Improving Our Processes

• The Healing Circle Conveners Committee (Chair- Lisa Nakamura, Stephanie Fujii, Yuki Mathias, Nora Yasumura, Grace Morigawa, and Shoshana Arai) and Guides Subcommittee (Linda Ando, Sydney Hamamoto, Shoshana Arai, Lisa Nakamura, and Grace Morigawa) have met monthly throughout the year. 
• To increase our abilities to communicate more efficiently, we have streamlined many of the intake and training processes. This has included creating email and document templates, intake forms, and developing a Healing Circle Facilitator HUB website, which serves as a centralized place to find our training manuals, video training recordings, and calendar of events. In addition, we had all of our training materials translated into Spanish.

Holding Healing Circle Gatherings

• As part of the two year contract with the Asian American Leaders Table (AALT), Nora Yasumura was hired as the Healing Circle Coordinator. In June, we began holding Healing Circles to members of the AALT groups (which are made up of over 70 Asian American advocacy organizations). Since that time, we have offered 10 Healing Circle gatherings. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. In 2023, we plan on offering additional Healing Circles gatherings and training opportunities. 
• In May, June, and August, we facilitated 10 different Healing Circle gatherings for Cameron House. 
• In July, in conjunction with the Child Detention Committee, we offered a large healing circle in El Paso. Here is a great article on the powerful experience. 

Building a Supportive Healing Circle Facilitator Community

• One of our goals this year was to begin to establish a supportive Healing Circle facilitator community where we can listen and learn from one another. Therefore, in March and December organized opportunities to come together to reflect, reconnect, and hear updates.
• We currently have 119 trained Tsuru for Solidarity Healing Circle facilitators. 
• Each healing circle gathering requires about 5 hours of volunteer hours. This includes a pre-meeting, a co-leader planning session, facilitating the healing circle, and attending the debrief meeting. 
• We remain deeply appreciative of how our facilitators go above and beyond to hold the integrity of these sacred and transformative spaces. 

Expanding Our Trainings

• In June, we trained 6 new Healing Circle facilitators for Tsuru for Solidarity. We also offered a specialized Healing Circle facilitator training for 6 members of our partner organization, La Resistencia. In December, we will be doing a follow up training session so that they can begin offering healing circles independently for their organization. 
• In April and July, we offered Healing Circle facilitator practice sessions. This new program provides a great opportunity for those who are new to leading healing circles or haven’t done it in a while to practice with other facilitators in order to expand their skills and experience. In addition, it enables our more experienced facilitators to mentor and support the newest members of our community.