2026-06-26 Today's Empathy Movement Curriculum Meet and Greet
Edwin Rutsch
Empathy Movement Curriculum Project Website
Greetings
here is the full report from today’s
2026-06-26 Today’s Empathy Movement Curriculum Meet and Greet
https://sites.google.com/view/empathy-movement-curriculum/notes/meetings/2026-06-26-meet-and-greet
Remember, you can communicate, introduce yourself, ask questions, share ideas, etc by emailing this empathymovem...@googlegroups.com google group. We have about 40 people on this email group. https://groups.google.com/g/empathymovementcurriculum
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Another Project we are working on is a project website to explore and develop:
How Empathy Circles might be used as a less expensive form of peer 'Therapy'/Self Care/Support/Growth? and facilitators to be paid for their facilitation. review the project here.
https://sites.google.com/view/peerempathycircles/home
Next meeting Saturday June 27 - 11am PT/ 7pm UK/8pm CET
Discuss creating the project. Join us at
Zoom https://zoom.us/j/9896109339
meeting info https://sites.google.com/view/peerempathycircles/meetings
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summary below. 2026-06-26 Today’s Empathy Movement Curriculum Meet and Greet
Meeting Summary
This meeting serves as an introductory orientation and brainstorming session for the Empathy Movement Training Curriculum project, hosted by Edwin Rutsch, Founding Director of The Empathy Center. The primary goal of the initiative is to systematically build an open-source, public-domain curriculum centered around empathy and the core practice of the Empathy Circle.
Participants from diverse backgrounds (education, psychotherapy, mediation, and community organizing) introduced themselves, shared how they utilize empathy in their respective fields, and reviewed potential training modules. Edwin emphasized that he is looking for educators and curriculum development experts to help oversee the overall structure, manage the logistics, and lead individual modules. The discussion highlighted the project's long-term vision: transforming social, educational, and political cultures through mutual empathy while creating viable income streams for paid facilitators via private support circles.
1:27 – Participant Introductions & Backgrounds
§ Edwin SF Bay Area
§ 1:40: Daniel (San Francisco) shares his experience running the Amplify Empathy Cafe on Wednesdays for nearly two years. He discusses his interest in exploring empathy through alternative modalities like music and energy, viewing the Empathy Circle as a central "magnet."
§ 2:50: Bill Filler (San Francisco Bay Area) introduces himself as a retired special education teacher who has worked with Edwin since 2017. He currently manages the basic training and facilitation programs.
§ 3:15: Buffaina (England) introduces herself as a psychotherapist finishing her MA in inclusion and special educational needs. She uses tabletop roleplaying games (TTRPGs) as a therapeutic intervention for children.
§ 3:57: Vicki (England), co-founder of Role Resolve alongside Buffaina, discusses incorporating empathy into TTRPGs, nature therapy, and somatic therapy. She mentions her upcoming PhD work focusing on empathetic communication between school staff and children.
§ 5:04: Kathleen / Cat (New Mexico) introduces herself as a professional educator, mediator, and communication coach. Her focus is on emotional intelligence, noting that empathy is its cornerstone.
§ 6:33: Tammy Newbury (Watertown, Wisconsin) discusses her diverse background in nonprofits, disaster relief, and youth mentoring. She notes the importance of ensuring the curriculum remains accessible to individuals who may have had negative past experiences with academic environments.
§ 8:48: Andrea (Indiana) shares her background as an alternative secondary and university educator specializing in curriculum instruction and applied educational neuroscience. She notes that lower-income students often respond exceptionally well to empathy-driven instruction. She discusses her work on historical empathy, tragic events, and connecting students to individual narratives.
Warmly,
Edwin
Edwin Rutsch
Director: The Empathy Center
Building the Empathy Movement
http://TheEmpathyCenter.org
http://EmpathySummit.com
http://CultureOfEmpathy.com
http://BestEmpathyTraining.com
Connect /Friend Me:
Facebook: http://Facebook.com/edwin.rutsch/
Linked-In: http://Linkedin.com/in/edwinrutsch/
