CONNECTIONS: Celebrating 10 Years of Girls Circles

by Kim Marie Murphy

With all the issues girls face today, what does it take for them to grow up feeling good about themselves and about life in general? The answer may be fairly simple: healthy connections with others. And here’s how you can help. Become a part of a “Girls Circle,” a nationwide model of facilitated support groups for girls from ages 9 to 18, based on the ancient practice of a “talking circle.” One nationwide study of 278 girls of diverse ethnicities found that Girls Circle participants show significant increases in self-efficacy and attachment to school and decreases in both self-harming behavior and alcohol use.

Created 10 years ago by Giovanna Taormina and Beth Hossfeld of Cotati, California, Girls Circle has now trained over 10,000 adult facilitators to help girls foster self-esteem and maintain authentic connection with peers and adult women role models in their communities. The program can be implemented in any setting, including schools, athletic programs, boys and girls clubs, the juvenile justice system — any place where girls come together. Groups meet roughly once a week — ideally, for one to two hours each session — for eight weeks or longer and use a simple model with six components:

1. Opening Ritual This can be the reading of a poem, lighting of a candle, or holding hands and stating intention.

2. Theme Introduction The facilitator presents a synopsis of a gender-relevant theme, such as body image or goal setting.

3. Check-In Each group member uses a “talking object” to share about how she is doing or about the theme.

4. Activity A discussion and creative activity related to the theme allow girls to get in touch with their inner experiences.

5. Sharing of Activity Through questioning, girls can apply the theme to their own experiences, explore commonalities, and connect the theme and their lives.

6. Closing Ritual The circle ends with a meaningful reading, blowing out candles, closing eyes, and giving thanks.

Two-day facilitator training is offered throughout the U.S. and is intended for anyone who wants to support girls. If you cannot attend a training, you can access the curriculum materials and set up a group on your own. You can also volunteer to assist an experienced facilitator to learn group dynamics strategies.

For information on starting a circle, see www.girlscircle.com. For facilitator training or curriculum materials, contact Giovanna Taormina at www.gtaormina@girlscircle.com.