Frequently Asked Questions

Hidden Water acknowledges our limited capacity to thoroughly vet resources. Therefore, we suggest visiting ATSA to explore their directory of providers and other resources.

Hidden Water acknowledges our limited capacity to thoroughly vet resources. Therefore, we suggest visiting  RAINN to explore additional resources vetted by their staff.

If everyone who would like to be in a family circle has already been through their individual 12-week healing circle, then one member of the family can request a family circle by emailing elizabeth@hiddenwaternyc.org for more information.

The curriculum for the 12 weeks is as follows:

Week 1: Introducations. We will do three rounds getting to know each other.

Week 2: Values and Guidelines. We will spend the time building our intentional container.

Week 3: The Path to Healing from Harm: We will introduce the Hidden Water Model.

Week 4: One Keeper will lead the session on the "Edge of their Healing".

Week 5: The other Keeper will lead the session the Edge of their Healing".

Week 6: The first participant will lead the session (with support from the Keepers) on the "Edge of their Healing". It will continue like this until every participant has had a chance to lead. Number of weeks depends on the number of participants.

Week 12: Closing. We close the circle talking about what has changed over the 12 weeks, and what will we each commit to going forward to keep healing.

There are two aspects of being in circle, and both are very active: sharing and listening. When we are sharing our lived experience the others are holding a non-judgmental space for us to do this exploration. We are being held by their attention and intention to support us. Because we can only know that visually, as they are asked to just listen, the speaker knows they are being held by seeing the listeners.

We ask that if you need to get up and take care of yourself in some way - walk away from your zoom - that you turn off your camera, and write a quick note in the chat (BRB, or Bathroom Run) so others know why you got up. When you are settled back down to actively listen, please turn your camera back on.

Having our cameras on creates more safety for others. When we can see that you are alone in your space, listening attentively, dedicating your energy to the process - the container will build. That said, there are times when someone can not have their camera on. For example, a head injury or the camera is malfunctioning. In those situations, please speak to your Keepers and the other participants on how you might participate in the container building, and holding space in a way that works for everyone.

We ask that we limit gestures of validation so that the speaker does not confusing sharing to be known with sharing to get agreement with others. We hold empathic space for others without interrupting them in any way. Our faces and body language will naturally show the impact a speaker is having on us without needing to direct those expressions to them. In this way, the speaker will have a chance to go deeper into what they are experiencing without needing to be sure others have had the same experience.

The chat will be open if you need to write something to the group or want to share a link. We ask that during the circle process, we do not write in the chat when you do not have the Talking Piece as it is a form of interruption. We also ask that we do not send private messages in the chat during the circle, as it can break the safety of the container for others.

In Zoom, the Keepers log on and admit the participants from the waiting room at the start time. One person will be directed to do an opening (poem, song, meditation, reading, etc) while the Keeper puts the "Speaking Order" in the chat.

This Speaking Order will stay consistent throughout that days session.

We often have a Talking Piece in our hand that we lift up to the camera when we are passing to the next person - while saying their name: "I pass to Elizabeth".

The person next on the speaking order will also lift their empty hand or talking piece up to the camera and say "Received. Thank you, Javon". Saying each other's names give an element of connection that can seem lost in Zoom circles but is quickly overcome with these small but significant movements.

When the circle is over, one person will do the closing (poem, song, meditation, reading, etc) and the space will close. The Keeper will give announcements and say goodbye - and we all log off.

There are the foundational structures to a Hidden Water Circle:

1 - The participant holding the Talking Piece is invited to speak, while the others listen deeply.

2 - The Talking Piece moves around the circle, in one direction.

3 - Participants can pass when the Talking Piece comes to them without judgment.

4 - When we have the Talking Piece, we share to be known from our own lived experiences.

5 - When we do not have the Talking Piece, we are listening to know the inner world of others.

6 - We honor the principle of non-interference: no advice, praise, comments, questions, feedback, or care-taking directed at the other circle participants. We focus solo on what is coming up for us from our own life.

Peacekeeping Circles are an ancient form of community building and restorative justice used by indigenous people from all over the world. The central view of circle is to bring the community members back into balance with one another. The healing happens both individually and as a collective. There are no experts in circle, nor mentors. Each person is believed to have everything they need to heal themselves.

