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AmSAT Annual Conference and General Meeting
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How Are You Thinking About Direction? A Talking/Listening Circle Approach
LIMITED
Friday June 26, 2026 11:45am - 1:15pm EDT
W6
Limited Capacity seats available
This is a workshop for sharing thoughts to strengthen our sense of individuality as part of a greater community. We will briefly demonstrate for participants the process of a Talking/Listening Circle, sharing our experience and understanding of F. M. Alexander’s concept of “Direction.” Then we will have participants break out into smaller Talking/Listening Circle groups for a comfortable and adequate period of time for each person to speak and be heard on this same topic.

Our group of six (the presenters) has been practicing communication skills using ProSocial principles and Talking/Listening circles. In our five+ years of meeting weekly on Zoom, we have developed trust and understanding, supporting us when holding discussions of subjects which may kindle a wide range of opinions and feelings.

What is ProSocial? David Sloan Wilson’s ProSocial principles provide a framework for enhancing cooperation in groups by fostering shared identity, equitable resource distribution, and fair decision-making to help groups function as cooperative organisms. https://www.prosocial.world/

What is a Talking/Listening Circle? It is a place where participants gather in a circle to share thoughts and feelings and to focus on deep, respectful listening rather than on debate or problem-solving. A Talking/Listening Circle is where you can practice receiving someone else’s thoughts without formulating a response while you are listening. Each participant will have a turn to speak to the group of non-judgmental witnesses. The speaker practices speaking authentically—tuning in to what the present moment evokes.

Each participant may have a different way of expressing their understanding of Direction. The Talking/Listening Circle format can be a first step towards speaking authentically from their current understanding and listening to others without judgment.

We are offering this workshop as a demonstration to the larger community of Alexander Technique teachers in approaching topics that may create conflict—inviting our colleagues in AmSAT to recognize the plurality of individual experiences and understandings before proceeding into deeper engagement.

Ruth Rootberg is a member of the AT Science Cohorts group though she won't be presenting at this ACGM.
Speakers
avatar for Frances Robertson

Frances Robertson

Frances Robertson began her Alexander career still acting in NYC and upon graduation from ACAT, decided to pursue teaching fulltime and let the limelight of theater go its way. She taught for 10 years at Broome Community College, Binghamton, NY in the theatre department and now teaches... Read More →
avatar for Kathryn M Miranda

Kathryn M Miranda

Kathryn Miranda has been teaching the Technique for thirty-plus years and has been involved in teacher training  for many of those years. She is on the faculty of the Syracuse University’s Drama Department and Setnor School of Music.She has an ongoing interest in the evolutionary, physiological... Read More →
avatar for Chris Mincer

Chris Mincer

Chris Mincer holds a B.M. from Penn State University and an M.M. from Southern Methodist University in guitar performance. In 1996 he earned his teaching certificate from the Brighton Alexander Training Centre under John and Carolyn Nicholls. While living in England he was fortunate... Read More →
MH

Michaela Hauser Wagner

Michaela Hauser-Wagner (Alexander Technique School of New England/ Missy Vineyard, 2007) holds a
degree in Speech Language Pathology from the University Tübingen, Germany and in 2017 completed
training as a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, a nervous system oriented approach to... Read More →
RD

Ruth Diamond

Ruth Diamond trained with ACAT and was certified in 2004.  She assisted on ACAT faculty from 2004 until its closing in 2018.  She has worked as a nurse-psychotherapist, nursing instructor, a programmer and a healthcare systems analyst. She was a long-time member of the editorial... Read More →
Friday June 26, 2026 11:45am - 1:15pm EDT
W6
  Workshop

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