Relational & Interpersonal

What is Council Circle?

Council Circle is a group contemplative practice in which participants sit in a circle and take turns speaking with a talking piece while listening deeply to one another, with contemplative silence held between speakers.

Indirect Evidence

Last Updated

4 Jul 2026

We are still reviewing this page. Our research team checks every technique page for accuracy and evidence quality before final release. Details may change as that review completes. The evidence badge shows our current reading of the published research.

RECOMMENDED DOSE

How Much Council Circle Practice Should You Do?

No direct dose-response literature exists for Council Circle Practice. This introductory dose is based on general conventions for facilitated group dialogue practices — a single short circle per week is enough to learn the format and build comfort with shared speaking and listening. No direct dose evidence; editorial synthesis.

No direct dose-response literature exists for this technique. A longer, slightly more frequent circle reflects common practice conventions once participants are familiar with the format, allowing deeper rounds of sharing. No direct dose evidence; editorial synthesis.

No direct dose-response literature exists for this technique. This maintenance-level dose reflects general conventions for established group practice and should be treated as a starting point only. No direct dose evidence; editorial synthesis.

Session length

Session length: 30–45 minutes

MIN

How long each individual practice session should last from start to finish.

Frequency

Frequency: 1 days

DAY

The number of days per week to fit a session into your routine.

Session length

Session length: 60 minutes

MIN

How long each individual practice session should last from start to finish.

Frequency

Frequency: 1–2 days

DAY

The number of days per week to fit a session into your routine.

Session length

Session length: 75–90 minutes

MIN

How long each individual practice session should last from start to finish.

Frequency

Frequency: 2 days

DAYS

The number of days per week to fit a session into your routine.

About this card. No direct dose-response literature exists for Council Circle Practice; these recommendations are based on general practice conventions for facilitated group dialogue and should be treated as starting points only. These recommendations are not a substitute for personalised guidance from a qualified practitioner.

Related Techniques to Council Circle Practice

Inner Advisor Visualization

Sharing Circle

Common questions about Council Circle Practice

Quick answers to what people most often ask. Each card links to the deeper section below.

evidence

What does the research say about Council Circle Practice?

Documented in teaching and organisational settings rather than clinical trials, Council Circle has no controlled studies measuring its effects on stress, mood, or calm. Accounts describe roots in Indigenous council traditions and use in classrooms and civil dialogue, where equal voice and confidentiality help groups speak openly. Reported benefits match its intent but remain formally unconfirmed.

good for

Who is Council Circle Practice good for?

People wanting honest connection, deeper listening, and a structured way to be heard may benefit from Council Circle, used mainly in schools, organisations, and retreat settings. It supports reflection and a sense of belonging, but is not a substitute for care when grief, trauma, addiction, or a mental-health crisis is acute.

safety

Is Council Circle Practice safe?

Most healthy adults find Council Circle low-risk with no reported physical hazards. Because it involves open speaking and close witnessing, it can surface strong feelings, including grief or raw memories. People in acute grief, trauma, addiction, or a mental-health crisis, and those pregnant or neurodivergent, should check with a facilitator or clinician first. Stepping back is always allowed.

how it works

How does Council Circle Practice work?

Council Circle works through the structure of the circle: a talking piece gives attention a single clear focus, turn-taking slows the pace, and listening from the heart keeps each person oriented toward the speaker. Research on related group practices, not council itself, suggests slow, attentive turn-taking can steady wandering attention and deepen empathic listening, though this remains unmeasured for council.

For clinicians, researchers, and curious readers

What's in a session?

How does it work?

What does it do to the body?

What is it used for?

What does the research say?

Where does it come from?

Is it safe?Who should practise with care?How to practise safely?

How does it compare?

What does a Council Circle Practice session involve?

Council Circle is a group contemplative practice in which people sit in a circle and take turns speaking with a talking piece, listening deeply to one another between shared silences.

Participants sit in a circle and pass a talking piece, a designated object that marks whose turn it is to speak. Four intentions guide each turn: speak from the heart, listen from the heart, be lean of expression, and be spontaneous. Only the person holding the piece speaks, and the circle holds silence between speakers, which sets a slow, deliberate pace. This structure folds deep listening, honest self-expression, and shared witnessing into a single container, and it has been adopted in schools, organisations, and retreat settings.

Council Circle is a contemplative listening-and-speaking practice, not group therapy, debate, or ordinary discussion, so there is no cross-talk, advice-giving, or responding to what others said. It is not a clinical treatment and does not replace therapy. Although it is browsed under meditation, it is a relational, group practice rather than a solitary one, and it differs from talking circles used purely for decision-making by emphasising contemplative silence and speaking from the heart over reaching an outcome.

Not to be confused with

Team Meetings or Facilitated Discussion

Council is not decision-making, brainstorming, or debate. No consensus is sought and no point is argued; each person's turn is witnessed rather than acted on or responded to.

Encounter Groups and T-Groups

Encounter groups deliberately provoke confrontation and direct interpersonal feedback. Council avoids cross-talk and confrontation entirely, so speakers are listened to in silence rather than challenged.