There are circle organizations that will exclude someone when they are not attending enough circles. At Hidden Water we ask that a participant join at least two of the first three circles in order to build the container of safety for the group. If someone is unable to join, we ask they be accountable to the group for their absence. Or if they are running late, to send a message about why. Otherwise, we leave it to the group to determine how to manage when someone is frequently absent or coming in late. The idea would be to share the impact it is having on each person to bring that person in tune with the group. But not ask them to stop attending, unless they chose that themselves.

Our intention is for the circle to have a short opening (like a poem), three rounds where everyone has a chance to speak, and a short closing (like a meditation). If the circle is not able to accomplish that in the 1.5 hours set aside, then please raise that with the keepers or the group to ensure that everyone takes the space they need, but also leaves time to make it around three times.

We are committed to starting on-time and ending on-time so that participants can commit to both the circle and other aspects of their lives. If the circle is running over by more than a few minutes, please either raise that with the keepers or in the check in round the following week. Our intention is for there to be an opening, three rounds where everyone gets to share, and a closing each week.

When others can express their validation or agreement with what we are saying, it changes the way we speak. We may start crafting our turn into seeking validation, saying what we think others want to hear, or feeling bad when no one puts up an emoji in agreement. Our circle space is trying to create an opportunity to share to be known without watching ourselves through other people's eyes.

Also, when one person has the talking piece and it is their turn to share, it can be distracting to see an emoji or a comment in the chat. Showing we are listening with empathy and feeling deeply with the person will show on our faces and in our body language. We want to create an atmosphere of holding space not one of cheering, agreeing or validating someone's experience. This way, it allows the speaker to go deeper.

Circle process brings a very different element to the healing process. We hold a boundary that prohibits feedback, advice, questions, comments - and ultimately expressions of judgment. When others can't reach across and get involved in their opinion about another's situation, they must focus on the their own inner world and healing. Expressions of advice and problem solving are a great way to disconnect from our own reality and distract ourselves with someone else's.

Chances are all the insight we need will come through just deeply listening to the experiences of others, and focusing on what is coming up for us - from our own life - when given the chance to speak.

We typically wait until the end of the circle to ask if the group members would like to share their contact information. We want to keep the boundaries of the circle clear during the 12 weeks. If one participant does not want to share their contact information, we want to make sure they do not feel pressured to, or that they feel left out when others are meeting outside of circle. It is common for the participants in a circle to stay in contact with each other after the circle has ended.

In an open circle, there may be men or male identifying folks who were harmed sexually as a young person. While this may make some participants uncomfortable at first, expanding our understanding of who is victimized by child sexual abuse often adds a healing element to the circle. We do not currently offer Female Identifying or Non-Binary Speciality Circles at the moment.

For men who were sexual harmed as a young person, who want the perspective of other male identifying people, we suggest you register for a Green Circle that has a male leader. As most of our circles are majority female, this is a good way to ensure there will be at least one male identifying person, if that is important to you.

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The Green Circle is a place where we work on the harm that was caused to us - and how that has impacted us over time. It is not uncommon for those who were harmed to also harm others sexually. But in the Green space we focus on the harmed caused to us only. This way we allow for the focus to not be undermine with the guilt of also having caused harm to another.

Note: A person who also caused sexual harm is welcome to do the work of accountability in the Purple Circle when they feel ready. There is also a DualColor Circle for Green/Purple for those who have both been harmed sexually as a young person and caused harm sexually to another.

Yes, our definition of sexual harm includes non-physical sexual encounters.

Absolutely. We find that most of us have had long periods of time without clear memories. Many people in Hidden Water report having the memories come rushing back at some point later in life. It is not uncommon for those who were harmed to doubt their memories, or minimize the impact of the harm as a means of coping. Many times getting to a safer place in our lives and having a therapeutic setting to do our exploration helps uncover flashes of circumstances that have been plaguing us. Green Circle is a non-judgmental space with which to do that exploration.

Yes! Our individual healing circles are for individuals only. While there may come a time we might want to invite someone in our family to join a circle, it is not required. Many of us have no relationship with our family because it has not been safe enough to. It may continue to be that way and Hidden Water is a great community to find a family like atmosphere of support around the harm.

Yes, you can. Sexual harm is so prevalent, that chances are when we feel something was not right there is something to explore. People who were harmed sexually as children often develop a freeze response. This can be triggered by a sexual encounter that might feel like consent but isn't. The focus of the Purple Circle is not to determine whether something was "legally" considered sexual abuse but rather to come into alignment with the impact our behavior has had on others.

