REAL TALK

EVERY WEDNESDAY 5PM EASTERN

$25 suggested donation

An open circle for ACIM students, teachers, and practitioners.

In the Manual for Teachers, the “Development of Trust” describes many difficult stages. My own path has carried me through the classrooms of addiction, mental health, LGBTQ navigation, family estrangement, and religious alienation—out of which conviction, bravery, faith, and wisdom emerged.

I’m hosting these Zoom calls as an offering to my ACIM family because across our tradition it has been promised: “When two or more are gathered, there I am.” And within this truth, our willingness to be transparent, authentic, and Real becomes the threshold to what cannot be denied—Our Gateway to the Miracle.

Real Talk Zoom – Shared Agreements

Real Talk is a space for honesty, reflection, and shared humanity. It is not a performance, and it is not a teaching session. To keep this space grounded, respectful, and supportive for everyone, I ask that participants keep the following agreements in mind:

• This is not group therapy

Real Talk is a conversation, not a therapeutic setting. While we speak honestly about life, pain, and struggle, this space is not designed to hold acute crisis, trauma processing, or ongoing emotional regulation.

• We share, but we don’t process in loops

Sharing is welcome. Repeating the same pain, story, or fear again and again without movement can unintentionally pull the group into rumination. I may gently interrupt or redirect if I sense we’re circling rather than moving.

• No one here is responsible for fixing anyone

I’m not here as a therapist, rescuer, or authority, and participants are not expected to help, diagnose, or save one another. We’re here to listen, reflect, and speak honestly—not to solve each other.

• This space supports awareness, not emergency care

If you’re in acute distress, feeling unsafe, or experiencing thoughts of self-harm, this is not the right container for that level of support. Please reach out to appropriate professional or crisis resources before joining the call.

• I may pause or redirect the conversation

As the facilitator, I may step in to pause, shift, or redirect the discussion if it feels overwhelming, ungrounded, or no longer supportive for the group as a whole. This isn’t a judgment—it’s care for the container.

• You’re always free to pass

You’re welcome to listen without speaking, or to step away at any time. Participation is an invitation, not a requirement.

• Real Talk values honesty over polish

You don’t need to sound enlightened, spiritual, or “together” to be here. At the same time, we agree to speak with respect for ourselves, each other, and the shared space.