In circles, we start to cultivate fierce compassion for ourselves and for others as we learn to fully embrace, embody and express our truest nature…
… even in the presence of others
Compassion Circles are for women craving deeper connection, spirituality and presence and who are ready to receive a whole lot more beauty and joy into their everyday lives.
Join us each month in sacred circle as we anchor our bodies and calm our minds through deeply nourishing embodiment practices, movement, music, creative expression, depth enquiry, sharing and gentle therapeutic touch.
Only 12 spots available at each circle.
WHEN WE ARE HELD, WE CAN LET GO ~ Berns Galloway
In circle we practice
Compassionate Presence
… the act of being present and supportive emotionally, spiritually and socially for ourselves and for those who are hurting – whether we have the answers or not.
Compassionate Presence teaches us how to anchor into the present moment, turn towards ourselves with compassion and at the same time, hold space for others.
Compassion Circles are held each month and will support you to …
Turn toward yourself with fierce compassion and unwavering kindsight.
Realise you can absolutely enjoy soulful solitude AND loving relationships.
Acknowledge and access the beauty, power and wisdom that lies within you.
Gently tend to the very foundation of your need for a sense of safety and belonging.
Accept yourself exactly as you are as you learn to fully embody your true nature.
Hold loving space for yourself and each other to repair developmental ruptures.
Strengthen your nervous system and feel resilient in your body and mind.
Practice connecting and relating with others on the same healing path.
Realise you are absolutely WORTHY and DESERVING of all of that.
“Carissa has such a beautiful way of supporting each and every person present. I usually find it hard to share my vulnerabilities with anyone, let alone a group of people but each time we did, she validated our feelings so warmly and with such educated preparedness. Thank you, Carissa.”
~ Janita ~
When we learn to tend to our own needs we open our heart and start to clear the way for
deep, authentic connections
to enter our life… When we learn to hold space for others and allow ourselves to be held, we can start to heal.
In Circle, we are finally seen, held, heard and deeply witnessed
MEDITATION
Embodied Meditative enquiry – connecting with our heart, body, mind.
MOVEMENT
Softening our bodies through movement and the joyful celebration of dance.
TOUCH
Therapeutic Touch practices – correcting and balancing our energy field through touch.
REFLECTION
Reflective wisdom practices – developing our inner knowing to connect with our deepest wisdom.
RESTORATION
Restorative practices and deep body rest – switch off the stress response and reset the settling response of the body.
RITUALS
Coming together in ritual – inviting the oldest knowing to come forward.
SENSING
Somatic Psychotherapy practices – develop our somatic (body) intelligence – come back to the body and senses.
BEAUTY
Inviting Beauty in so the soul can heal. Beauty in the space, beauty in the heart.
KINDSIGHT
Developing deep insight and kindness not just for others but for ourselves….
Compassion Circle  details:
When: Circles are held from 5-8pm monthly
Where: Bundaberg – to be advised upon booking
Facilitator: Carissa Rodgers
Cost: $125 per circle
What to Wear:Â Your comfort is the number one priority. As a guide, soft, comfy, layers are a good option but you can dress in whateverfeels good for you.
What to Bring: Your journal, a pen and a water bottle.
There is a maximum of 12 women each circle and preparations are required so please book your spot as soon as possible.
Contact Carissa for further info here.
Here’s what past circle participants had to say…
“I felt part of something sacred and ancient, something that transcended.
The concept of arriving open-hearted to a circle of women, majority of whom I’d never met, was very uncomfortable for me. Yet, as I entered the beautiful cosy space and met the wonderful people present, I was soon at ease. The night flowed effortlessly and I was in awe of the true power emitting from the sacred circle in that room. The exercises were simple, at times challenging but greatly rewarding as the light seeped into the space created through our collective surrender. Leaving the circle, I felt as though I had been showered in gifts of true connection, sacred opportunity, rewarding release, weightless healing, unconditional love and mutual respect. The Sacred Heart experience is one I know I’ll cherish and I’m already looking forward to the next.”