We believe all one can do is never harm again, and do the healing work to be accountable. The person who was harmed has their own path to healing and we can not interfere with it. By reaching out, we could possibly do more harm to the victim. When we bring up the traumatic event, even if it is to make amends, the person we harmed may feel again out-of-control of their situation. In our own interest to heal the harm, we end up causing harm to that person again.

Hidden Water gives an opportunity for those who have caused harm to do their healing and accountability work in a safe, non-judgmental space. There are many people who were victimized by sexual harm in Hidden Water who would love to create a relationship with someone who caused harm and is willing to do the work of taking responsibility.

Amends can also come in the form of supporting others to heal, be accountable, and prevent harm from happening to other children.

The Purple Circle is set up to help those of us who want to heal from having caused sexual harm to a young person in the past. We are not able to do the intense therapeutic support that is needed when working on getting into recovery from sexually harmful behavior. It is important, if you are still struggling with sexual boundaries, that you seek the scaffolding you need to never harm again. As long as those supports are in place, and you also want to work on healing from past harm, you are welcome.

The Purple Circle is meant to do the work of having caused harm. We ask that each participant in this circle stay focused on being accountable for the harm they caused, and use the Green Circle to do the work of having been harmed. By separating the two, it helps in the healing by sidestepping the tendency to minimize or explain why we caused harm - and just focus on being accountable for the impact.

Note: We also have DualColor Circles: Purple and Green for those who have both experiences.

It isn't uncommon for the person who caused harm to block out that experience, or have experienced as consensual, loving or appropriate. If someone tells you they feel harmed by your actions, Purple Circle is a good place to explore how you want to respond to that person, be held without judgment as you explore your own memories, and have a place with others who are grappling with a similar circumstance.

We do not have a preordained way for families to relate to one another. We do understand that it is difficult to navigate our relationships once the harm has been disclosed. Does staying in relationship with the one who caused harm mean we are condoning it? If my sibling is demanding I cut off my parents and I do, will I eventually resent them? It is difficult to find the right path at times. In the Blue Circle, we have a chance to discuss how to find our way in our relationships that feels right to us. It is often a nuanced understanding that brings us to the right next step.

This is not an unusual sentiment, though most people do not want to admit it. The person who was harmed has been coping with the trauma in the ways they can. Those ways can often include defensiveness or mood altering behavior that does harm to themselves or others. They often alienate themselves from those who are trying to support them or rage about the impact the harm has had on them in ways that does damage to their relationships. The Blue Circle is meant as a support system for those impacted by the ways the harm is playing out in their family relationships. Getting clear on how we want to be in the face of the harm caused to our family is a powerful way to stabilize our relationships.

The reason child sexual abuse is so damaging lies in understanding the nuance and complexity of how it weaves into our lives and our relationships. Once harm of this nature takes hold in a family, it alters the individuals trust and safety in ways that continue on for a lifetime. It is never too late to educate ourselves on how to participate in our relationships in ways that both augment healing and increase the chances of prevention.

Definitely! The weight on the partner of past sexual harm can be heavy. It can be difficult to navigate the family dynamics with one's in-laws and keep supporting our partner. We have our own feelings and the abuse also impacts us. Setting aside the partner's needs for a bit while sitting with others in circle can help clarify the role we want to play in the dynamics. We can honor our own feelings in this space, making it easier to navigate any complexities while interacting with the large family.

Yes, absolutely. It is not uncommon to have the person who was harmed and the person who caused that harm in the same family. This is the true complexity of child sexual abuse. Even if your loved one caused sexual harm outside of the family system, it can be a challenge to navigate how to stay in relationship with that person, while also holding them accountable for their behavior. The Blue Circle is for the participants to have support speaking to the ways the harm has impacted their lives. This absolutely includes those in relationship to people who have caused harm.

Hidden Water holds the foundational belief that when a vulnerable child was sexual harmed, the entire family system was negatively impacted. This type of harm is significant enough that all members of a family must cope whether they realize that or not. The coping itself can cause a great deal of harm as the family tries to manage itself through the trauma.

We often tell participants in our circles they can not be responsible for the work that each member of the family must do but they can invite them to join a circle, and begin their own learning, healing and taking responsibility for the family well-being. It is not uncommon for siblings to be caught in the middle mediating the relationships or becoming very independent as they attempt to cope with the harm in their family.

