Suggested guidelines are:
1. Only one person at a time speaks and they are always allowed to be uninterrupted.
2. Keep your sharing focused on your own thought and feelings. Limit your sharing to
three to five minutes.
3. Each speaker takes the floor by stating their name: “I’m ______.
4. The speaker has the floor until they finish by saying something like “Thanks” or “That’s all.” Limit the time you share to five minutes if necessary so everyone has time to speak.
5. Limit feedback to reflecting on what you saw or felt, rather than providing advice or analysis. Avoid intellectualizing about your personal experiences. No cross-talk or criticism! Cross-talk is when two individuals engage in conversation excluding all others. Do not give advice to others who have already shared, speaking directing to another person rather than to the group and questioning or interrupting the person sharing. An example of speaking directly to another is to use a person’s specific name rather than “I like or agree with what was shared.”
6. The speaker and the person chairing has the right to refuse or stop feedback at any time, even if he or she has previously approved it- without having to give any explanations.
7. Avoid sarcasm or other types of aggressive or negative comments during the meeting; we are all facing a difficult time.
8. We are here to support one another, not “fix” one another.
9. We promise to seek professional help if we have any concern about hurting ourselves, others, or property.
10. Respect the anonymity and confidentiality are basic requirements.
11. Offensive language should be limited, please.