Gather + Belong: Circle Design & Facilitator⭕️Programme
Gathering humans, honoring difference, and facilitating belonging, one circle at a time.
Learn the art of holding space with presence and care. Join Catherine in this 6 week circle design and facilitator journey that’s grounded, spacious, and uniquely yours, with a trauma informed, neuro inclusive and deeply human approach to circle facilitation.
Overview
Gather + Belong: Circle Design and Facilitator Programme is a live, 6 week online training for space holders who want to design and deliver meaningful circle spaces – rooted in somatic wisdom, relational safety and neuro inclusive practice.
The programme is for space holders who are ready to hold circle spaces that feel as good to offer as they do to receive. The programme guides you step-by-step in designing your own circle based offering – from vision to delivery.
You’ll discover how the art of storytelling can be the bridge to deep connection and profound transformation.
The training blends over a decade of experience in holding space, facilitation and circle delivery, along with learning, practice, peer support and reflection to help you build and hold your circle.
Each week includes a 90 minute live session, with built in reflective practice invitations, and opportunity for peer collaboration.
You don’t need to be a polished performer to hold powerful group spaces. You need presence, intention, and a structure that honours depth, difference, and care.
Whether you’re called to create a grief group, a space for parents to come together, explore new beginnings, navigate painful endings, menopause, or a late discovery circle – you’ll be guided to confidently build and create something that feels authentically yours, while rooted in frameworks that support nervous system safety, inclusivity, and relational connection.
You’ll discover circles that feel as good to hold as they do to receive.
We are wired for connection, and when we sit in circle, we rewire the damage of disconnection. Healing happens not in fixing, but in witnessing, in holding space where every voice matters and every story belongs.
Who is this designed for?
Participants on the programme have included:
- Autism and ADHD assessment providers
- HR Leaders
- Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA)
- Citizens Advice Bureau
- Psychiatrist
- Education Psychologists
- Clinical Psychologists
- Therapists
- Mentors
- Oesteopath
- Eating disorder specialist
- Speech and language Therapists
- Coaches
The programme is designed for anyone who is wanting to design and deliver a peer support programme which is trauma informed, neuro inclusive and deeply human. Whether you are an individual looking to add circles to your business offering, or whether you are an organisation wanting to develop peer support circles as part of your future service delivery. This programme can support and guide you.
What participants say about the programme:
“Thanks so much for the thoughtful design and delivery of the Gather + Belong programme Catherine! I feel really resourced and energised about using what I’ve learned in my own facilitation work. The contents were considered and accessible and reminded me that care for ones personal capacity is central to holding space for others.” – September 2025 cohort participant
“Catherine’s beautiful Gather and Belong course is the most Neuro inclusive and trauma informed space I have ever been in, both professionally and personally. I have worked with these themes in mind for a long time but I was guided deeper into exploration of how to do this better.
I found the course to be professionally extremely helpful with practical tools and a steady framework to build these wonderful circles from. I was pleasantly surprised to find how much I gained personally from showing up deeply human and sharing space with other professional women doing the same. Catherine is the perfect guide for this course, a professional, honest, deeply human guide. Thank you.” ~ January 2026 cohort participant
“I took a brave step in arranging 3 of our team clinicians to attend Catherine Asta’s Circles training rather than attend myself, as I was 100% confident in the quality of training and support that Catherine would give my team.
The training has now finished and I am blown away by what has emerged from the training. Woven through the expertise of this dream team of clinicians, is Catherine’s approach to holding Circles – compassionate, neuroinclusive, trauma informed.
So, I HIGHLY recommend Catherine’s programme. I can see how helpful this would be in facilitating any circles, in any context.
We’ve now developed our ‘Bridge to self’ 6 week circles, and all 8 spaces were sold out in 48 hours of launching, with the second circle planned for later in 2026 almost sold out too!~ Dr Becky Quicke, Clinical Psychologist, Founder Autistic Girls and Women
“Wow – what a safe and gently, yet profound learning experience this is turning out to be. So many shifts, downloads and a whole new perspective. I have been so resistant to ‘group work’ or ‘group coaching’ based on prior experiences but Catherine’s circle model cuts through all of that.”
Participant, May cohort
How is the programme delivered?
The training is delivered by Catherine in a 6 x 90 min live weekly group programme on zoom.
How much does it cost?
It costs £699 (plus booking fees on eventbrite)
If you would prefer to pay via invoice direct or in 2 installments of £360 please email:
hellocatherineasta@gmail.com
What does it include?
This includes:
- 6 x 90 minute live training on zoom
- access to ‘The Gather + Belong CDF’ Mighty Online Community
- reflective practices and peer collaboration
- circle frameworks and approaches to support you on your circle journey creation.
What will we cover each week?
During the 6 weeks we will focus on these themes:
Week 1: The Architecture of Holding
Week 2: Capacity – Holding space with compassion and care
Week 3: Container – What holds the circle
Week 4: Connection – The relational space
Week 5: Content – The landscape you explore
Week 6: Vision to Practice – Stepping into your circle
When does it start?
The next cohort starts in September 2026 on Thursday 10th September at 10am-11.30am (UK time)
How do I find out more and book my space?
Book your place for the September 2026 cohort using this link.
If you cannot attend the September cohort please email me to be placed on my waiting list for the January 2027 cohort: hellocatherineasta@gmail.com