Chiswick Men's Circle

Chiswick Men's Circle is taking a summer holiday and will return on Thursday 16th October. Take care until then and be well. If you are in a difficult place and need to talk to someone, the Samaritans are available 24 hours a day on freephone 116 123.

Chiswick Men's Circle is a talking circle for men in Chiswick, taking place at the community centre at 2 Duke's Avenue, which is just off Chiswick High Road and over the road from Chiswick Library. The circle is held on the first and third Thursday of the month, starting at 7pm and running for 90 minutes. The circle takes place in Room 2 on the first floor.

It's an open space, held by a skilled facilitator (that's me, Aris), and it's a space for men to get together and talk about the goings-on in our lives. The circle follows a loose structure of group agreements (the rules we will abide by in our circle - I will make some suggestions here although all are invited to contribute), a check-in, a space for open sharing and a check out at the end.

Everyone who attends the circle is invited to share, but no one is forced to. It can be a scary thing to take part in a sharing circle, and you're doing a great thing for yourself purely by showing up. It might take a while to feel comfortable with sharing, and that is okay. Wherever you are on your journey, we support each other with where we are.

If you have any questions at all, or if you're feeling unsure about whether this is the group for you, please do get in touch using the Contact button at the bottom of this page.

I look forward to welcoming you to our circle soon.

I've never been to a men's circle before. What is this event and what will I gain by coming along?

Our circle is a reflective space where we are invited to share the goings-on in our lives and the emotions and feelings connected to these events; because we all have feelings, even though it's sometimes difficult to locate and put words to them. This sort of work is not always easy and the words aren't always there for us to easily access, and that's absolutely fine; the important thing is that we try, and everyone who attends our circle is encouraged with kindness and with empathy to do exactly that.

As to what you could gain by coming, I find that in locating feelings and being able to articulate ourselves in such a way, there is a relief and a feeling of lightness attached to that. It may not be immediate, but I find there is a relief that follows in the hours and days following an opportunity to share and express ourselves like this, and perhaps a broadening in perspective too. It is through this sort of work that we come to understand more about ourselves and the situations we find ourselves in.

About the venue

The circle is held at Chiswick Catholic Centre on Duke's Avenue, which is right over the road from Chiswick Library. I appreciate how the words 'Catholic Centre' can conjure up certain images for some - the Catholic Centre is a standalone civic building and community space that holds all sorts of events in addition to our circle, such as yoga workshops and acting classes which are secular in nature. Our circle is not a religious initiative, however men of all faiths and none are invited to attend.

About Aris

I am a racialised (non-white) man of mixed heritage - both white and Asian. A born Londoner, I grew up in Chiswick and have lived here for most of my life.

I have years of experience when it comes to facilitating groups and circles of various sizes. It's something I like to do and something I've been told I'm quite good at. Chiswick Men's Circle is not my first men's circle, but it's my first time doing something in my hometown: an initiative to support men's mental health in the place where I grew up.

Accessibility

The group is held in Room 2, which is located on the first floor up a flight of stairs. Unfortunately, there is no lift available. If there is anything else I can do to aid your participation, please do get in touch through Eventbrite.