Bring Your Authentic Self to Community

If you’re interested in creating a thriving intentional community, you probably already know about the importance of developing a shared governance model, decision making protocol, and interpersonal communication skills. But what about cultivating the most important components – the individuals who make up the community?

Individuals come together to co-create community, and the more authentic and connected each individual is to themselves and one another, the more creative, cohesive, and resilient the community will be. However, authentic self-expression can be difficult and feel vulnerable or scary. What if I’m misunderstood or judged? What if my truth creates confilct or jeopardizes my inclusion? What if I have inner conflict and don’t know what is honest to share? What if I’m not sure what I think, feel, need, value or want?

• What authenticity is and why it’s so important for cooperative, intentional communities
• The four main barriers to authentic expression
• How to nurture our own healing, growth and skillfulness for more authentic expression
• How to support and encourage others’ authentic expression and create a culture of curiosity, compassion, and collaboration
• Experiential practices drawing from Nonviolent Communication, Authentic Relating, and Internal Family Systems