Group support only works when everyone protects the space. These are the expectations we hold, and the limits you should know about.
Why these guidelines exist
A circle works because the people in it feel safe enough to be honest. That is built by everyone in the room, not by the platform alone. These guidelines apply to every member and every facilitator.
Respect in the circle
- Listen without interrupting, and let people finish.
- Speak from your own experience rather than diagnosing anyone else's.
- Disagree with an idea without attacking a person.
- Accept that people share at different speeds. Nobody has to speak.
Group confidentiality, and its limits
We ask every member to keep what is shared in a circle inside the circle. Every member agrees to this before their first session, and so do we.
We want to be honest about what that can and cannot mean. We cannot control what other participants do. And there are situations in which we or a facilitator may need to act on something shared with us — for example where there is a serious risk to someone's safety. Please do not treat a circle as a guarantee of absolute confidentiality, because no group can offer that.
No recording or sharing
Do not record, screenshot, photograph or transcribe any part of a session, and do not share any part of it outside the circle. This includes what someone said, who was present, and anything identifying them.
Harassment and abuse are not tolerated
Harassment, threats, sexual harassment, intimidation, and discrimination on any basis have no place here. If it happens, tell us. Accounts that behave this way can be suspended or closed.
Professional boundaries
Facilitators hold the space in a professional capacity. Please keep contact with your facilitator inside the platform and inside sessions. A facilitator is not available between sessions, and a circle is not a substitute for individual clinical care where that is what someone needs.
What this service is not
The Circl is not an emergency service and does not provide crisis care or medical diagnosis. Sessions are scheduled, and messages are not monitored continuously.
If you are in immediate danger or experiencing an emergency, contact the appropriate local emergency service. If you are worried about your own safety and it is not an immediate emergency, please also tell us so we can respond with the support that is available.
Reporting a concern
If something worries you — about another member, about a facilitator, or about your own safety — use Contact Us and choose a safety-related subject. Tell us what happened and when. You do not need to be certain before you report something.
Keeping your account safe
- Use a password you do not use anywhere else.
- Do not share your login with anyone.
- Join sessions from a private space where you will not be overheard.
- Tell us if you think someone else has access to your account.
Members under 18
Members under 18 are welcome and may name an optional trusted adult contact we can reach if there is a serious concern about their wellbeing. That is the member's own choice, and it is not parental consent or guardianship verification. See our Privacy Policy for what we store.
Review
These guidelines are reviewed as the service grows, and each publication creates a new dated version.