Distracting Circlekeeper technique and suggestions for being centered.

This happened a few years ago, but for some reason it popped in my head recently.  I remember it vividly, and I was thinking how amazing it was that the Circle went well despite the Circlekeeper.
Maybe it was me, but I want to share the story to offer you some learning about your Circlekeeping.
Let me [...]

St Croix Valley Restorative Justice Program – innovative and outstanding!

I’ve got to explain something about  St. Croix Valley Restorative Justice.
We are cutting edge, awesome.  We have taken the Restorative Justice Circle process and applied to two key public health issues – underage drinking and safe teen driving.
We are now offering copies of our MN Public Television Program – the documentary On the Road Together: Safe [...]

The Restorative Justice storyteller, is a hero, transforming hearts, opening minds.

SCVRJP had a board of directors meeting tonight.  A strategic planning meeting and it went quite well.  I have recently really framed my role as one of support and being a resource to the board.  (it would take an entirely different post to explain).
I offered the resource of having board members tell a story about [...]

School-Based Restorative Justice – Training Opportunity

FOUR full days of Restorative Justice in Schools – August 3 – 6 River Falls Wisconsin.
STAR Academy sponsored by CESA 11.  To register:  http://www.cesa11.k12.wi.us/prodev/star.cfm
The training will be interactive and fun.  Featuring guest speakers and opportunities to develop your skills!
Please join me!  Call or email with any questions.  715-425-1100 or scvrjp@gmail.com.
 
Hope to see you there!
 

A visit on basic Restorative Justice, applying the theory.

Author Howard Zehr in the Little Book of Restorative Justice, available at Good Books, uses the Three Pillar Illustration.  As practioners I think we can sometimes drift from this theory.  I know I have, and everytime I return or revist it, I learn more about doing Restorative Justice well.
I hope to catch Howard sometime and [...]

Parents supporting parents in Circle and a service dog named Tonka.

One of the SCVRJP programs is a Victim Empathy Seminar.  I developed it with some help from my friend Jill, a restorative justice practioner and she modeled it after a California program.  Basically it has evolved into a Restorative Justice Talking Circle.  When I made it up, I didn’t feel my community was ready to [...]

The really Restorative Mantra . . . Judge None.

Judge None.
Two very simple words.  I like to play around and develop catch phrases for Restorative Jusitce.  I try to keep my “elevator speech” fresh and I try to keep a good batch of Restorative Jusitce “bumper stickers” handy.  About 6 months ago I came up with Judge None as a concept point.  I was [...]

I want to pick up my childs life, right where they left off. – surviving parents

Parents who have lost a child are my friends.  Not lost, like I don’t know where they are.  Lost as in deceased, suddenly from a car crash, deceased.  I want the future book “On the Road Together: Safe Teen Driving” to be for these parents.  I have an allegiance, a care, a concern for parents [...]

How I am benefitting from Bikram, and why you might care.

Today’s post is all about Bikram Yoga (link to You Tube).  I blogged about how much I was loving it.  I took another class since then so I am up to three.  Three a week, in three weeks is my goal.  I am focusing on shorter term goals, rather than the bigger goal of losing 40 [...]

Restorative Justice is victim centered, we all have obligations to support each other.

There are three responses to victimization.  Revenge, Retaliation and Restoration.
At first people think the first two are the same.  They are different, think of revenge going out and retaliation going in.
Revenge can turn some victims into a victimizer.  I’ve seen it happen on many occassions.  The person harmed is so angry they want to add as much [...]