Upcoming Council Trainings & Events

Spring 2025: We will be scheduling our yearly Council 1 training in the late spring next year. See the description of this training below under February 9-11, 2024. The weekend dates and more info will be posted in coming months. Please be in touch about your interest in attending this trainin.

Fall 2025: We will not be offering a Council 2 training this fall but will be scheduling one for next year. We find that offering this second level training every other year ensures sufficient enrollment to offer the course. We encougage you to be in touch if you are interested in this training. See the description of this training below under November 3-5, 2023.

Recent Council Trainings & Events

February 9-11, 2024: Council 1: Discovering One’s Voice; Sharing One’s Story - Sun Hill Farm, Putney, VT USA; Co-led by Kirstin Edelglass & Jeremiah Burrow. Training Description. Read Full Details. Register Here. COVID-19 safety protocols will be in place at all NECC trainings.

November 3-5, 2023: Council 2:  Deepening the Practice — NECC, Sun Hill Farm, Putney, Vermont, USA.  Co-led by Bonnie Mennell & Paul LeVasseur. Training Description. Read Full Details. Register Here. COVID-19 safety protocols will be in place at all NECC trainings.

April 28 - 30, 2023: Council 1: Discovering One’s Voice; Sharing One’s Story - Sun Hill Farm, Putney, VT USA; Co-led by Kirstin Edelglass & Jeremiah Burrow. Training Description. Read Full Details. Register Here.

Novemberl 2022 — April 2023: Listening to the Space Between: Monthly Drop-in Councils with the New England Council Collective.7 – 9 p.m. on the last Tuesday of each month. First session November 29, 2022. Facilitated by Kirstin Edelglass, Bonnie Mennell & Paul LeVasseur.

As we witness more and more unraveling – of ecological systems and socio-political systems – many of us feel called to participate in the co-creation of new ways of living.  A practice of being present to our relationships – to the land, to neighbors, to children, to winged ones – can help inform this uncharted path.  We can set aside our preconceptions and old habits and enter relationships with warm curiosity and humility.  We can taste the “interbeing” that exists when we listen deeply to the space between our “self” and a young pine or an old friend.  And this fresh perspective can inform our work in the world.

These six drop-in councils, centered on the single theme of listening to “the space between,” will each draw inspiration from an offered essay or podcast which will be sent out a week before the council.  We will be sharing stories from our own life experience and drinking in those of others in the circle.  Anyone familiar with council practice is welcome to attend, whether or not they have had time to fully engage with the offered background readings/podcasts for that month’s council.  Bonnie, Paul, and Kirstin will facilitate the councils in rotation.  Please email Paul at necouncilcollective@gmail.com if you would like to attend and he will send you the zoom link. If you are new to NECC, please tell us a bit about your experience with council when you request the zoon link to join us. NECC welcomes your support through a donation of $10 for each session.

October 2020 - present: Zoom Drop-In Councils. We began offering Drop-In Councils on Zoom in October 2020 as the coronavirus prevented us from gathering in person. The rich stories and sense of connection continue to nourish a growing community of people who love to sit in council, so we decided to keep this seasonal tradition alive. If you haven’t attended in the past, please drop us an email to let us know of your interest. Facilitated by Kirstin Edelglass, Bonnie Mennell & Paul LeVasseur.

October 14 – 16, 2022:  Council 2:  Deepening the Practice - NECC, Sun Hill Farm, Putney, Vermont, USA.  Co-led by Bonnie Mennell & Paul LeVasseur. Training Description. Read Full Details. Register Here. Cancelled due to low enrollment. We look forward to offering this training in the future. Please be in touch with us if you are interested in this training.

July 9 – 30, 2022: Touching the Earth: A Homestead Retreat for Young Adults – Edelglass Homestead, Marlboro, VT.  Co-led by Kirstin Edelglass and colleagues from the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies. Read full details and watch video.