~ Hayley Tee ~
“I had the most wonderful, enlightening experience.
I can’t wait to continue on this journey. I recommend Carissa and her work every single day.”
~ Jess Stockwell ~
“Carissa has a way of making everyone feel welcome and completely at ease
left feeling a deep sense of relief and with some really good techniques to help me with day to day struggles. One of my favourite parts was the meditation, it was amazing. A truly beautiful day surrounded by lovely women who were all there for similar reasons to myself. To anyone who is unsure or nervous about attending this workshop, I highly recommend it to all women.”
~ Kylie Giles ~
“Deepest gratitude from my heart to yours, Carissa
I learnt SO MANY TOOLS and finally got real clarity and understanding, it was phenomenal.”
~ Kirsten Neller ~
“Carissa empowers women to explore the wisdom of their physical, embodied experiences as well as the mental, emotional and spiritual.
I was so moved by the whole experience. She holds the space with confidence and kindness and there was a real sense of safety to dive as deeply as we wanted. Carissa provides a range of holistic, evidence-based tools to help integrate it all into your everyday life. Loved every moment and all the innovative techniques Carissa weaves together so beautifully.”
~ Anonymous ~
This is for Women of all ages who are:
Seeking a deeper connection with themselves, others and all of life.
Ready to release past trauma and embrace and explore their sacred selves.
Recognising that it’s time to turn towards themselves with kindsight.
Preparing to swap loneliness for deep connections.
Willing to learn how to gently be held and hold space for others.
Ready to invite life back into the self-abandoned parts of the heart.
Compassion Circles are a space
where  all of us are welcome.
Only 12 spots available at each circle.
I’m Carissa Rodgers, Certified Somatic Psychotherapist, Trauma Therapist and Self Compassion Coach and part of my mission is to create healing communities.
Over the last decade working with my clients, I’ve noticed that we are all essentially looking for the exact same thing: to be seen, to be heard, to be held.
These longings live within us, hidden so well we often don’t realise we have them. Traditional, individual therapy could never replace this deeper longing for connection with others.
In order to heal, we need to come back together.
That’s why I’m so passionate about creating safe healing spaces for women to share experiences, stories, thoughts, ideas and prayers. In tapping into the rich, collective generational wisdom, the circle itself becomes our greatest teacher and healer.
But unless the person leading the circle is trauma-informed, it can actually do more harm than good.
I’ve personally sat in women’s circles over the years that were unsafe. The facilitators weren’t trauma-informed and the practices they used had the potential to re-traumatise people. It is crucial that the facilitator of a circle understands the sensitive nature of trauma and traumatic responses and is able to carefully guide practices with this in mind.
As a trauma therapist and co-founder of Wide Bay Counselling & Psychotherapy I have over a decade of experience supporting women who have experienced significant trauma, chronic stress, great loss and abuse. As well as mindfulness, ritual, ceremony, movement, dance and therapeutic touch practices, my work is deeply grounded in the science of Attachment Theory, Somatic Experiencing, Gestalt Psychotherapy and Relational Psychotherapy.
At the heart of Compassion Circles, we practice Relational Embodiment – how to rest deeply in our own embodiment whilst being connected in relationship with others. In doing this we can come back to our core and find safety once again in connection.
“I had many light bulb moments of clarity. A path soon became very clear for how and what I could change/explore/challenge in my life to gain more peace and balance.”
It’s what we all want, in the end,
To be held, merely to be held,
Not to be worshipped, not to be admired, not to be famous, not to be feared, ….but simply to be held.
~ Alden Nowlan
If you’re thinking of joining us here’s what you need to know:
Compassion Circles are for women only.
This is a safe, sacred space for women of all ages and backgrounds. A space where ALL of you is welcome.
If you’ve never participated in a Circle before – no problem.
