I grew up in a musical family and, from early childhood, was fascinated by how human beings communicate through word, sound, music, and even silence. For a period of time, I worked in the performing arts and opened for artists ranging from Alice Cooper to Sly Stone. Several decades later, I still perform as a musician and continue to maintain a private counseling practice, but my deeper story is really about facilitating group interactions. My integrated approach to group communication employs a technique called the Sonica Circle. It is designed to elicit collective wisdom and mindful listening within any configuration of people.
As a facilitator, I employ a wide range of communication practices that help a group explore themes or challenges in innovate ways. I believe that something profound always happens when we gather in interactive spaces that crackle with intention and imagination. Through story sharing, courageous conversation, musical interchanges, conflict mediation, or counsel protocols, we can resolve differences, craft fresh ideas, or pursue new narratives.
"One tree does not make a forest." - A Nigerian proverb.
Convening a Sonica Circle provides a engaged context wherein individuals shift from problem to possibility. We may gather in Rwanda to heal from genocide wounds. We may meet in boardrooms to free up a stuck, organizational story. Wherever and however we meet, the circle is dedicated to mindful communication that leads to change. A monologue remains one-sided. A dialogue happens when a handful or roomful of individuals interact to make something meaningful, practical, or soulful. The size of the circle doesn't matter. What happens in the space will always be wilder, bolder, and deeper than anything a single individual could dream up.