This three-week immersion for young adults (ages 18-25) on a secluded Vermont homestead is an opportunity to cultivate self-awareness and deepen one’s relationship with others and the living earth. The small learning community explores the Buddhist concept of interbeing through the fields of permaculture, ecology, living systems theory, ecopsychology, social justice, and climate studies.  Readings on these topics feed rich discussions, often facilitated by students.  Daily rhythms include morning silence, mindfulness practice, physical exercise, solitude in nature, creative expression, and sharing nourishing meals.  Evening council circles (in the Way of Council tradition) open space for meaningful connection and a sense of belonging.     

July 31 – August 21, 2021: Touching the Earth: A Homestead Retreat for Young Adults – Edelglass Homestead, Marlboro, VT.  Co-led by Kirstin Edelglass and colleagues from the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies.  Read full details and watch video.

This three-week immersion for young adults (ages 18-25) on a secluded Vermont homestead is an opportunity to cultivate self-awareness and deepen one’s relationship with others and the living earth. The small learning community explores the Buddhist concept of interbeing through the fields of permaculture, ecology, living systems theory, ecopsychology, social justice, and climate studies.  Readings on these topics feed rich discussions, often facilitated by students.  Daily rhythms include morning silence, mindfulness practice, physical exercise, solitude in nature, creative expression, and sharing nourishing meals.  Evening council circles (in the Way of Council tradition) open space for meaningful connection and a sense of belonging.   

Cancelled: September 10-12, 2021: Council 2:  Deepening the Practice — NECC, Sun Hill Farm, Putney, Vermont, USA.  Co-led by Bonnie Mennell & Paul LeVasseur. Training Description. Read full details. Register Here. We have unfortunately cancelled this training due to concerns around the Delta Covid situation. We are greatly disappointed but clear we hold the safety of all participants as first priority. We will be looking at rescheduling this training either as an in person training or possibly a Zoom training. Please contact us by email if you are interested in this training in the future and would like an exchange with one of us at NECC to determine if this training is right for you.

May 2, 9, 16, 23, 2021: Council 3: Living the Way of Council —  An online offering of this 3rd level Way of Council Training. Co-led by Bonnie Mennell & Paul LeVasseur. Four consecutive Sundays, 1:00 — 5:00 p.m. with a reading and an online small group council between sessions (a total of 3 sessions which will be scheduled by each small group). The ongoing Covid reality has prompted us to revision this training which is for participants who have completed CT 1 & CT2 in the days of face-to-face trainings. We are excited about this opportunity to innovate this training and make it possible online. Please contact us by using the Inquire Here form below if you are interest in this training and would like an exchange with one of us at NECC to determine if this training is right for you at this time. Read full details.

January 24 – February 21, 2021:  Council 1: Discovering One’s Voice; Sharing One’s Story – An online version of the classic Way of Council training. Five consecutive Sundays, 3:00 – 6:00 p.m. Co-led by Kirstin Edelglass & Paul LeVasseur.  Read full details.

October 29, 2020: Coming Together as a Community: a refresher on Way of Council Practice. Zoom Session for Putney Commons, an intentional community in Putney, Vermont. See info on Putney Commons.

October 30, 2019: Practicing Council with Colleagues & Clients: A half-day training in the Way of Council for the staff of the Northampton branch of Windhorse Integrative Mental Health in Northampton, MA, USA. Led by Kirstin Edelglass.

October 18 - 20, 2019: Council 1: Discovering One’s Voice; Sharing One’s Story — NECC, Sun Hill Farm, Putney, Vermont, USA.  Co-led by Kirstin Edelglass & Paul LeVasseur. Read full details. Read about training logistics.

August 25-31, 2019: Canoeing in a World Between Worlds: A Wilderness Journey for Incoming Students — Marlboro College, Marlboro, Vermont, USA.  This “freshman orientation” canoe trip followed the snaking Raquette River through the Adirondack Mountains.  Kirstin Edelglass guided a community of ten students through the joys and challenges of wilderness canoe travel while offering reflective experiences to encourage connection with self, other, and the natural world. The evening council ritual served as a still point for opening the heart to the diversity of human experience and sharing personal insights as they arose.

