FIND HEALING IN NATURE: Sharing Circles with Russell Trent

Guest: Russell Trent — facilitator of Boars in the Woods Men's Sharing Circle, Ringwood area, Dorset. Also a participant in the All Us Men brotherhood sharing circle in Bournemouth.

Find the circle:

• Website: littlebearwoods.co.uk (look for the Men's Sharing Circle tab)
• Name: Boars in the Woods (BOAR — adult male bear. A nod to the Little Bear Woods setting)
• Instagram: @littlebellwoods
• Facebook: Pool Community Group — where Russell's post went viral with 700+ positive reactions

Topics covered:

What is a sharing circle?

• A circle of people who leave their egos at the door — non-judgmental, no advice, no opinions
• A space for people to talk out their pressures, anxieties and worries — a mental dump, an unload
• Nobody is forced to speak — you can come for multiple sessions before saying a word
• The format: someone opens by sharing when ready; the circle holds space; no going round in order (removes performance anxiety)
• After someone shares, the group takes one deep breath in, holds it, then breathes loudly out — a mark of respect and acknowledgement
• Silence is welcomed — you can sit and watch the fire

Russell's background

• Has been attending the All Us Men sharing circle in Bournemouth for two years — it changed his life
• Met Kelly, who runs Little Bear Woods Forest School near Ringwood, while inquiring about work
• Kelly was starting a men's sharing circle and asked Russell to facilitate
• First circle (December): a trial run with mostly people who already knew what a sharing circle was
• January circle: advertised on the Pool Community Facebook group — 700+ likes and hearts, 80-90 comments, women tagging brothers, husbands, sons. Sold out to 16 people, almost all new to sharing circles

What happened at the January circle

• Two or three introductions in, one man said he couldn't wait — he just needed to share. He unloaded
• You could feel all the barriers coming down in the room simultaneously
• The introductions took 40 minutes because once the first man spoke, everyone wanted to
• Topics ranged from work-life balance to addiction to mental health — both their own and that of people they cared for
• One man: "I thought I was the only one going through this. There's nowhere else I could have heard stories with this kind of honesty and vulnerability."

The power of shared experience

• Hearing other people's stories helps you find the words for your own — you can go in knowing something is getting to you but not knowing how to say it
• The relief of not being alone — you hear someone and think "that's it, that's exactly what I'm feeling"
• Russell on his own depression: his friends were sympathetic but couldn't empathise because they'd never been there. "There's only so much empathy you can give unless you've experienced it yourself."
• In the woods, with 15 other men, you know everyone there gets it

The no-advice rule

• There are a million places you can get advice and opinion — advice is offered whether you want it or not
• Sometimes you just need to say the thing out loud before you can do anything about it
• Hearing yourself say it, feeling heard by others, can be the first step toward actually addressing it

Nature as a component

• The January circle saw most attendees drawn primarily by the outdoor forest element
• Fire, trees, open air — a naturalistic draw that makes the sharing feel different from a room
• Horse Serenity in Blandford: Russell is exploring a collaboration — spending time with horses, then a sharing circle in the paddock. Animals are non-judgmental. You can talk to them. It opens something
• Men's walking groups referenced as another format in the area

Other organisations doing similar work:

• Andy's Man Club — mentioned as something that keeps appearing on Lee's social media. Has groups across the country. A similar principle without necessarily being in the woods
• One near Lee in Fife

Capacity and sustainability

• Maximum 15-16 people per circle
• Already fully booked for both February circles
• Russell is working on managing his own expectations — not every circle will be full, and that's OK

Post-episode:

Lee's Reiki experience

• Had reflexology (for the tingly digits). At the end, practitioner offered Reiki
• She cupped his head and he felt heat spreading down his neck and across his shoulders — not painful but uncomfortable, almost wanted it to stop
• He assumed she was oscillating her hands — she said she wasn't moving them
• She demonstrated: placed her hands lightly on his shoulder and hip. Eyes closed, he could feel movement. She asked him to open his eyes — her hands were completely still
• Lee: cannot explain it. Is trying to rationalize. Too many of these things are stacking up
• Kay's crystals arrived: amethyst, rose quartz, moonstone for Erin

The unexplained Cara coincidence

• Lee had his black volcanic glass crystal (from Zakara's reading) in his pocket during a six-hour meeting, rubbing it throughout
• Within 15 minutes of leaving the meeting, Cara (who gave him the crystal) texted to say she'd been thinking about him for a couple of days and wanted to check in
• Another unexplained coincidence in a growing pile. Lee says he can't keep rationalizing all of them
• There is a second unexplained coincidence involving a specific person that cannot yet be named

Ice Bath Gate — the latest chapter

• Lee arranged pickup of unwanted ice bath. Failed three times (wasn't home Saturday, didn't show Sunday, rescheduled again)
• Took it to the post office himself. Cost £12 to send back
• The ice bath company refused delivery and sent it back to Lee
• Lee paid £12 to have his own ice bath returned to him
• Current status: still in the hall. Latest email: refund promised in 5-10 days. Lee does not believe this

Email: Garrett (Welsh name, apologies for pronunciation)

• Disagrees with the New Year's resolution discussion — 10,000 steps is achievable if you treat it as a non-negotiable like work or eating, not a choice
• Does 16,000 steps a day. Some days he doesn't want to but does it anyway
• Weight loss should never be a target — eat less, move more, it will follow
• Lee's response: Garrett's approach is a legitimate towards move that works for him. One size doesn't fit all

Email: Sarah Dean (nee Hearn)

• Listened while driving to patients (Australia)
• Suggested doing an episode on perimenopause
• Outcome: Charlotte the Bee Lady episode upcoming, with guest co-hosts Gail (Paul's partner) and Jenny Rogers

Episode 10 milestone:

• Double digits. Neither of them expected to get here
• The show has become its own entity — different from what they originally planned, and better for it
• Paul's prediction: they'll get to 20. Lee thinks that's optimistic
• Fan club: membership badge potentially made from Paul's actual hair. One to manufacture

Ian McNabb update:

• Baked a Victoria sponge using free-range eggs, organic flour, plant butter
• Brought it to site to share with Lee. Lee shared it with his colleagues after considering briefly eating the entire thing alone
• Paul was not mentioned. Paul is upset. Lee offers pity cake. Paul declines

Referenced:

• All Us Men brotherhood — men's sharing circle, Bournemouth. Monthly. Run by Johnny
• Little Bear Woods Forest School — Kelly's outdoor education setting near Ringwood, Dorset. Worth visiting for kids
• Horse Serenity, Blandford, Dorset — equine therapy with potential sharing circle collaboration upcoming
• Andy's Man Club — nationwide men's mental health clubs
• Soulful Sundays, Portobello Beach — still being pursued
• Doctor Jan — referenced throughout. Is she coming back? Yes