The process is a carefully crafted one. Working in large and small groups as well as in pairs, participants move through increasingly more challenging and self-revealing exercises with specific goals in mind. This seemingly simple exercise demonstrates the similarities between people which may not be immediately obvious. These negative thoughts may be about other groups of people or about one's own group. A time for positive comments is also built into the session.
Students later gather in self-selected small groups with whom participants share a common bond.
Speakers are encouraged, even at this later date, to vent their feelings and reactions to an incident. Others are invited to discuss how they related to the story. Instead of ignoring or condemning such comments, students practice responding in ways that reduce defensiveness and thus may be more effective in changing someone's behavior. These might include the use of a neutral tone of voice, empathic listening, and skillful questioning which may open up a dialogue. But I realized that they do.