Healing circles offer support for life changes
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People in Argentina and elsewhere are joining healing circles, group meetings focused on emotional and physical wellbeing, to share experiences and support each other.
Doctor Sol Sananes of the UBA (University of Buenos Aires) explains these circles provide a place for people to remove pretenses and honestly express how they feel. These groups, inspired by traditions in some Indigenous American cultures, offer a space to discuss life changes, grief, and loneliness as a complement to individual therapy.
Participants in these weekly meetings share practical advice on healthy habits, rest, and emotional regulation. The groups function by allowing members to voice their pain without judgement, laugh at contradictions, and find belonging. While these circles don’t replace clinical consultations for physical illnesses, research from psychologist Martin Seligman suggests that social connection can act as both a buffer against stress and a booster for happiness. Sananes believes healing circles help people articulate long-held feelings and recognize shared experiences.
She emphasizes that healing isn’t about reaching a final state of health but about evolving and growing through life’s challenges. The groups operate on a non-hierarchical model, where everyone contributes and receives support, and the key to their effectiveness is when participants feel safe enough to show vulnerability.
