victoria Transition House
• The Partnership Institute
• Mandate the Future
  Peacexpeace
  And Many More...

Many thanks to the over 75 people who
attended our 2006 Heart to Heart Fundraiser and to the speakers who donated their time to come talk about our work: Lindsay Wagner, Leah Green, Eddie Moore, Jr, Rick Matteson, Jason & James, Eric Liu, Annie Huntley, and the girls from the BI Girl's Talking Circle and local board of directors: Brayden Duncan, Raffi, Naomi, Melanie, Catherine, Emily, Katie, and to Carrie Rhodes for her support, wisdom, and beautiful home. Here's a shot at the end of the night with all of us who couldn't leave!