Twelve-Step and Recovery Sharing Meetings

Recovery meetings also use turn-taking and a no-cross-talk norm, but organize around a specific program and a shared focus on addiction, whereas council is theme-open and secular.

How does Council Circle Practice work?

Council Circle works through the structure of the circle itself: the talking piece gives attention a single clear focus, turn-taking slows the pace, and the instruction to listen from the heart keeps each person oriented toward whoever is speaking. Research on related contemplative and group practices, not Council Circle specifically, suggests that this kind of slow, attentive turn-taking can steady wandering attention and deepen empathic listening, the felt sense of really getting what another person means. How much of this holds for council itself has not been measured directly.

What does Council Circle Practice do to the body?

No study has measured what Council Circle does inside the body, so anything described here is inferred from similar practices rather than observed in council. In slow, silence-punctuated group practices, the body often shifts toward its rest-and-recovery mode, which can feel like a slower breath, a looser jaw, and shoulders that drop as the sense of being on guard fades. Whether council produces the same changes remains untested, so this settling may show up for some people and not for others.

What is Council Circle Practice used for?

Emerging, source-context evidence is what supports Council Circle today. The practice is well documented in teaching and organisational settings as a way to support deep listening, equal voice, and a felt sense of being heard, but these accounts describe use and experience rather than measured clinical outcomes. What participants most often report is feeling calmer, more connected, and more willing to speak openly. Not yet supported is any controlled trial, any measured effect on anxiety, mood, or the body's stress response, or any claim that council treats or replaces care for a diagnosed condition.

What does the research say about Council Circle Practice?

Council Circle is documented in teaching and organisational writing, not in clinical trials, so the honest picture is early and descriptive. The main accounts describe its roots in Indigenous council traditions and its use in classrooms, civil dialogue, and culturally responsive evaluation, where equal voice and confidentiality help a group feel safe enough to speak openly. No controlled studies, the kind that would test the practice against a comparison group, have yet measured its effects on stress, mood, or the body's sense of calm, so what people report matches the practice's intent but has not been formally confirmed.

The biggest limitation is straightforward: Council Circle has not been tested in controlled trials, so its benefits come from tradition and teaching settings rather than from measurement. Ideas about how it might calm the body or deepen empathy are borrowed from research on similar contemplative and group practices, not from studies of council itself, so these effects may appear for some people and not others. It can support connection and reflection, and it is not a replacement for care when distress feels severe.

Read the full reference list

Where does Council Circle Practice come from?

Council Circle draws on Indigenous council traditions and was adapted for contemporary secular use by teachers associated with The Way of Council at the Ojai Foundation, notably Jack Zimmerman and Virginia Coyle. These roots help explain the practice's form, the circle, the talking piece, and the four intentions to speak and listen from the heart, be lean of expression, and be spontaneous, rather than proving any clinical effect. The lineage shapes how a circle feels and holds together, not what it can be shown to treat.

Is Council Circle Practice safe?

For most healthy adults, Council Circle is a low-risk practice with no reported physical hazards. Because it asks people to speak openly and be closely witnessed, it can bring strong feelings to the surface, including grief or raw memories that may leave you unexpectedly tearful or on edge during or after a circle. This caution is practice-informed and drawn from how the practice works, not something measured in trials, because no study has yet examined its safety or adverse effects. Council Circle is not a substitute for trauma therapy or clinical care, and stepping back, staying quiet, or leaving the circle is always allowed.

Who should practise with care?

People moving through acute grief, active trauma, addiction, or a mental-health crisis are best checking with a facilitator or clinician before joining, because open expression and deep witnessing can stir up more than expected. This is a moderate, mechanism-inferred caution drawn from the practice's emotional-release process rather than from safety data. The same applies during pregnancy and the perinatal period, and for neurodivergent participants who may find open-ended group settings taxing, and because no safety research exists for these groups specifically, extra care is warranted. Anyone already in treatment is best served using Council Circle alongside professional support, not in place of it.

Strong feelings may surface

lowpractice-informed

Because Council Circle asks people to speak openly and be closely witnessed, it can bring strong feelings to the surface, including grief or raw memories that may leave you unexpectedly tearful or on edge during or after a circle. This caution is practice-informed and drawn from how the practice works, not measured in trials, since no study has yet examined its safety or adverse effects. You always keep the right to pass, stay quiet, or leave the circle.

Acute grief, trauma, addiction, or a mental-health crisis

lowpractice-informed

How does Council Circle Practice compare to similar techniques?

Technique	Best for	Use with care	Evidence strength	Distinction
Restorative Justice Circles	Repairing relationships after a specific conflict, harm, or rule-breaking in schools, workplaces, or justice settings.	If you want reflective listening rather than to address a specific incident, a restorative format can feel unnecessarily problem-focused.	EVIDENCE	Both seat participants in a circle and pass a talking piece so one person speaks at a time. Restorative circles convene around a specific harm or conflict and work toward accountability and repair, whereas Council Circle is an open contemplative container for shared listening and self-expression with no problem to resolve.
Group Psychotherapy and Process Groups	Treating diagnosed mental-health conditions with a licensed clinician and a structured therapeutic method.	Council Circle is not a substitute for therapy; when you are managing acute distress, choose clinical group treatment over a peer circle.

