What we’re about
Want more connection in your life? More satisfying relationships? At our events, you can expect to:
Play outside your normal box
Practice self-expression
Learn who you are & what you truly want
Connect with others
You'll also learn to...
Explore and appreciate a full range of emotions
Develop relational intelligence
Develop integral ("teal") awareness
Develop group leadership skills
Our People:
Our participants are all ages, mostly professionals who are motivated to find more satisfying, deeper interactions with others in a world that leaves us feeling isolated. Expect a wide range of high-functioning, unconventional personalities - lots of therapists, artists, RTP tech workers, psychonauts, and people exploring the limits of their consciousness and demanding more depth of connection in their relationships.
What is Authentic Relating?
Based on the idea of living in the present moment, cultivating self love, and expressing your truths in connection, our Authentic Relating events involve interactive social games & interpersonal meditation practices.
Our Authentic Relating events are immersive small-group events which mix emotional intelligence (EQ), relational intelligence (RQ) and meditation practices. It can make a big difference in everything from your relationships, to your connection with family members, to dealing with difficult people at work!
Interpersonal meditations are sometimes fun, sometimes intense, sometimes beautiful, sometimes sad. We practice being with each other, and being seen, in the full range of our humanity. We take risks and learn how to set boundaries. We learn how to play, and how to care.
All while making lifelong friends, as we explore these realms of intimacy & authenticity together!
We also host several book study and discussion groups each year, to help you integrate insights from our practices, and to create a forum for you to share ideas with others. These are not your grandma's book study group - these go much deeper!
Join Our Mailing List (Calendar):
https://mailchi.mp/navigatechange.org/authentic_relating
Our Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/AuthenticNC
Our website with more information:
https://navigatechange.org/tgroup
Our related Meetup where we explore dreamwork & train you in states of awareness:
Alchemical Dreamers' Guild Meetup
---More Details (for people who like to read pages and pages before joining something)---
What's Special About an Authentic Relating Community?
Authentic Relating is the practice of utilizing relationships as a lens for self-discovery, and vulnerability as a tool for mind-blowing, heart-opening connection.
Authentic relating is a contemplative path: we meditate on the experience of being together—on the sense of connection, on what arises in relationship with each other. We observe moment by moment, sharing what it's like to be with each other. There is fun available, but also a depth of practice for those who want more.
Over time through this practice, we develop the ability to uphold five principles:
Honor Self
Honor Other
Hide Nothing
Everything is OK
Own Your Experience
Put into one sentence, relational meditation involves tracking our own well-being (Honor Self) in connection with each other (Honor Other), while practicing expressing ourselves honestly, openly, and clearly.
These are wonderful relational practices, and can have a huge influence on your ability to have successful relationships--both at home and in the workplace!
Come check it out!
We invite you to join our community and to experience not just the depth possible in an evening of authentic relating, but the sense of soul-enlivening community available for all who play, relate with us over the long term.
Our groups are presently on Tuesday & Sunday evenings, and we also host occasional weekend workshops, courses, and professional seminars.
Our HeartFire Members get free or discounted access to all our events in both of our Meetups. Hope you'll join us!
Looking forward to meeting you! And don't forget to join our mailing list!
Our Mailing List:
https://mailchi.mp/navigatechange.org/authentic_relating
Cover image: Shutterstock, licensed to Navigate Change, LLC, the owner of this Meetup.
Want to go deeper? Visit NavigateChange.Org for more info on Benji's upcoming courses & long-term relationship coaching packages.
Upcoming events (1)
See all- Relational Mastery Lab: 10 Weeks of Deep Authentic Relating & Personal GrowthDurham, Durham, NC$299.00
Break Through Relational Hangups & Build Deep Connection
What if the way you show up in relationships is keeping you stuck—without you even realizing it?
📅 Dates & Logistics
- Begin: Tuesday, September 30 (group closes on July 1)
- End: 10 weekly sessions ending Dec 02 (make-up day is Dec 09 or TBD)
- Timing: 6-9 PM
- Format: In-person
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What to Expect:
This isn’t a class—it’s a training ground for deep connection. You won’t just learn—you’ll feel yourself shifting in real-time. Conversations will land differently. You’ll catch yourself holding back, breaking rapport, or missing cues—and then, in the moment, you’ll learn to change it.
We’ve refined these Authentic Relating methods over 10 years and hundreds of sessions. If you’ve ever thought, "I wish I knew how to connect deeper, speak my truth, or break old patterns in relationships," this is your space to practice—not just think about it.
No prior experience needed—just a willingness to engage. Whether you’re new to this or are already deep into Authentic Relating, you’ll grow in ways you didn’t expect.
