The Living Edge of Connection

A Weekend Immersion for Experienced NVC Practitioners
…with Circling & Transformational Connection

You’ve honed the language of feelings and needs. You know the terrain of empathy, presence, and inner tracking. You’ve taken responsibility for your inner life. And perhaps, in all that depth… something still feels like it’s missing.

This weekend is an invitation to step beyond the form of NVC. Not to abandon it, but to let it breathe inside something wider.

We’ll be weaving the skill and self-responsibility of experienced NVC practitioners with the meditative, emergent relational field of Circling and Transformational Connection. This is not a training. It’s a live, unfolding experiment in real-time connection, presence, and mystery. No fixed content and no pre-set direction.

We’ll gather with others who can hold themselves, and meet each other in the raw now: where intimacy arises not through process, but through surrender. Where empathy doesn’t follow a structure, but moves freely between us. Where paradox, symbolism, and the sacred can begin to unfold in ways we can’t plan for.

Part of what drew us to Circling, after years of NVC, was a quiet frustration. We’d spent so long refining empathic listening. Often, it helped us feel safe. But it also masked the places we weren’t yet fully honest. Circling gave us a space to drop the form, to trust what wanted to move through us, and to reclaim a voice we hadn’t fully owned. We imagine we’re not alone in that.

You’re welcome to follow your intuition moment to moment: whether that’s being deep in the circle or taking space alone. But this isn’t a retreat space for emotional outsourcing. There will be no hand-holding. You’ll need the capacity to navigate your own nervous system, triggers, and boundaries. We’re not here to resolve, fix, or teach. We’re here to discover, together.

We don’t know exactly what will happen. That’s the point.

If you feel the pull… and the stretch… you’re warmly invited.

Registration & Practical Info

Self-Responsibility & Emotional Safety
This weekend is designed for people with significant self-awareness and capacity for self-responsibility. While we’ll be co-creating a powerful and potentially transformative space, this is not a held therapeutic container.

There may be moments of intensity, challenge, or trigger, especially as we explore emergent relational practice. You are fully responsible for your own emotional regulation, choices, and boundaries throughout the weekend.

By registering, you commit to:
– Take full responsibility for your own experience during the event
– Practice honest self-check-ins and honour your limits
– Seek additional external support (before, during or after the event) if needed

We welcome you to bring your full self and ask that you come with maturity, presence, and care for the whole field.

Who are we?

We’re Aisling Cusack and Tom Wilkinson. We’ve been learning and sharing NVC for 7 and 6 years respectively.

Tom is a Certified Trainer, Aisling is an uncertified master.

We’re currently in the process of certifying as facilitators of Transformational Connection (Circling).

Venue and Accommodation

The event will be held at Tom’s farmhouse in Todmorden, West Yorkshire. Situated right on the edge of the moor, with beautiful views across the valley and a wild swimming spot just 20 minutes walk away, and with the picturesque Hebden Bridge just a short drive or train ride away. 

Sleeping options are simple and varied:

– A few shared bedrooms with double beds, singles and mattresses.
– Space for 2-3 people to sleep in the front room (bedding can be provided, or bring your own)
– Indoor camping in the barn (bring your own tent/mat)
– Campervan space on the property

– List of local Airbnbs / nearby friends’ homes (we’ll send this to registrants)

– Camping outside is possible but may be cold in October… you’re welcome if you’re hardy!

We’ll check your preference during registration, and do our best to match you with a suitable option. Rooms will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis.

Food

We’ll keep things simple, nourishing, and mostly vegetarian:

– Breakfast: self-serve cereals, porridge, fruit, tea/coffee
– Lunch: soups + bread, made in advance for ease
– Dinner: cooked by a guest caterer
– Snacks and hot drinks available throughout

Please let us know any dietary needs or allergies when you register.

Contribution

We’re offering this weekend on a sliding scale:

£100 – £300

Choose the amount that feels right for your financial situation and sense of value.

If money is a barrier, we have a few scholarship places available, just get in touch for a discount code.

Communication & Coordination

Once registered, you’ll be added to a WhatsApp group with other participants to:
– Coordinate lifts and travel
– Get updates about practical details
– Begin lightly connecting ahead of the event

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What’s the schedule like?
A: We’ll send exact times soon, but you can expect arrivals Friday late afternoon and departures Sunday late afternoon. The schedule will include spacious time for group sessions, solo time, meals, integration, and informal connection.

Q: Do I need experience with Circling or Transformational Connection?
A: No — this event is designed primarily for people experienced in NVC who are curious about or new to Circling/TC. There will be some light guidance and orientation, but the space is exploratory rather than instructional.

Q: What if I get overwhelmed or triggered?
A: That’s okay. This space may bring up emotion, conflict, or uncertainty. We ask that you stay connected to your body and needs, and take space when needed. This is not a therapeutic container. You are responsible for your own process and can step back at any time.

Q: Is this a silent retreat / structured program?
A: Not at all. This is a highly relational space. We won’t be following a formal curriculum. Instead, we’ll be surrendering into real-time connection, presence, and emergence, with light facilitation.

Q: Can I leave the site during the weekend?
A: You’re welcome to follow your intuition, whether that means participating deeply or taking solo time. However, we encourage staying within the field as much as possible to support group coherence.

Q: Can I bring a friend/partner who hasn’t done NVC?
A: This space assumes a high level of self-awareness and interpersonal skill. If they’ve done significant inner work or Circling/TC and can self-regulate, it may be okay. Feel free to check with us first.

Any other questions, please get in touch and we’ll be happy to chat it through.