Glossary

Talking piece

A designated object passed around the circle; whoever holds it has the right and responsibility to speak while everyone else listens. It sets the circle's slow, one-voice-at-a-time rhythm.

Council (The Way of Council)

The contemporary secular form of circle practice formalized by teachers associated with the Ojai Foundation, drawing on Indigenous council traditions.

The four intentions

The guiding instructions of a council: speak from the heart, listen from the heart, be lean of expression, and be spontaneous.

Non-cross-talk

A ground rule that participants do not interrupt, advise, respond to, or debate what a speaker shares. Each turn is witnessed rather than answered, which is part of what helps the circle feel safe to speak in.

Deep listening

Attending fully to a speaker without planning a reply, sensing the meaning and feeling underneath their words rather than just the content.

Relational attunement

Sensing and resonating with another person's inner state through sustained attention to their words, tone, and presence. It tends to feel like deeply getting someone or sensing their inner world.

Empathic attunement engaging the mentalizing network (medial PFC, temporoparietal junction, temporal poles) and mirror-neuron system.

Affective release

Emotions becoming more accessible and expressed once avoidance or suppression eases, often felt as relief or lightness after putting a feeling into words.

Emotional catharsis and affect expression, associated in source material with reduced prefrontal inhibition of limbic structures and autonomic discharge.

Observer perspective

Stepping back to watch your own thoughts and feelings from a slight distance rather than being fully immersed in them, so experience can be noticed as it arises.

Full References

[1]systematic review

MacKinnon Karen, Marcellus Lenora, Rivers Julie, Gordon Carol, Ryan Maureen, Butcher Diane (2015). Student and educator experiences of maternal-child simulation-based learning: a systematic review of qualitative evidence protocol.. https://doi.org/10.11124/jbisrir-2015-1694

DOI: 10.11124/jbisrir-2015-1694

Cited in: –

[2]systematic review

Rees Sally, Williams Anne (2009). Promoting and supporting self-management for adults living in the community with physical chronic illness: A systematic review of the effectiveness and meaningfulness of the patient-practitioner encounter.. https://doi.org/10.11124/01938924-200907130-00001

DOI: 10.11124/01938924-200907130-00001

Cited in: –

Pregnancy and the perinatal period

lowpractice-informed

Extra care is warranted during pregnancy and the perinatal period, when open expression and deep witnessing can stir up more feeling than expected. No safety research exists for this group specifically, so this caution is precautionary rather than measured. Coordinate with a facilitator or clinician if you are unsure whether a circle is a good fit right now.

Neurodivergent participants

lowpractice-informed

Neurodivergent participants may find open-ended group settings taxing, so it helps to know the format in advance and to use the right to pass or step out freely. This caution is drawn from how the practice works rather than from safety data, and no research has looked at council for this group specifically.

Not a substitute for clinical care

lowpractice-informed

Council Circle is not a substitute for trauma therapy or clinical care. When grief, trauma, addiction, or a mental-health crisis is acute, use council alongside professional support rather than in place of it, and arrange that support in advance so the circle sits beside your care.

How to practise safely?

Council Circle is best approached in a space held by an experienced facilitator who sets clear intentions and can steady the group when strong feelings surface. A sensible starting format is a circle that names its norms up front and honors your freedom to speak only from what feels steady, to stay quiet, or to step away at any point. Because open expression can leave you tender afterward, it helps to treat this as a practice that sits alongside your wider care rather than in place of it.

Join a facilitated circle

Look for a circle held by an experienced facilitator who sets clear intentions and can steady the group when strong emotion arises, rather than an informal gathering with no one holding the space.

Learn the ground rules first

Before you begin, make sure the circle names its norms of confidentiality, non-cross-talk, and the right to pass. These norms hold only as far as the group honors them, so weigh that before you share anything sensitive.

Share within your own window

Speak only from what feels steady to disclose in the moment. Being lean of expression is part of the practice, so there is no need to reach for your rawest material to take part fully.

Use the right to pass

If you feel flooded or would rather listen, hold the talking piece in silence or hand it on. Staying quiet or stepping out of the room is a legitimate choice, not a failure to participate.

Arrange support in advance if you are vulnerable

If you are managing grief, trauma, addiction, or a mental-health condition, coordinate with a clinician or the facilitator beforehand so the circle sits alongside your care rather than replacing it.

Tend to yourself afterward

Notice whether you feel activated, tearful, or raw once the circle closes, and give yourself unhurried time to settle. If difficult material lingers, reach out to a trusted person or a professional.

Medical Disclaimer

This information is educational and is not medical advice. This practice is not a substitute for professional care and should not replace prescribed medication or treatment for any medical or mental-health condition. If you are managing a health condition or taking medication, talk with a qualified health professional before changing your practice. If you are in distress or crisis, seek professional support.