We often tell those who were harmed, or those who caused harm who are participating in Hidden Water to just do their own work. When family members ask us "what can I do to help you?" we suggest they say "Join your own Hidden Water circle." Hidden Water has a system for individuals to take responsibility for their part in the collective healing and accountability. Others often struggle when it feels like family members are waiting for them to get better, so everything can return to "normal". But it doesn't work that way. Each person must take responsibility for their own part in the healing process. If your child asked you to join a circle, it is likely they are inviting you to do your part in the collective healing process.

If your child is still a minor or is still in danger of being harmed, then the first step is not Hidden Water but safety. Use the resources available in your community to ensure that child is taken out of harm's way, and that other children are not in danger. This period of time is often a crisis, and requires actions. The healing comes later.

If your child is an adult or the harm has stopped, and everyone is safe from physical/sexual harm, then healing may be the next step. Hidden Water was built intentionally for this very circumstance. Most victims disclose years after the harm has ended. The disclosure can be a relief at first, but the new danger is how the family members will manage the information and their relationships now that they know.

We have a healing circle for each member of the family. We encourage the first step to be for each family member to join the color that most closely aligns with their relationship to the abuse. Learning to understand and healing from the one's own impact will give each person a powerful advantage in showing up in the family dynamics in ways that will not further the harm but augment the healing.

We find the Orange Circle is the most powerful step a parent can make to reconcile with their loved ones. The most common reason for a child to be estranged from their parent after harm is the child feels the parent is denying, deflecting, minimizing, blaming the victim or defending the one who harmed. The first step in being a support to a child who is healing from harm is to do the work to fully feel the impact of the harm - on ourselves first. This way we can hold the tremendously painful feelings of our children without trying to make them go away.

Yes, you are welcome in the Orange Circle. And your spouse is welcome in the Purple Circle if they are ready to take responsibility for the impact of their actions on others. We understand that child sexual abuse inside of a family system is complex. We believe each individual must follow the path that makes sense for their lives. We do not give advice in our circles, but rather allow for the insights to come to the individuals through the collective wisdom.

We do, however, encourage accountability and responsibility. It is possible to stay in relationship with someone and hold them accountable for their actions. This is one theme that is often explored in Hidden Water circles, especially the Orange Circle.

Please note: our promise of confidentiality pertains to past harm, not current or future harm. If we hear anything disclosed in circle where we believe a child may be in danger of being harmed, we will address that with the participant to ensure safety first.

It is common for loved ones to question the validity of the harm. It is most often a defense mechanism keeping us from fully feeling the weight of the damage child sexual abuse can cause. It is also not uncommon to be reacting negatively to the behavior of the one who was harmed, as they try to cope with their experiences and the trauma. We often want to stay connected to what is good about the one who caused the sexual harm, because we do not want them to be summed up and labeled as that when we know them to be much more. That said, the Orange Circle is a place to explore one's feelings and the impact this harm has caused on the individuals and the family. We do not play a role as fact finders, but rather a space to heal from the complexity of the situation.

Not necessarily. Orange Circle is open to non-offending parents or caregivers of both the one who was harmed and the one who caused the harm. It is common for parents to have one of their children harm another child. The Orange Circle holds the space for the complex nature of sexual harm to children. It is also common for a child to harm another child while they are being harmed by an adult. Orange participants should be prepared to hold space for this kind of complexity.

Yes, both parents are welcome to join the same circle or different ones. If you think it will be to your benefit to participate together, then we will trust that. If you think you might feel more open to talk about the individual impact the abuse has had on you without your significant other, you are welcome to join different circles. You are also welcome to come to Hidden Water without your significant other, if only one of you would like to participate at this time.

No, all members of a family who identify with being a non-offending parent or caregiver are welcome to join an Orange Circle regardless of who else in the family has participated or will ever participate in Hidden Water. This is a resource for the healing and support of non offending caregivers to do their own work with others who have had a similar experience. If this circle resonates for you, you are welcome.

At Hidden Water, we define child sexual abuse as any inappropriate or unwanted sexual touching or non-touching behavior to a person under the age of 25. It typically includes a power differential, either due to age, maturity, physical power, or psychological manipulation where the person with more power uses the child or young person for their own interests or sexual gratification.

This can include sexual touching or asking to be touched, exposing genitals, showing pornography to a child, secretly watching a young person changing, masterbating in front of a child, engaging in sexual behavior that can be observed by the child or young person, making explicit comments to a child about sexual activities, video or photographing a young person naked, or in a sexually explicit way, or harming a child or young person for others to consume. It can include overly intrusive parenting meant for sexually satisfying the adult, setting up sexual encounters for a child for the adults own gain, or asking a child to harm another child.

