By Lawrence Sharrett
Director, Colloquy Communities
July 29, 2023
The word “Colloquy” sounds like “CALL a queen” without pronouncing the n in queen. The word “Colloquy” means talk, dialogue, conversation, or discussion. Because the world is full of disrespectful, judgmental, and emotionally strained communication that leaves many people exhausted, worn out, and distressed, there is a strong need for nonjudgmental spaces that are cultivating respect, trust, and growth through authentic communication with others. As a result, Colloquy’s main purpose is to nurture communities and cultivate relationships through respectful conversations.
As a forward-thinking personal and professional development network, Colloquy formed from significant psychological research on the impact of communities for individual and collective well-being in places where community initiatives are less common (parts of Europe, for example). Colloquy offers a diverse selection of high-quality educational content, open discussions in communities, and opportunities for participants to receive certificates for professional development hours (something useful in career and job searches).
The professionals committed to facilitating and teaching with Colloquy Communities are not only skilled and recognized counselors, psychologists, professional educators, life coaches, and other leaders in various settings, but they are also committed to the unchanging reality that people grow in communities and that education is central to that growth.
While Colloquy is full of real people with real problems and a real desire for growing personally and professionally, Colloquy meetings are not group therapy; therefore, people are not expected to share beyond what they feel comfortable sharing (people can even join without video if they prefer). Meetings usually happen on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, or Sundays. Most meetings average about 4-12 people in attendance, and they join from many different cities and countries (more than a dozen are well-represented in Colloquy). Our meetings start informally with a time for casual conversation. Usually there is a topic with a professional who gives a high-quality presentation for 20-25 minutes. After the presentation, there is a time for discussion (respectful conversation) about the topic. Meetings last about one hour. Since our official beginning in December, 2021, we have had about 100 people join our meetings from time to time, and our participants join the meetings that interest them most (not all meetings). Colloquy Communities is a non-profit educational organization that operates on the donations of participants. A suggested donation for participation in a Colloquy sessions is 10 euros for a community session and 40 euros for an individual wellness session.
Because the word “colloquy” can have a religious connotation, it is important to note that Colloquy is not a religious organization that seeks to proselytize a particular religious faith. People are welcome from all backgrounds and ways of identifying in this world. The simple request for participants is that we attempt to nonjudgmentally respect one another’s personal experience, worldview, and perspectives.
We would be happy to welcome you to one of our meetings. The Colloquy academic rhythm goes from mid-September through mid-June, with a casual series of meetings in the month of July. Our first in-person retreat is scheduled for August, 2024, in Greece. To learn more about upcoming topics, see an updated schedule, or watch a meeting, visit our Colloquy website. To join or follow us on social media, click for Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. To join our WhatsApp text chat, send us your mobile number via email (colloquycommunities@gmail.com), and request to join WhatsApp.
Colloquy is quality, and we would like to welcome you into the Colloquy quality!