Is there any research proving Council Circle works?

No. No controlled trials or direct studies have tested whether Council Circle works, so its benefits are best understood as emerging and traditional rather than proven. It is documented in teaching and organisational settings and draws on Indigenous council lineage, but no measured effects on anxiety, mood, or stress physiology exist.

No. The evidence is early and descriptive. Council Circle is documented in teaching, organisational, and Indigenous-lineage sources rather than in clinical trials, and no study has directly measured its effects on stress, mood, or the body's sense of calm. Ideas about how it might settle the body or deepen empathy are borrowed from research on adjacent contemplative and group practices, not from council itself, so this remains source-context evidence rather than efficacy proof. It may support connection and reflection, but it is not a treatment for any diagnosed condition and does not substitute for clinical care.

Can Council Circle help with anxiety or low mood?

Not as a treatment. No controlled studies have measured whether Council Circle reduces anxiety or low mood, so it can't be framed as a credible intervention for either. Participants often describe feeling calmer and more connected, but that is experience rather than a measured clinical outcome, and it is not a substitute for professional care when anxiety or depression is significant.

Not as a treatment. Council Circle is a group practice of turn-taking, speaking, and deep listening, and no controlled trials have tested its effect on anxiety or depressive symptoms, so any benefit here is suggestive, not confirmed. In teaching and group settings people often report feeling calmer, more connected, and more willing to speak openly, but these are experiential accounts rather than measured mood or anxiety outcomes. If anxiety or low mood is significant, treat council as possible support for connection alongside professional care, not a replacement for it.

Why does being in a council circle make people feel genuinely heard?

Largely because of its structure. The talking piece keeps attention on one speaker at a time, the non-cross-talk rule removes interruption and advice-giving, and the instruction to listen from the heart orients everyone toward the speaker's meaning. This rationale is inferred from adjacent contemplative and group research, not measured in Council Circle itself.

Largely because of how the circle is built. The talking piece keeps only one person speaking while others listen, and a non-cross-talk norm means each turn is witnessed rather than answered, debated, or advised on. The instruction to listen from the heart directs attention toward empathic attunement, sensing what a speaker actually means. Together these design features plausibly create the felt sense of being heard, but this account is drawn from research on related contemplative and group practices and from the practice's own design, not from any study of council, so it reads as a reasonable mechanism rather than a proven outcome.

Can sitting in a council circle actually calm your body down?

Possibly, but this hasn't been measured in council itself. The slow, silence-punctuated pace may shift the body toward its rest-and-recovery mode, a slower breath, looser jaw, dropped shoulders, an effect inferred from similar contemplative and group practices rather than observed in council. Some people notice this settling; others may not.

Possibly, though it hasn't been measured in council itself. No study has recorded what a council circle does inside the body, so any physical calming is inferred from adjacent slow, turn-taking, silence-punctuated practices. In those related practices, the pacing can shift physiology toward parasympathetic activation, the body's rest-and-recovery branch, which tends to feel like easier breathing and less muscular tension. Whether council produces the same measurable changes in heart rate, heart-rate variability, or stress hormones is untested, so treat this as a plausible mechanism, not a confirmed physical effect.

Is Council Circle safe if I'm grieving or carrying trauma?

Use care. Council Circle is generally low-risk, but open sharing and being closely witnessed can surface grief or raw memories, so if you are in acute grief or active trauma, check with a facilitator or clinician first and use it alongside care, not instead of it. This caution is precautionary and drawn from how the practice works, not from safety studies.

Use care. No trial has measured Council Circle's safety for grieving or trauma-affected participants, so this caution comes from the practice's emotional-release process rather than from data. Speaking openly and being witnessed can bring strong feelings closer to the surface, so anyone moving through acute grief or active trauma is best coordinating with a facilitator or clinician beforehand, and council is not a substitute for trauma therapy. You always keep the right to pass, stay quiet, or leave the circle.

What if I get emotional or overwhelmed during a circle?

You always have options. If strong feelings come up, you can pass the talking piece, stay quiet, step back, or leave the room, and a facilitator can help steady the group. This is a practice-informed caution, not a tested finding, and Council Circle is not a substitute for trauma therapy or clinical care.

You always have options. Speaking openly and being closely witnessed can bring grief, raw memories, or strong emotion to the surface, so the practice builds in the right to pass, the freedom to stay silent, and permission to step back or leave at any point. A facilitator can help hold the space if things feel like too much, and giving yourself unhurried time to settle afterward matters. No study has examined the practice's safety or emotional-overwhelm outcomes, so this guidance is practice-informed rather than trial-tested, and it does not replace trauma therapy or clinical care.

How do I find and join a good council circle?

Look for a circle held by an experienced facilitator who sets clear intentions and names the ground rules, confidentiality, non-cross-talk, and the right to pass, before anyone shares. Share only what feels steady to disclose, and if you are managing acute distress, arrange clinical support first.

