Susan Kaplan

Susan Kaplan, M.S.W., M.P.A., R.Y.T., has a practice, Leading & Leading From Within LLC. 

She is a Facilitator, Coach, Trainer, Mentor and Wellness Practitioner.

All of my work involves listening – to self, others, and the collective.  This can be a challenge in these current times that feel chaotic, unpredictable, and there is such polarization and reactivity in the air.  Even the more reason to sit in circle, quiet the chatter, and be present.  Courage work brings me a settling into myself and in community with others during these times of great joy and devastating changes.  A time for us to listen more deeply to our own inner teacher and to glean our collective wisdom.

Courage & Renewal approach and Circles of Trust  include many of our specialized CR programs as well as leading Circles of Trust® retreats.  Here is an overview of my work:

Circle of Trust® retreats: Cross professional retreats, Congregational and Clergy Retreats, Nonprofit organizations retreats, and Seasonal Retreat Reflection series.

Leading Together: building capacity in Courage & Renewal principles and practices in various settings, including congregations, nonprofits, human services organizations and community groups

Healing the Heart of Democracy with a Side of Empathy – retreats and series for congregations, community groups, nonprofits and college campus groups. Nonviolent Communication is integrated into the series. Engaging and Healing Differences is an extension of Healing the Heart of Democracy work for youth, college students, congregations.

Soul of Aging series and retreats

Diversity and Social Justice: The Highest Calling of Your Heart Retreat, based on the vision of John Lewis. This CR circle invites rest, reflection, and cross-racial presence and dialogue. Holding questions in racial and social justice work is challenging.  This retreat creates space and time to just be with your own questions and experiences and to hear the questions of others. Living into Beloved Community, we slow our pace and build community across different types of change work.   Supports DEI engagement.

Walking with Grief and Loss: Circle of Trust® retreats, series, and reflection circles that help support moving through grief and loss in both personal and collective grief.

Women’s retreats: for growth and building community

Coaching for leadership development, grief and loss, circle work, etc.

Additional bodies of work I can bring to CR work;

Forest Bathing Guide and Forest Therapy Practitioner: leading Walks and creating Well Beingness Plans for individuals and/or part of CR circles.  This direct engagement with the natural environment through a sequence of activities, supports a sense of interconnectedness with nature.

Storyteller and Story Listener®: using the wisdom and collective knowing of stories as third things.

Nonviolent Communication: a Certified NVC Trainer with the Center for Nonviolent Communication, bringing  a consciousness for a higher quality of connection and communication patterns, empathetic listening and speaking and shifting our communication to more life giving patterns.

Hatha Yoga teacher: a wellness practice that adds to retreats and series.

Art of Hosting: bringing generative questions into community discernment with World Cafe, Pro-action Cafe, the Circle Way, The Chaordic Stepping Stones Planning Process, and other communal practices

Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) and Intercultural Conflict Style Inventory (ICS): tools that support increases intercultural development competence  and more choices in moving with differences.  Support Diveristy, Belonging, Inclusion, Equity and Social and Racial Justice work.