If you feel your personal experience (as any of the colors) fits into this definition, broadly defined, you are welcome to join our circles.

Any adults (over 18) who identifies as having had a personal experience with child sexual abuse (under the age of 25) is welcome at Hidden Water.

We break those with a personal experience into four categories - and one person may identify with more than one category:

Green: For those who were harmed sexually under the age of 25. This includes contact and non contact sexual abuse, and does not require more than a vague memory of having been harmed.

Blue: For loved ones who feel impacted by the sexual abuse of someone in their lives, normally a sibling, partner or adult child. This group is for those in relationship to people who have been harmed and those who have caused harm.

Orange: For non-offending parents and caregivers, normally parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents. This group is for non offending parents and caregivers of both those who were harmed and those who have caused harm.

Purple: For those who have caused sexual harm to someone under the age of 25, and are ready to take responsibility. This group is for healing, not punishment, and everyone who attends should be willing to take responsibility for having negatively impacted another sexually - whether they meant to or not.

We offer our 12-week circles online and in-person, and anyone residing anywhere in the world who can speak the language of that particular circle is welcome.

Hidden Water is provided to the community for free. However, we are a community supporting itself, so we very much appreciate donations at the time of registration.

Hidden Water's process begins with each individual attending a healing circle on their own. Each person chooses the color they feel they identify with the most. No other family member is required to attend, and many participants in Hidden Water do not have family members willing to attend a healing circle. It is also common for one person in a family to come through the circle process first, and as they heal, they often inspire others in the family to want to participate. Hidden Water also gives opportunities to formally and informally relate to and heal with those of other colors who are not family members, but serve as a surrogate family to heal together.

At this time, we can only accommodate those 18 years and older. We are working to fund a program for teenagers called "Ryan's Circle" for 13-18 year olds.

Hidden Water will not report any incidents of past abuse. We do reserve the right to take actions we feel are appropriate if we learn of a child who is currently being harmed, or is in danger of being harmed. We will work with the participant who disclosed that information to find the best path forward to keep that child safe. We remain agnostic on our participants pursuing a criminal justice or civil court solution. Hidden Water will play no role in supporting or dissuading someone from following a path through court. We will not offer any documentation of attendance. While we welcome anyone who is currently in a court process to work their healing path in a Hidden Water circle, we will not collaborate with the court as a form of punishment. All participants will sign a waiver when they register, which commits them to confidentiality for all participants in the circle.

We do not screen participants and trust that anyone who would like to join identifies as the color they have chosen through personal experience. The circle participants get very close, and we ask that each participant is there to make a good faith effort to work on the healing around that particular color. When someone identifies as more than one color, which is very common, we ask that the work being done centers on just that particular color. It can be hard to do our Blue-Work (for example) when we know that someone in our circle is struggling with their Green-Work. The Keepers can help participants figure out if they are ready for that circle during their welcome call.

We often have long waiting lists for the spots in a circle. So we ask that when you plan to attend, you commit to being there for the whole 12 weeks, especially the first three sessions when we are 'building the container of safety' for the rest of the season. That said, if you need to miss a week, you can talk to your circle about that during one of the sessions. If you are really struggling after the circle starts, we support you in doing whatever feels like the right actions for your healing. If you decide to leave for whatever reason, we support you without judgment.

The path to become a Hidden Water Circle Keeper starts with being a participant. All our Keepers are selected from our community of participants. Each Keeper has been through two of their own circles, as participants. They attend a 24 hour restorative justice circle training. They work under a Senior Keeper for two seasons as a Junior Keeper before they decide whether they feel ready to lead a circle themselves. Our Keepers do not have any particular experiences, education, occupation apart from having a personal experience that matches the color they are leading.

We refer to all four color circles in two categories: open or speciality. Open circles are open to anyone who identifies with that color. Speciality circles have an additional identity associated with that circle (BIPOC, Spanish, LGBTQIA, Men, etc). In an open circle, you can expect to find people of all races, ages, ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, etc though everyone will be English speaking.

Circle is an ancient process carried to us by indigenous peoples from all over the world. It differs in its world view in that all people in the circle are equal, and no one is responsible for anyone else's healing, only their own. Each participant will have chances to speak, and chances to hold space and witness other speakers. Hidden Water uses four fundamental components in our circle structure:

1 - When it is your turn to speak - share to be known. When it is not your turn to speak - listen to know and witness the speaker.