Each Week, You’ll Experience:
💠 Check-in & Grounding – Arrive fully. Drop into presence. Feel your nervous system settle.
💡 One Essential Relational Insight (15 min) – Each week, you’ll get one mind-shifting distinction that makes connection easier, deeper, and more natural.
🔥 T-Group & Relational Flow™ – This is where theory meets reality. You’ll get real-time, unscripted feedback on how you show up—so you can stop repeating patterns that don’t serve you and start creating genuine connection with ease.
P.S. – Feeling anxious? That’s normal at first. If you’ve avoided spaces like this before, here’s your chance to break that cycle and finally feel at ease in connection.
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Between Sessions, You’ll Stay Engaged With:
Curated Readings & Videos – Designed to reinforce what you’re integrating
Group Chat & Buddy System (Optional) – Keep momentum between sessions. Get reflections, accountability, and extra practice with others who are also committed to growth.
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💡 Questions? Schedule a call here or text Benji at (303) 847-5263.
🔹 Want a full breakdown of the practices and course structure? Get all the details here → NavigateChange.Org.
🔹 Spots are limited—Join Us & Redefine How You Connect!
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💰 Tuition: Secure Your Spot for 10 Weeks of Growth
➡ Early Bird Tuition: $299 for the full 3-month immersion ($349 after March 20)
➡ Registration is easy – Pay via cash, check, or credit card to secure your spot. Register here.
🔥 Save $50 when you register before Sep 1. Why wait? Lock in your spot now.
✅ Satisfaction guaranteed for full completion of the course.
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🔹 Want Certification? This course is part of our EQ/RQ training ecosystem.
Begin Your 250-Hour Relational Leadership Training Journey:
- Members Gain FREE Access to this program.
- 2 options: Commit in advance or pay monthly toward your 250-Hour Relational Leadership Certification
- Exclusive Discounts on retreats, micro-courses, and other events
🔗 Join Here: HeartFire Membership Registration
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More Info For Those Who Like Detail:
📖 NLP Book Study & At-Home Integration:
Your training includes a book study on NLP: The Essential Guide—a practical manual for rewiring communication patterns & deepening connection. Find it here.
A Toolkit for Relational Mastery:
Some of the most impactful relational shifts happen below the surface—in the subtle cues we miss, the emotions we transmit without words, and the unconscious patterns that shape our interactions.
That’s where NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) comes in. Developed by studying the most effective communicators and changemakers of the past century, NLP offers practical tools for noticing, adjusting, and refining how we connect.
💡 In this training, NLP isn’t something extra—it’s the people skills toolkit you didn't know you were missing:
🔹 Tune into hidden relational cues & understand what’s really being communicated
🔹 Shift emotional states in real-time—yours and others’—to foster deeper trust
🔹 Practice language patterns that enhance clarity, connection, and transformation
Rather than theory, you’ll experience NLP inside our Authentic Relating practices—not as a separate system, but as an amplifier of presence, impact, and attunement.
By the end, NLP won’t just be something you’ve read about—it will be something you feel and apply instinctively.
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⚖️ Expectations: Honoring Self & Others
Group work can be intense and transformative. It can be tempting to quit right when you're about to have a breakthrough. To help us reduce unnecessary drama and increase positive outcomes, by attending, we ask that you:
- Take 100% responsibility for your own well-being (Honor Self). This means physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual well-being.
- Show empathy & respect for others (Honor Other)
- Show up fully & stay the course (Play Full Out)
- Agree to resolve any disputes related to this course via community conflict mediation
🔗 Read our event expectations, conflict resolution process, and waiver here: Disclosure & Waiver
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Rewire How You Connect & Express Yourself
This isn’t just another group—it’s an immersive training ground where you’ll rewire how you connect. Each week, you’ll practice in real time, not just learn concepts.
🔹 Ever caught yourself holding back, saying too much, or disconnecting at the worst moment? Here, you’ll see it as it happens—and shift it on the spot.
🔹 Your nervous system will adjust. Instead of reacting on autopilot, you’ll start noticing yourself staying open, even in tension.
🔹 You’ll break old patterns. The ones that have kept you stuck in surface-level conversations or repeating the same conflicts.
🔹 You’ll trust yourself more, set boundaries with ease, and express what’s real—without overthinking or holding back.
By the end, this won’t be something you "try to do"—it will be who you are.
🔥 If you’re ready to leave outdated patterns behind and create real connection—join us.
Your future self will thank you. Secure your spot now → Register here.
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📆 Stay Connected:
📩 Join Our Mailing List for updates on future courses & retreats.