Start with a facilitated circle rather than an informal gathering, since an experienced facilitator can set intentions and steady the group if strong emotion arises. Confirm that the circle names its norms of confidentiality, non-cross-talk, and the right to pass before you share anything sensitive, and speak only from what feels steady in the moment, being lean of expression is part of the practice. If you are moving through grief, trauma, addiction, or a mental-health condition, coordinate with a clinician or facilitator beforehand so the circle sits alongside your care. This is practical, practice-informed guidance drawn from how council is taught, not a substitute for therapy.

What's the difference between a Council Circle and group therapy?

They serve different purposes. Group therapy is clinical treatment led by a licensed therapist who intervenes and works toward diagnosed goals, while a Council Circle is a peer contemplative practice where a facilitator holds the structure but does not treat. Council is not a substitute for therapy, especially during acute distress.

They serve different purposes. In group psychotherapy a trained clinician actively interprets, intervenes, and works toward specific treatment goals for diagnosed conditions. In a Council Circle, participants take turns speaking with a talking piece and listen deeply while a facilitator holds the structure, cross-talk and analysis are set aside in favour of witnessing each speaker in turn. Council can offer deep listening, a sense of being heard, and connection, but it is not clinical care and should sit alongside professional support rather than replace it when distress feels severe.

Witnessing awareness and metacognitive distancing.

Attentional anchoring

Steadying attention on a clear focus, here the talking piece and whose turn it is, which helps reduce mind-wandering and stay present moment to moment.

Focused attention and attentional selection.

Parasympathetic activation

Increased activity in the body's rest-and-recovery branch, usually felt as settling, less muscular tension, and easier, slower breathing.

Vagally mediated parasympathetic dominance, associated with lower heart rate and higher heart-rate variability.

[3]systematic review

Eddy Kylie, Jordan Zoe, Stephenson Matthew (2016). Health professionals' experience of teamwork education in acute hospital settings: a systematic review of qualitative literature.. https://doi.org/10.11124/jbisrir-2016-1843

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[4]other peer reviewed

Allen Davina, Rixson Laura (2008). How has the impact of 'care pathway technologies' on service integration in stroke care been measured and what is the strength of the evidence to support their effectiveness in this respect?. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-1609.2007.00098.x

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[5]other peer reviewed

Aaron I. Vinik, Eugene A. Woltering, Richard R.P. Warner, Martyn Caplin, Thomas M. O’Dorisio, Gregory A. Wiseman (2010). NANETS Consensus Guidelines for the Diagnosis of Neuroendocrine Tumor. https://doi.org/10.1097/mpa.0b013e3181ebaffd

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[6]systematic review

Allen Davina, Gillen Elizabeth, Rixson Laura (2009). The Effectiveness of Integrated Care Pathways for Adults and Children in Health Care Settings: A Systematic Review.. https://doi.org/10.11124/01938924-200907030-00001

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[7]other peer reviewed

D. Maciver, Cathleen Hunter, Lorna Johnston, Kirsty Forsyth (2021). Using Stakeholder Involvement, Expert Knowledge and Naturalistic Implementation to Co-Design a Complex Intervention to Support Children’s Inclusion and Participation in Schools: The CIRCLE Framework. https://doi.org/10.3390/children8030217

DOI: 10.3390/children8030217

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[8]other peer reviewed

Sarah Booth, Helen Pope, Katriona Hawthorne (2022). Supporting Primary 2 teachers through consultation and engagement with the CIRCLE framework for inclusive practice, in a post-Covid-19 context. https://doi.org/10.53841/bpsepis.2022.22.1.61

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[9]other peer reviewed

Donald Maciver, Marion Rutherford, Lorna Johnston, Eleanor Curnow, Marie Boilson, Mairéad Murray (2023). An interdisciplinary nationwide complex intervention for lifespan neurodevelopmental service development: Underpinning principles and realist programme theory. https://doi.org/10.3389/fresc.2022.1060596

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[10]other peer reviewed

Miriam Crowe, Donald Maciver, Robert Rush, Kirsty Forsyth (2020). Psychometric Evaluation of the ACHIEVE Assessment. https://doi.org/10.3389/fped.2020.00245

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[11]other peer reviewed

Garvey W Timothy, Mechanick Jeffrey I, Brett Elise M, Garber Alan J, Hurley Daniel L, Jastreboff Ania M (2016). AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF CLINICAL ENDOCRINOLOGISTS AND AMERICAN COLLEGE OF ENDOCRINOLOGY COMPREHENSIVE CLINICAL PRACTICE GUIDELINES FOR MEDICAL CARE OF PATIENTS WITH OBESITY.. https://doi.org/10.4158/ep161365.gl

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[12]other peer reviewed

Lorna Johnston, Donald Maciver, Marion Rutherford, Anna Gray, Eleanor Curnow, Izy Utley (2024). A brief neuro-affirming resource to support school absences for autistic learners: development and program description. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2024.1358354

DOI: 10.3389/feduc.2024.1358354

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[13]other peer reviewed

Donald Maciver, Cathleen Hunter, Amanda Adamson, Zoe Grayson, Kirsty Forsyth, Iona McLeod (2017). Supporting successful inclusive practices for learners with disabilities in high schools: a multisite, mixed method collective case study. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2017.1306586