You don’t need any prior knowledge. You won’t be asked to do anything unexpected. You will never be pushed or pressured to do anything you don’t want to. Nor made to feel bad or that ‘you’re resisting / blocked / unspiritual’ if you choose to sit something out. Having said that, I have facilitated hundreds of circles over the years and I can say, hand on heart, every woman leaves feeling lighter, more uplifted and a lot more connected to herself and others than when she arrived (and for many, for the first time in a long time).
This is a sacred space where all participants are equal, and all things belong.
The circle is a universal symbol with extensive meaning. It represents the notions of totality, wholeness, original perfection, the Self, the infinite, eternity, timelessness, all cyclic movement. A sacred circle forms when women who desire deeper connections come together to share from their heart, support one another and honour the sacred.
This is a trauma-informed circle.
Meaning it is a space responsible for the wellbeing of those attending by understanding the sensitive nature of trauma and traumatic responses and the practices are carried out with these guidelines in mind. I am a certified Somatic Psychotherapist, Trauma Counsellor and Self-compassion Coach with over a decade of experience working with women suffering from the effects of trauma, loss, grief and deep stress. This is my soul work.
You do not need to have experienced past trauma to benefit immensely.
Though many of the women attending have lived through significant past trauma, stress, loss or grief, it is not a prerequisite for those wanting to learn the sacred practice of holding space for themselves and others and deepen their connections.
If you feel you don’t have time to commit, that’s probably why you should!
Taking time is crucial for women to be restored and connected. The busier we are, generally the more we need to nourish our mind, body and spirit.
You choose how you show up.
There are no expectations other than take what feels useful for you. At any time you are free to step back, have a break or go all in. We have soft futons for resting if you need to sit out.
Compassion Circles feel magical but we aren’t fluffing around!
There’s a certain magic that’s created when beautiful like-minded souls come together to share, heal and grow but make no mistake, the work we are doing here is deeply grounded in the science of Attachment Theory, Somatic Experiencing, Gestalt Psychotherapy and Compassionate-Focused Therapy. We also use a beautiful combination of somatic therapies, ritual, ceremony, movement, dance, and therapeutic touch practices to support your healing.
And if you’re feeling nervous or scared…
It’s normal to feel vulnerable, shy, exposed or overwhelmed with nerves but you’ll find all of that immediately falls away once you step into the warm, safe space of Compassion Circle.
“Carissa is very intuitive, knowledgeable and her hands and mind are very receptive in assisting the whole healing process. It is a relief for me to have resolved and released my traumas but even better to have a better understanding and techniques to take with me to use if I need them.”
~ Jennah Zunker ~
There is a spiritual obligation to have a heart that is turned out to the world.
Francis Weller
How Compassionate Presence unfolds in our lives
We feel safer, stronger, and more resilient no matter what life throws at us.
We feel lighter in our body yet remain anchored to our core when we’re with others.
We look for the positives in situations so experience more joy in the day to day.
We can more easily reframe and quickly reset.
We awaken and embrace a deeper part of ourselves.
We learn to tend gently and lovinging to our own needs.
We feel calm, centred and connected.
We feel spiritually nourished and expanded.
We find a deeper love for ourselves.
You deserve to feel connected, whole and joyful.
Are you ready to gift this to yourself?
“Carissa has a gift of heartfelt connection, healing and resolution to help you move forward and embrace life.”
~ Cynthia Hoogstraten ~
A final word from Carissa…
Even if your head still has some doubts, I want you to know that your heart and intuition led you here for a reason. If that small voice inside is telling you THIS is the safe space you need to heal and finally come home to yourself, then it’s time to start listening.
And if you’re feeling self-conscious, scared or worried… I understand. This kind of inner work in a group setting can bring up all sorts of fears. If you’d like some reassurance and a real person to talk to I invite you to get in touch with me directly.
Schedule a free 15 minute call with me today – no cost, no obligation, just a chance to connect and chat.