Throughout the month of April, Ramsey County, in partnership with the City of Saint Paul, has been offering both in-person and virtual healing circles. Rooted in the history and traditions of indigenous North American cultures, the practice of healing circles is to bring people together who are “committed to helping one another and contributing to each other’s healing.”
The healing circles being offered by Ramsey County are specifically designed to support the emotional health and well-being of area residents, particularly those who have been acutely traumatized by the tragic murder of George Floyd, the civil unrest that followed, and the trial that is now nearing its end. The hurt and trauma so many of us feel, especially in BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) communities, has only been exacerbated by last Sunday’s killing of Daunte Wright, an event that has also served to significantly brightened the national media spotlight already focused on the Twin Cities.
According to Ramsey County, the community healing circles “are led by experienced individual healers who are embedded in the community and use their lived experiences, expertise and training to facilitate a welcoming, safe and comfortable environment for participants to express themselves.”
The virtual healing circles will continue through the month of April on both Tuesdays (April 20 and 27) from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm, and Thursdays (April 22 and 29) from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Information on how to join on Zoom can be found here for Tuesday’s healing circles and here for Thursday’s circles. In-person healing circles will be hosted at various dates and times through the end of the month at sites including: Rondo Community Library, Oxford Community Center, Arlington Community Center, and Ramsey County Library branches in Roseville and Maplewood. For exact dates, times, and locations of the in-person healing circles, and to learn more about the individual healers that will lead these circles, please visit Ramsey County’s dedicated webpage. And, for any questions about the healing circles and access to additional resources, please feel free to contact the Ramsey County facilitation team by email.