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[14]other peer reviewed

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[15]other peer reviewed

Donald Maciver, Vaibhav Tyagi, Lorna Johnston, Jessica M. Kramer, Janet Richmond, Liliya Todorova (2022). Psychometric properties of the School Participation Questionnaire: Testing a measure of participation‐related constructs. https://doi.org/10.1111/dmcn.15146

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[16]meta analysis

Mary A. Bitta, Symon M. Kariuki, Amina Abubakar, Charles R. Newton (2017). Burden of neurodevelopmental disorders in low and middle-income countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis. https://doi.org/10.12688/wellcomeopenres.13540.1

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[17]other peer reviewed

Benjamin Zablotsky, Lindsey I Black, Matthew J. Maenner, Laura A. Schieve, Melissa L. Danielson, Rebecca H. Bitsko (2019). Prevalence and Trends of Developmental Disabilities among Children in the United States: 2009–2017. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2019-0811

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[18]systematic review

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[19]other peer reviewed

Hamdani Syed Usman, Huma Zill-E-, Suleman Nadia, Warraitch Azza, Muzzafar Naila, Farzeen Midhat (2021). Scaling-up school mental health services in low resource public schools of rural Pakistan: the Theory of Change (ToC) approach.. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13033-021-00435-5

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[20]other peer reviewed

Jennifer McAnuff, Jenny L. Gibson, Rob Webster, Kulwinder Kaur-Bola, Sarah Crombie, Aimee Grayston (2022). School-based allied health interventions for children and young people affected by neurodisability: a systematic evidence map. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2022.2059113

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[21]other peer reviewed

Miller Jennifer, Bryant Maclean Leslie, Coward Patricia, Broemeling Anne-Marie (2009). Developing strategies to enhance health services research capacity in a predominantly rural Canadian health authority..

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[22]other peer reviewed

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[23]other peer reviewed

Sungeun Kang, Karen Burkett, Shivali Sarawgi, Jenna Ruberg, Jamisen Paustian, Debra L. Reisinger (2026). Regulating Together: Caregivers’ experiences in a shared journey through an emotion dysregulation intervention for autistic youth. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2026.105317

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[24]other peer reviewed

Tavender Emma J, Bosch Marije, Gruen Russell L, Green Sally E, Michie Susan, Brennan Sue E (2015). Developing a targeted, theory-informed implementation intervention using two theoretical frameworks to address health professional and organisational factors: a case study to improve the management of mild traumatic brain injury in the emergency department.. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13012-015-0264-7

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Cited in: –

[25]other peer reviewed

Donald Maciver, Marion Rutherford, Lorna Johnston, Anusua Singh Roy (2023). Prevalence of neurodevelopmental differences and autism in Scottish primary schools 2018–2022. https://doi.org/10.1002/aur.3063

DOI: 10.1002/aur.3063

Cited in: –

[26]other peer reviewed

Andreas Lachner, Leonie Sibley, Salome Wagner (2024). Practice Recommendations or Not? The LoGeT Model as Empirical Approach to Generate Localized, Generalized, and Transferable Evidence. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-024-09876-z

DOI: 10.1007/s10648-024-09876-z

Cited in: –

[27]other peer reviewed

Schelvis Roosmarijn M C, Wiezer Noortje M, Blatter Birgitte M, van Genabeek Joost A G M, Oude Hengel Karen M, Bohlmeijer Ernst T (2016). Evaluating the implementation process of a participatory organizational level occupational health intervention in schools.. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-016-3869-0

DOI: 10.1186/s12889-016-3869-0

Cited in: –

[28]other peer reviewed

Ritzel Katrin, Beuschlein Felix, Berr Christina, Osswald Andrea, Reisch Nicole, Bidlingmaier Martin (2015). ACTH after 15 min distinguishes between Cushing's disease and ectopic Cushing's syndrome: a proposal for a short and simple CRH test.. https://doi.org/10.1530/eje-14-0912

DOI: 10.1530/eje-14-0912

Cited in: –

[29]other peer reviewed

Donald Maciver, Anusua Singh Roy, Lorna Johnston, Vaibhav Tyagi, Stella Arakelyan, Jessica M. Kramer (2022). Participation‐related constructs and participation of children with additional support needs in schools. https://doi.org/10.1111/dmcn.15390

DOI: 10.1111/dmcn.15390

Cited in: –

[30]other peer reviewed

Brahm Norwich (2016). Conceptualizing Special Educational Needs Using a Biopsychosocial Model in England: The Prospects and Challenges of Using the International Classification of Functioning Framework. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2016.00005

DOI: 10.3389/feduc.2016.00005

Cited in: –

[31]other peer reviewed

Ronell Victor Samudio (2025). Assessment of Alternative Delivery Mode Implementation and Practices in Selected Secondary Schools in The Division of Rizal: Input for Development Framework. https://doi.org/10.70838/pemj.430607

