They may choose to pass if they want. No one is forced to share. Everything that is shared in the circle is confidential and stays within the confines of the group. It is preferred that no one enter or leave the circle once the sharing has begun. The success of the talking circles depends on the trust that is able to be built up in the group and the sincerity of those sharing.
Words spoken from the heart are the words that heal.
The following article was submitted by Violet Burnham, a community counselor for the Yukon-Koyukuk Mental Health Program. The Wellness Program in Kaltag believes that for people and communities to heal, there is a need for a lot of support that has to come from the community as a whole. We have had very little experience with Alcoholic Anonymous meetings and as a result, our efforts have focused on support groups. However, we have had many people who have gone to treatment programs outside of Kaltag and some of these individuals have begun to take charge of what they would like discussed in groups. Because of this, our support groups have begun to become more structured and our focus is on specific issues that relate to individuals within the group.