07/29/2025
One of our favorite events of this year was participating in the On Our Own of Maryland, Inc. annual conference in Ocean City in May. This year's theme was "All Hands on Deck: Empowering Behavioral Health Systems from Within".
We were excited to see a hightlight of our workshop led by HRP founder, Beth Shekinah - Shaman & Transformational Facilitator, included in their summary blog post along with a photo from our circle's heart center!
Here's what they said about "Using Restorative Practices Circles for Connection, Collaboration & Community":
"Using Restorative Practices Circles for Connection, Collaboration, & Community offered workshop attendees an immediate sense of warmth and intentionality in the space. The presenter, Beth Shekinah Terrence, founder of Holistic Recovery Pathways, set a welcoming tone through both her presence and the thoughtfully arranged environment. At the center of the room, slips of paper reminded us of values such as “empathy,” and “support,” and were surrounded by grounding objects such as a seashell and stones.
The session included opportunities for self-reflection and connection, and collaborative learning activities to discuss each of the aspects of the restorative practices framework – the who, what, when, or why of using restorative circles. She guided us through key restorative principles designed to nurture community, deepen collaboration, and promote individual and collective well-being. By the end of the session, we could clearly see that restorative circles are an effective way of building connection, trust, and community, and the workshop itself was a meaningful reminder of the power of creating spaces where people feel truly seen and heard."
Learn more about the conference and all of the amazing presenters at https://www.onourownmd.org/s/website-content/a1QPK000008n34z2AA/all-hands-on-deck-empowering-behavioral-health-systems-from-within.
