Daemen College : Academics & Research : Division of Health & Human Services : Social Work :
THE DAEMEN COLLEGE
SOCIAL WORK DEPARTMENT,
THE CENTER FOR VETERANS SERVICES
and
THE STUDENT VETERANS ALLIANCE (SVA)
HOSTS THE MONTHLY MEETING
OF
“THE LISTENING CIRCLE”
THE LAST WEDNESDAY OF EACH MONTH
6:30 PM
Daemen College
4380 Main Street
Rosary Hall
Why a Listening Circle for Military Veterans and their Families
When upsetting events happen in the world (such as war and terrorism), they arouse strong feelings in many of us--sadness, anger, fear, confusion, worry. We tend to carry these feelings around with us through the day. Such can be the case with many of our military warriors and their families who have known little more than the hectic, banal, adversarial or repressed communication modes typical of our mainstream culture.
The goal of the Listening Circle is to develop a “safe space” for all voices and cultivate understanding. The spirit of a Listening Circle is to acknowledge and honor the worth of all present. The Listening Circle can help participants to:
- develop and enhance relationships
- rebuild trust—person to person and member to the community
- develop and strengthen skills needed to discuss deeply held beliefs and values while staying committed to the group
As stated in the Listening Circle Report prepared for the Casey Foundation,
“Listening Circles give people the courage to drag the ugly into the open so that it may be made into something more beautiful. Listening Circles reflect the belief that we never are alone in our world. The world – no matter how it may treat us – can be enhanced or overcome by the unity of many people in whose love and commitment we abide.”1
The Listening Circle gives people a chance to say what they are thinking and feeling and helps engender mutual understanding and support among people. Please mark your calendars and share with your military families. For more information please contact Renee Daniel, Chair, Department of Social Work & Sociology at 839-8515 or rdaniel@daemen.edu
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1 Hill, Talmira (July 16-17, 2002). Listening Circle Report. Documents for Board Book, Retrieved 8/17/09, from http://www.caseygrants.org/documents/reports/listening_circle_report.pdf