DOI: 10.70838/pemj.430607

Cited in: –

[32]other peer reviewed

Gándara Gutiérrez Carmen, Saavedra Vásquez Mario Alfredo, Pascual-Corrales Eider, Rodríguez Berrocal Víctor, Luque-Ramírez Manuel, Araujo-Castro Marta (2025). Differences in clinical, hormonal and radiological profile between Cushing's disease and ectopic Cushing's syndrome. Series of 37 cases.. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ando.2025.101802

DOI: 10.1016/j.ando.2025.101802

Cited in: –

[33]other peer reviewed

Bonell Chris, Fletcher Adam, Fitzgerald-Yau Natasha, Hale Daniel, Allen Elizabeth, Elbourne Diana (2015). Initiating change locally in bullying and aggression through the school environment (INCLUSIVE): a pilot randomised controlled trial.. https://doi.org/10.3310/hta19530

DOI: 10.3310/hta19530

Cited in: –

[34]other peer reviewed

Eichhorn C, Bodner L, Liebl S, Scholz U, Wozniak D, Möstl M (2012). [BEO'S - physical activity and healthy eating at schools in Oberfranken, Bavaria concept and first results of a resource-oriented, systemic approach in school-based health promotion].. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0031-1275708

DOI: 10.1055/s-0031-1275708

Cited in: –

[35]randomized controlled trial

Baker-Henningham H, Walker S (2009). A qualitative study of teacher's perceptions of an intervention to prevent conduct problems in Jamaican pre-schools.. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2214.2009.00996.x

DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2214.2009.00996.x

Cited in: –

[36]other peer reviewed

S. R. Bornstein, B. Allolio, W. Arlt, A. Barthel, A. Don-Wauchope, G. Hammer (2016). Diagnosis and Treatment of Primary Adrenal Insufficiency: An Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guideline.. https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.2015-1710

DOI: 10.1210/jc.2015-1710

Cited in: –

[37]other peer reviewed

Martin Faßnacht, Stylianos Tsagarakis, Massimo Terzolo, Antoine Tabarin, Anju Sahdev, John Newell‐Price (2023). European Society of Endocrinology clinical practice guidelines on the management of adrenal incidentalomas, in collaboration with the European Network for the Study of Adrenal Tumors. https://doi.org/10.1093/ejendo/lvad066

DOI: 10.1093/ejendo/lvad066

Cited in: –

[38]other peer reviewed

Emily Davey, Sophie Bennett, Rachel Bryant‐Waugh, Nadia Micali, Roz Shafran (2024). A novel methodology to develop low‐intensity psychological treatments. https://doi.org/10.1002/mhs2.91

DOI: 10.1002/mhs2.91

Cited in: –

[39]other peer reviewed

Gaihre Santosh, Kyle Janet, Semple Sean, Smith Jo, Marais Debbi, Subedi Madhu (2019). Bridging barriers to advance multisector approaches to improve food security, nutrition and population health in Nepal: transdisciplinary perspectives.. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-7204-4

DOI: 10.1186/s12889-019-7204-4

Cited in: –

[40]other peer reviewed

Marion Rutherford, Donald Maciver, Lorna Johnston, Susan Prior, Kirsty Forsyth (2021). Development of a Pathway for Multidisciplinary Neurodevelopmental Assessment and Diagnosis in Children and Young People. https://doi.org/10.3390/children8111033

DOI: 10.3390/children8111033

Cited in: –

[41]other peer reviewed

Soll Roger F, Ovelman Colleen, McGuire William (2020). The future of Cochrane Neonatal.. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2020.105191

DOI: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2020.105191

Cited in: –

[42]other peer reviewed

Laycock Alison, Harvey Gillian, Percival Nikki, Cunningham Frances, Bailie Jodie, Matthews Veronica (2018). Application of the i-PARIHS framework for enhancing understanding of interactive dissemination to achieve wide-scale improvement in Indigenous primary healthcare.. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12961-018-0392-z

DOI: 10.1186/s12961-018-0392-z

Cited in: –

[43]other peer reviewed

Dana Erickson, Neena Natt, Todd B. Nippoldt, William F. Young, Paul C. Carpenter, Tanya M. Petterson (2007). Dexamethasone-Suppressed Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone Stimulation Test for Diagnosis of Mild Hypercortisolism. https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.2006-2662

DOI: 10.1210/jc.2006-2662

Cited in: –

[44]other peer reviewed

Donald Maciver, Cathleen Hunter, Amanda Adamson, Zoe Grayson, Kirsty Forsyth, Iona McLeod (2019). Development and Implementation of the CIRCLE Framework. https://doi.org/10.1080/1034912x.2019.1628185

DOI: 10.1080/1034912x.2019.1628185

Cited in: –

[45]meta analysis

Aziz A. Alkatib, Mihaela Cosma, Mohamed B. Elamin, Dana Erickson, Brian A. Swiglo, Patricia J. Erwin (2009). A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trials of DHEA Treatment Effects on Quality of Life in Women with Adrenal Insufficiency. https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.2009-0672

