frequently asked questions

NUSHU Group Facilitator Training

01. Facilitator Training Overview

NUSHU Group is the age-old women’s circle, reimagined for the modern age. It is a place where participants get to simply show up as they are and share. It is a safe space where no one is judged or fixed; rather, members of the group are heard, held, and accepted. Guided by a facilitator and prompts, participants can powerfully access their own healing and catalyze positive change in their lives and in the world around them. Learn more about NUSHU Group.

– Tommieka Texeira

“This training allows people to deeply experience internal growth in very subtle but paramount ways simply by showing up. There isn’t a person I know that would not greatly benefit from this experience.”

Real Estate Business Owner in Brooklyn, New York

The training is a 16-week program where you will learn the theory and skills of group facilitation and gain practical, hands-on experience leading NUSHU Group. You will expand your skills to understand how to hold powerful space in a group setting, while growing both personally and professionally in ways you might not expect.

This course is a virtual LIVE training that will begin on February 14, 2023, and will meet twice weekly on Tuesdays and Thursdays for sixteen weeks, ending on Tuesday, May 30.

Our meeting times are 12-1:30pm Eastern Time on Tuesdays and Thursdays. All sessions in NUSHU Group Facilitator Training are live and attendance is required.

Tuesdays: 2/14, 2/21, 2/28, 3/7, 3/14, 3/21, 3/28, 4/4, 4/11, 4/18, 4/25, 5/2, 5/9, 5/16, 5/23, 5/30 
Thursdays: 2/16, 2/23, 3/2, 3/9, 3/16, 3/23, 3/30, 4/6, 4/13, 4/20, 4/27, 5/4, 5/11, 5/18, 5/25

*Note that on the sixteenth and final week, we will only meet on Tuesday, May 30 for the cohort’s graduation.

Spiritual Life Coach in Brooklyn, New York

“Our weekly homework was an invitation to explore all parts of ourselves with gentle compassion. I saw each one of the facilitators in my class grow exponentially between the first and final training sessions. By the end, I was able to see in myself what my fellow classmates saw in me.”

– Brooke Gramer

There are two 90-minute meetings per week. In addition, there's approximately 60 minutes of independent coursework and reflection each week. This training is completely live, and we ask that you enter into the training with the intention of attending each session. We understand that emergencies arise, but the integrity of the training is contingent on participants committing to full attendance when they enter into the training.

There are additional masterclasses and bonus sessions offered, which are optional (but highly encouraged) and will be recorded should you not be able to attend during their scheduled times.

Activist in Medford, New Jersey

– Kei Kurimoto

"It was hearty and filled with impactful teachings and experiences, and at the same time felt manageable. That is a hard balance and I think you achieved it really well. Vanessa’s weekly teachings were so valuable and felt like they flowed naturally in progression. Thank you for all the time, energy and heart you put into creating this experience for us, and the healing this is rippling into the world."

This is a live training led by NUSHU Founder Vanessa Cornell with support from NUSHU Mentors. For the teaching sessions, Vanessa will teach concepts as well as lead discussions among the participants. In addition, participants will have the opportunity to take turns stepping into the role of facilitator under the guidance of a NUSHU Mentor. This NUSHU Group lived experience is an extremely important and effective aspect of the training. Written course materials will be supplied weekly to support the lessons through the course platform.

For the duration of the training, each participant will be assigned to a smaller, 6-7 person cohort guided by a NUSHU Mentor. Within these smaller groups, participants will have the opportunity to facilitate a NUSHU Group through the offering of prompts and inviting the other members to share. 

Your NUSHU Mentor will help you prepare for your facilitation and will give you feedback following the session. Please know that we will support you fully and completely, and you will be in the most loving environment possible for trying something new!

NUSHU Facilitator & Mentor  in Charlotte, North Carolina

– Katie Beam

“I was blown away by how much I continued to learn as a Mentor this time around in the training. As Vanessa has said, ‘Learning is a spiral.’ It’s so interesting to see how much you get from these lessons after having facilitated your own Groups. The power of listening to simply witness and not to fix or change has made an impact on my relationships. Learning that we all have the answers within ourselves has been incredibly impactful in my role as a friend, parent and community member.”

In the past, we have run NUSHU Group Facilitator Training twice a year. This year, we will offer the training only once, as it has been redesigned to be a more intimate cohort, with a longer duration and more direct access to Vanessa. We see this training as an apprenticeship program, with a high level of commitment on both sides.

Through training, you will learn the theory and skills of group facilitation and gain practical, hands-on experience in the modality of NUSHU Group. You’ll understand how to hold powerful space in a group setting while growing both personally and professionally in ways you might not expect.

The skills taught in this training will help you…
  • Expand your existing modality or 1-1 work as a practitioner into group offerings
  • Create safe and dynamic spaces for facilitated group sharing in your workplace or community
  • Become a more effective leader and listener
  • Shift your personal, professional, and family relationships

Following training, all participants are welcomed into Facilitators Circle, a special membership community for those who have completed the program. Active membership in Facilitators Circle is part of our requirements to hold the title of a Certified NUSHU Group Facilitator. Your training fee includes six months of membership.

Yes! Our vehicle for ongoing support, training and connectivity is a membership community called Facilitators Circle. This incredible, dynamic facilitator community provides ongoing support, resources and advanced topics for Certified NUSHU Group Facilitators, as well as opportunities to connect through virtual events and an annual in-person retreat day. 

A six-month trial for Facilitators Circle is included in the cost of the training. Certification as a NUSHU Group Facilitator is contingent on an active Facilitator Circle membership. Certification entitles you to use the NUSHU name, extensive resource library, and support network. 

Yes! We want you to meet your financial goals while doing this powerful work. We currently have past training participants who are earning money as NUSHU Group Facilitators both independently and through our public NUSHU Group offerings. For those of you who have a hard time charging for your services, Facilitator Training addresses our relationship with money and we provide you with the support and encouragement to step fully into the value of your offering.

Publicist in Miami, Florida

– Angelica galan

“This training, the space you’ve created, is needed now more than ever. As much as this training is to learn to hold space for others (and yourself), I did it mostly for me. It is something that grounded me during a very challenging time.”

Business Manager in Baldwin Harbor, New York

– Tess Brunetti

“This training has given me a clearer path to find my own answers to life's little queries. It has had a profound effect on my personal healing journey."

Wellness Coach in Greenwich, