ABSTRACT
As I walked into the main room at the retreat centre, about ten of the twenty-four people we were expecting were creating nests on the floor—with back jack chairs, blankets, and pillows. There was a light murmur of voices, as some were talking with one another, while others were more indrawn, awaiting what would come next. I was aware that some of the participants in this interpersonal neurobiology study group knew one another, while others were embarking on this process alone. A small Queen Anne chair stood waiting for me. I felt a moment’s hesitation at being “above” the group; then realised that the environment was already supporting ease in a way that would set a tone conveying a felt sense that safety and connection might be possible no matter where I sat. We had each entered through a warm kitchen and were welcomed generously by the woman who had organised this experience. We shed our shoes, and found places for the sand trays and miniatures we had brought. Through the ample windows, we could see mid-summer flowers and the curving green lawns that surrounded our room at this rural retreat. We were going to meet together for a year to sink deeply into interpersonal neurobiology, coming together every other month for a weekend that would include exploration of concepts, always coupled 190with experiences to help our embodied brains take on the shape and meaning of what we were learning. These people had made quite a commitment and some had come a distance as well.
