Intimacy of Harm: How to Build Community

After years of working in activist scenes, I have realized the power of consent as a foundation for creating the world we want to live in. No matter what the project is, learning to create a consensual relationship with yourself and with the people closest to you is the base knowledge from which you can build anything. It helps you build a supportive community and helps you to prioritize your own rest and be honest about your capacities.

It is wonderful to embody that knowledge in your body - a workshop setting is a wonderful place to practice!

WHAT THIS WEEKEND IS ABOUT:

Fostering a consensual relationship with yourself and your community asks of us to slow down. To check in with ourselves and our capacity. To work together and collaborate on finding an experience that suits all our needs. Taking consent out of the context of the bedroom and into daily life, it shows itself to have a profound impact on our relationships, communities, and personal growth.

Yet when we relate to each other, it is inevitable that we will cause harm - this is simply a part of being human, being messy, and being conditioned by the societies we are parts of. Making mistakes is scary, Causing harm is painful. How can we transform moments of pain into moments of closeness?

This workshop weekend is your opportunity to delve into a comprehensive exploration of consent, communication, boundaries, and relationship repair, all of which are essential in fostering deep connections and relationships.

You will be invited, through open discussions and a series of guided exercises, to think about a few key questions: how can we build a true, embodied, trauma and power aware consensual relationship with ourselves? How can we bridge that into a consent- and touch-based connection in our friendships?

How do we imagine accountability? How can we forgive ourselves when we behave in imperfect and harmful ways?

And what do we dream of when we dream of community?

AGENDA

Saturday:
11:00 - 12:00: Arrival
12:00 - 18:00: Workshop!
**lots of breaks as needed**
18:00 - 19:00: Potluck dinner
*optional*
19:00 - 20:00: Grounding, dancing, cuddles, integration time, consultation hours

Sunday:

11:00 - 12:00: Arrival
12:00 - 18:00: Workshop!
**lots of breaks as needed**
18:00 - 19:00: Potluck dinner
19:00 - 20:00: Grounding, integration, cuddle puddle, closing

ABOUT ELLA

Ella (they/them) is a bubbly and radically kind intimacy activist and workshop facilitator. They have fine tuned their ability to create safety and space in their workshops so that the societal armor can be left at the door. They love to play with words and are able to convey complex critical theory in simple, easy to grasp language. Their humor allows for playful engagement with heavy topics while always holding space for the depth of emotions.

LOCATION

The Healing Studio Amsterdam, Veenendaalplein 146, 1106 CS


WHAT TO BRING

🪺 Nesting materials (such as pillows, blankets, stuffed animals...) to create a cozy environment!

🌱 loose, comfy clothes that allow you to move freely. Choose something that makes you feel good and doesn't take up a lot of your mindspace. If you're unsure about the vibe, feel free to bring extra clothes to change into if your mood shifts. Overall, we aim for a cute and friendly atmosphere :)

🍲 Vegan/vegetarian meal for the potluck - enough food to feed maybe 3 or 4 people. If we all bring something to share, we can all feast!

🥨 snacks snacks snacks snacks snacks

🥤 waterbottle

📓 journal / pen and paper

ACCESS NEEDS

We want to create a welcoming space for everyone - you are wholeheartedly embraced! If you have any access needs or specific questions and concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. The location is wheelchair accessible. I speak English, German, okay Dutch, some Spanish.

TICKET PRICES

If everyone buys a €130 'I want to come!!' ticket, the costs of the event will be covered and I get paid minimum wage (for the duration of the event itself).

If everyone buys a €160 'I love this work! keep it up!!' ticket, it covers the costs, can support low income tickets, and I can pay myself enough for this to be a sustainable job long-term.

I also offer €95 low income tickets and, if that is still too expensive, reach out for a free ticket in exchange for a (cash) donation at the event.

Please choose the option that feels right for you - no questions asked :)

CONTACT ME

I love questions, concerns, access need requests, feedback, everything!!

Ella
Email: ella.carson.workshops@gmail.com
Insta: @elladoesworkshops
Telegram: @ellashields


Much love <3