DOI: 10.1210/jc.2009-0672

Cited in: –

[46]other peer reviewed

McKean Cristina, Watson Rose, Charlton Jenna, Roulstone Sue, Holme Caitlin, Gilroy Victoria (2022). 'Making the most of together time': development of a Health Visitor-led intervention to support children's early language and communication development at the 2-2½-year-old review.. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40814-022-00978-5

DOI: 10.1186/s40814-022-00978-5

Cited in: –

[47]other peer reviewed

Daly-Smith Andy, Quarmby Thomas, Archbold Victoria S J, Routen Ash C, Morris Jade L, Gammon Catherine (2020). Implementing physically active learning: Future directions for research, policy, and practice.. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jshs.2019.05.007

DOI: 10.1016/j.jshs.2019.05.007

Cited in: –

[48]other peer reviewed

Menichetti Julia, Pitacco Giuliana, Graffigna Guendalina (2019). Exploring the early-stage implementation of a patient engagement support intervention in an integrated-care context-A qualitative study of a participatory process.. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.14706

DOI: 10.1111/jocn.14706

Cited in: –

[49]other peer reviewed

Valaitis Ruta, Longaphy Jennifer, Ploeg Jenny, Agarwal Gina, Oliver Doug, Nair Kalpana (2019). Health TAPESTRY: co-designing interprofessional primary care programs for older adults using the persona-scenario method.. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12875-019-1013-9

DOI: 10.1186/s12875-019-1013-9

Cited in: –

[50]randomized controlled trial

Gould Gillian S, Bovill Michelle, Pollock Lauren, Bonevski Billie, Gruppetta Maree, Atkins Lou (2019). Feasibility and acceptability of Indigenous Counselling and Nicotine (ICAN) QUIT in Pregnancy multicomponent implementation intervention and study design for Australian Indigenous pregnant women: A pilot cluster randomised step-wedge trial.. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2018.10.036

DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2018.10.036

Cited in: –

More Council Circle Practice in Insight Timer

Editorially curated. Tracks are not themselves clinically studied; evidence on the page applies to Council Circle Practice as a technique.

Talks

14 min

Day 10: Uncovering Intellectual Mysteries

Pooh And The Blustery Day: A Winnie-The-Pooh Bedtime Story

Dan Jones

Council Circle Practice Tracks & Video

Explore guided sessions to deepen your Council Circle Practice technique.

4.9

Talks

21 min

Pooh And The Blustery Day: A Winnie-The-Pooh Bedtime Story

Dan Jones

Talks

14 min

Day 10: Uncovering Intellectual Mysteries

Sensei Paul David

Explore Council Circle Practice

Council Circle Practice effort level

How hard is Council Circle Practice?

Moderate

You sit in a circle and take turns holding a talking piece, speaking honestly when it reaches you and listening without interrupting the rest of the time.

Mental Effort

3 / 4

▾

Emotional Depth

3 / 4

▾

Physical Intensity

2 / 4

▾

Prior Knowledge

3 / 4

▾

Popular Search

Orientation

What is Council Circle?

How Much Council Circle Practice Should You Do?

Related Techniques to Council Circle Practice

Common questions about Council Circle Practice

What does the research say about Council Circle Practice?

Who is Council Circle Practice good for?

Is Council Circle Practice safe?

How does Council Circle Practice work?

For clinicians, researchers, and curious readers

What does a Council Circle Practice session involve?

How does Council Circle Practice work?

What does Council Circle Practice do to the body?

What is Council Circle Practice used for?

What does the research say about Council Circle Practice?

Where does Council Circle Practice come from?

Is Council Circle Practice safe?

Who should practise with care?

Strong feelings may surface

Acute grief, trauma, addiction, or a mental-health crisis

How does Council Circle Practice compare to similar techniques?

Other questions readers ask

What actually happens in a Council Circle?

What is the talking piece for in a council circle?

Glossary

Talking piece

Council (The Way of Council)

The four intentions

Non-cross-talk

Deep listening

Relational attunement

Affective release

Observer perspective

Full References

Pregnancy and the perinatal period

Neurodivergent participants

Not a substitute for clinical care

How to practise safely?

Join a facilitated circle

Learn the ground rules first

Share within your own window

Use the right to pass

Arrange support in advance if you are vulnerable

Tend to yourself afterward

Medical Disclaimer

Is there any research proving Council Circle works?

Can Council Circle help with anxiety or low mood?

Why does being in a council circle make people feel genuinely heard?

Can sitting in a council circle actually calm your body down?

Is Council Circle safe if I'm grieving or carrying trauma?

What if I get emotional or overwhelmed during a circle?

How do I find and join a good council circle?

What's the difference between a Council Circle and group therapy?

Attentional anchoring

Parasympathetic activation

More Council Circle Practice in Insight Timer

Day 10: Uncovering Intellectual Mysteries

Pooh And The Blustery Day: A Winnie-The-Pooh Bedtime Story

Council Circle Practice Tracks & Video

Pooh And The Blustery Day: A Winnie-The-Pooh Bedtime Story

Day 10: Uncovering Intellectual Mysteries

Explore Council Circle Practice

Council Circle Practice effort level

Moderate