Looking for resources, tools and community to support your personal growth?
Find peer support online or in-person
CLASSES
Start here: Learn the fundamentals or advanced skills, online or in-person with a CCI-USA teacher
sessions
Set up a time with one or more co-counselors to practice the peer process
workshops
Single or multi-day events, often focused on a topic
support groups
Peer-led or facilitated sharing circles and working groups
What is Co-Counseling?
PEER STRUCTURE
In a Co-Counseling Session: You split time with another trained co-counselor. For half the time, you are the client (or talker), choosing what to explore or process. The other person is the counselor (or listener), witnessing you with deep attention, offering prompts if requested. Then the two of you switch roles—it’s a peer process.
COMMUNITY BASED
CCI co-counselors celebrate the good in ourselves and each other, listen without judgment, and support each other in creating a life—and world—we love. While CCI-USA began in the Northeast, there are other CCI communities and many co-counselors elsewhere in the U.S. There are also communities around the world, including those based in the United Kingdom, Europe, Israel, and New Zealand. Online classes, gatherings and workshops allow for participation from anywhere.
SELF DIRECTED
Co-counselors are in charge of their own sessions, enabling them to go as deep as they wish. With self-directed co-counseling, individuals enhance emotional well-being, experience positive changes in their lives, and further their own journeys toward healing.
CONFIDENTIAL
Confidentiality is a crucial aspect of co-counseling sessions. It means that anything shared during the session is kept private. It is not discussed with anyone outside of the session, not even with the client, unless the client wishes to bring it up. This creates a safe and trusting environment where individuals can feel comfortable doing their personal work.
Benefits of Co-Counseling
Co-Counseling offers you emotional support and tools to safely express and release frustration, anxiety or other emotions creating stress.
Co-counseling will teach you an emotional vocabulary and ways to safely access, identify, accept and express emotions. A side benefit of this is expanded ease around the emotions of others.
ACTUALIZATION
You will gain greater insights into your whole self – behaviors, fears, limiting beliefs, parts, goals and desires, strengths, capabilities and inspiration. Co-counseling is is a great way to learn more about who you really are.
If you find yourself doing things that get you the opposite of what you are hoping for, or leave you stuck in negative feedback loops, co-counseling will help you learn why that happens and how to construct alternative, more effective approaches.
Co-Counseling International is built around the currency of equal time. Once you have paid for your Fundamentals class (and there is often financial assistance for those in need), you can find a session partner and session for free.
Who is Co-Counseling for?
We welcome people from all backgrounds and experiences. We strive to create a safe and supportive environment for anyone regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, age, or sexual orientation.
At its core, it is a simple process anyone can learn – you don’t have to be a trained mental health professional to participate.
Is Co-Counseling right for you?
MAYBE
- You have empathy for yourself and others.
- You can hold your focus and attention for another person.
- You have a strong desire to work on yourself and help others do the same.
- You want to be part of a community of like-minded people who are striving to grow and heal.
- You are willing to refrain from alcohol or recreational drug use during training and sessions.
MAYBE NOT
- You want active direction from a professional.
- It’s challenging to hold space for yourself or others.
- Your distress is too overwhelming to handle without professional support.
- You struggle to hold boundaries or confidentiality.
Testimonials