August 17. 2019: Songs for the Healing of Our World: A day of singing for song leaders — Marlboro, Vermont, USA. Kirstin Edelglass and folk singer Anne Goodwin shared a large repertoire of songs that can be learned easily by a group.  Workshop leaders, activists, teachers, group facilitators, summer camp counselors, and anyone interested in building community can put these songs and song-leading skills to good use. (Aspiring song leaders were welcome!)  The day moved through themes inspired by the spiral of the Work That Reconnects developed by Joanna Macy.  Participants were encouraged to teach a song and share the story of its origins.   

July 28, 2019: Summer Gathering for Council Carriers in Marlboro, Vermont, USA. Each year the New England Council Collective hosts a daylong gathering for “council carriers” in our region.  This is a wonderful opportunity for people who facilitate listening circles to share stories and float ideas with other facilitators.  Much of the sharing happens while sitting in council. This summer we gathered from 10:00 to 4:00 on an airy screen porch overlooking gardens and a pond. Forinformation on future Summer Gatherings, please write to necouncilcollective@gmail.com and use the subject, “Summer Gathering.” See a photo of our Gathering Space.

April 12 -14, 2019:  Council 2:  Deepening the Practice - NECC, Sunhill Farm, Putney, Vermont, USA.  Co-led by Bonnie Mennell & Paul LeVasseur. Read full details. Read about training logistics. See photos.

February 4, 2019:  Introduction to The Way of Council: a day long workshop for Putney Commons, an intentional community in Putney, Vermont. See info on Putney Commons.

October 26 -28, 2018: Council 1: NECC, Putney, Vermont.  Co-led by Kirstin Edelglass & Paul LeVasseur.  Read full details.

September 4 – October 9, 2018:  Undergraduate Course: “Facilitating Council:  An Experiential Training in Deep Listening and Guiding Dialogic Processes” – Marlboro College, Marlboro, Vermont. Taught by Kirstin Edelglass in six 2.5-hour evening class sessions. See syllabus for the course.

August 19-25, 2018:  Rites and Rituals of Passage: A Wilderness Journey for Incoming Students – Marlboro College, Marlboro, Vermont.  Led by Kirstin Edelglass.  See Photos.

August 2-5, 2018:  Council Camping Retreat: A gathering of friends connected to the New England Council Collective -- Sunhill Farm, Putney, Vermont.  Co-led by Bonnie Mennell, Paul LeVasseur, and Kirstin Edelglass.  Read a brief description with photos.

July 26, 2018:  A Taste of Council:  Introductory session for students in the Low-Res Master of Arts in TESOL Program, SIT Graduate Institute, Brattleboro, VT, USA.  Co-Led by Paul LeVasseur & Bonnie Mennell

July 16 - 18, 2018: Council on the Uncertain Human Future:  Next Wave Summit - Wellesley College Club, Wellesley, MA, USA.  Bonnie Mennell facilitated a 3-hour UHF Council Practice Session & served as Council resource person for the gathering.

May 14 & 15, 2018:  Facilitating Council: An Introductory Training for Bridges* Trip Leaders – Marlboro College, Marlboro, Vermont, USA.  Led by Kirstin Edelglass. *Bridges trips are orientation trips for incoming students which are designed and led by current Marlboro College students.)

April 6 - 8, 2018:  Council 2:  Deepening the Practice - NECC, Sunhill Farm, Putney, Vermont, USA.  Co-led by Bonnie Mennell & Paul LeVasseur. Read full details. Read about training logistics.

March 2 - 4, 2018:  El Camino de Consejo 1 (Council 1) - Creative Education Center, Santiago, Dominican Republic. Co-Led by Leonelda Castillo de Urena & Bonnie Mennell.

February 18, 2018: Deepening Community with the Way of Council:  An experiential workshop with Kirstin Edelglass & Carlyn Saltman - Psychosynthesis Northeast Community, Greenfield, MA, USA.

December 15 - 16, 2017, February 2 - 3 & April 24, 2018:  Council on the Uncertain Human Future - Berkshire Waldorf High School, Stockbridge, MA, USA. Co-facilitated by Walter Wright, professor emeritus at Clark University & Paul LeVasseur of NECC & SIT Graduate Institute.

November 10 - 12, 2017:  Council 1 - NECC, Sunhill Farm, Putney, Vermont, USA.  Co-led by Kirstin Edelglass & Paul LeVasseur. Read full details.