Group for People with Religious / Spiritual Crisis (3rd Stream)
The group consists of 12 online meetings, each lasting 90 minutes (one meeting per week), with up to 6 participants + facilitator.
CONTENT
WHO IS THIS GROUP FOR?
For people who are facing internal questions about faith, the meaning of life, or the role of religion in their lives. This group gathers those seeking understanding and support during a difficult period.
WHAT DOES PARTICIPATION OFFER?
🏕 DEEP COMMUNICATION
The opportunity to be heard and hear others. To share thoughts and fears that we cannot express in everyday life.
🍀 EMOTIONAL SUPPORT
A safe space is created in the group for empathy, honest, and supportive conversation.
🥰 OVERCOMING LONELINESS
Feeling understood by people going through similar experiences and realizing that you are not alone in your struggles.
GROUP LEADERS:
MEETING STRUCTURE:
- The facilitator presents the plan and rules, and the order in which participants will speak.
- Speaking Circle - each participant takes turns talking about what they feel and think regarding their crisis, sharing what is truly troubling them. You can skip your turn if needed. (3-5 minutes per turn).
- Identification Circle - each participant shares what resonated with them from what others have said, and may share 1-2 examples. It usually starts with: "What resonated with me is ..."
- Feedback from the group facilitators.
- Thanking each other.
The safe atmosphere of the meetings will allow participants to speak sincerely about what pains or troubles them. You will also receive support through the experiences and feelings of others. There are rules for the meetings that everyone must follow. This ensures a sense of safety when expressing your thoughts and emotions.
GROUP RULES:
- "I" statements. We only speak for ourselves, using "I", and avoid using "you, we, they". We only talk about ourselves.
- Confidentiality - personal information is not shared with outsiders. Everything said stays within the group.
- We share our feelings. Feelings are not right or wrong. Feelings don't define us, but it's important to acknowledge them. We are not prisoners of our feelings.
- No giving advice, asking probing questions, or comforting. We don't make judgments, interrupt, argue, or criticize.
- When someone is speaking, others listen with microphones off.
- We respect timing to ensure everyone gets a chance to speak and the meeting ends on time.
- We accept ourselves and others as we are. We give each person the right to be, even those we have strong negative emotions toward.
- We treat others' feelings and experiences with respect.
PRICE:
- The first online meeting of the group is free. This will help you assess if the format, other participants, and facilitators suit you. After that, you can make a final decision about joining the group.
- Subsequent participation is by donation, with an approximate cost of $20 per meeting.
- You can pay for participation in one of three ways:
- Pay for all 12 meetings upfront (240 $)
- Two payments for every 6 meetings (2 x 120 $)
- Three payments for every 4 meetings (3 x 80 $)
HOW TO REGISTER FOR THE GROUP OR ASK QUESTIONS?
To discuss joining the group, write to Costa on Telegram, or email info@ar.team.
TESTIMONIALS:
🧙♂️ Priest
🗓 30.12.2024
For me, the worldview crisis group holds great significance.
Firstly, it is a group of like-minded people, those who have outgrown common parish practices and closed pious concepts, which may have had a beneficial influence on the soul at one time, but over time have started to harm a person's spiritual and psychological state. This group is essential for me because I can openly and honestly talk about my experiences and feelings, knowing that no one will judge me, will not call me to repent for my views and feelings, and will not tell me what I should do and how I should live, but will offer all kinds of support, sharing their personal experience of living in Christ and His truth.
Secondly, the worldview crisis group helped me, to some extent, to overcome my fears and accept my differences, to calmly understand that my worldview is changing, and that this is normal and even beautiful. After all, experiencing pain, discomfort, and dissatisfaction, I realize that I am growing spiritually. I am experiencing a spiritual rebirth. I am becoming a more mature person in spiritual life. I am learning to take responsibility for my spiritual life and accept my relationship with God in all its diversity and unpredictability. Thank you so much, Kostya, and to every participant in the group for the invaluable contribution and support you have given me.
👩Catechist
🗓 24.10.2024
I joined the support group led by Costa in a state of high anxiety.
My religious worldview started to transform as I began studying the profession of a psychologist, and I could no longer believe and practice my faith as I did before.
As I delved into the sciences about humans and modern research, I began to question Orthodox asceticism and the way sin is diagnosed, and what even constitutes sin.
I could no longer diligently perform the rituals: attending church every Sunday, participating in community meetings, helping others understand faith. I no longer wanted to pray the church prayers. I just wanted to talk to God in my own words.
I felt very lonely and depressed. I was confused by my experiences and didn’t know how to process them or find peace. I couldn’t talk to my spiritual father about this often, as I had many worries.
I also couldn’t discuss this with my brothers and sisters in church, as I was a catechist and felt that if I shared my doubts, I could harm them.
I was also in therapy with a psychologist, but he wasn’t a religious person, so I didn’t feel fully understood.
Of course, I prayed to God, asking for help, and one day I saw Konstantin’s announcement in a chat about a support group for people going through a crisis of faith and religious worldview, and I immediately decided to join.
I attended Konstantin’s group for six months. As a result, I felt much better. My anxiety significantly decreased. I started feeling more confident and freer in my relationship with God. I understood that I have the right to find my own forms of expressing faith that are suitable for me right now. I also realized that I’m not alone in experiencing such a crisis. There were people in the group who had similar experiences. I was able to feel unity and kinship with others. I gained experience of sincere and safe communication.
My faith in God hasn’t gone anywhere; it has become more honest and free, and I’ve gained more courage to change my religious practices.
I can’t say that I have fully processed the crisis. More questions arise before me, but the group experience gave me the opportunity to strengthen my faith and hope that even in such complex existential crises, one can find a way out and support!
I recommend Konstantin’s group to anyone experiencing a crisis of faith and suffering from strong stress, loneliness, feelings of being bad or rejected.
I wish everyone not to be afraid of looking foolish or sinful, because by opening up, you can receive help and healing!