2 - We will take turns speaking in the same order, striving to use our time together to give everyone a chance to speak multiple times during a circle session.

3 - Anyone can pass if they do not wish to speak during their turn. They can ask to have the chance to speak at the end, or just let their turn be non-verbal.

4 - We adhere to the principle of non-interference when we speak. No advice giving, comments on or questions about the shares of others. We strive to not interfere with the healing process of others with care-taking or rescue energy, but rather hold space, witness the others with no judgment, and trust in their agency and ability to heal themselves.

All participants in the circle, including the Circle Keepers, will identify personally with the color. Everyone, including the Circle Keepers, will be there to do their own healing work. There are no professional therapists, or others kinds of leaders in the space - just those with the personal experience working to heal and support the healing of the others.

All participants will sign a confidentiality waiver when they register for circle, including the Circle Keepers. Our expectation is that all participants' names, information and stories will be kept in the strictest confidence by all other members of the circle, and the staff. Participants are welcome to disclose only the name they would like to be called, and the Keepers will be given only the first name, email and phone number of the participants.

There is no recording of any kind, nor picture taking. We ask that all participants prepare for circle by finding a confidential place to join the circle virtually. We ask that everyone is prepared to have their camera on for virtual circles. We all play an important role in holding space to witness others, which is most commonly done through facial expressions and active attention. Being able to see each other also serves as a means to make the circle feel safer. When each participant can see that no one else is in the others' space listening, or that everyone has in earphones, it goes a long way in making the circle feel more connected.

We often say the best way to help a family member heal is to go to a Hidden Water circle yourself. The healing and change you make will add a lot of support to the relationships in your life. Hidden Water was set up (in part) with the intention of giving family members - especially Green - an answer when someone asked "what can I do to help you get through this?" The answer: go to a Hidden Water circle yourself and learn, grow, heal yourself. You will show up with better boundaries, more understanding and essential hope, if you do your own work first.

We typically have a long waiting lists, especially for the Green Circles. However, there is a lot of movement in the week before and the week after the season begins as people realize they are not going to be able to stay in the circle for various reasons. If you leave your schedule open, and have some flexibility with which circle you are able to join, there is a good chance you could be offered a spot from the waiting list that season. If you do not get off the waiting list, you will be given pre-registration for the following season. Look on the calendar for the exact day pre-registration opens to be sure to get your first choice.

If there is space in another circle, we can move you. The circles are often full but there is a good deal of shifting right before the season begins, or after the first session. Reach out to: info@hiddenwatercircle.org if you would like to move to another circle.

One of the Keepers will schedule a 10-15 minutes call with each participant. This call is to get to know each other, answer any questions and make a connection. We find that it is a little easier to come into circle when you have met one of your Keepers, and you have a sense beforehand of how the process works. It allows participants to feel more secure when they know what to expect. If you haven't heard from your Keeper two weeks before the circle starts, please reach out to us: info@hiddenwatercircle.org

The circle keepers of your circle should reach out to you a few weeks before the circle begins to set up a Welcome Call. It is not uncommon for participants to miss this email because it either goes to spam, or they don't recognize the Keepers email address. Please let us know if you can not find the email or haven't heard from your keeper: info@hiddenwatercircle.org. We will get you in touch, asap. Note, that if your Keeper has reached out via email and text message various times but has not heard back from you, they may give away your spot to the next person on the waiting list. So please be sure to get in touch.

We will not offer any documentation of attendance. While we welcome anyone who is currently in a court process to work their healing path in a Hidden Water circle, we will not collaborate with the court as a form of punishment. All participants will sign a waiver when they register, which commits them to confidentiality for all participants in the circle.

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Our four color circles are divided into two categories: open and speciality. Open circles are open to anyone who identifies with that color. Speciality circles have an additional identity qualification for that particular circles. For example: 'Blue LGBTQIA' or 'Green BIPOC'. If you identify with both the color of that circle, and the identity associated with it, you are welcome to join that circle.

Currently Hidden Water only works with participants over the age of 18. While children often benefit immensely from a circle space, we are not insured to hold space for minors. We are currently working on a program called Ryan's Circle - named for a 13 year old who wanted to participate in our Green Circle. Stay tuned, as this program will take some time to build.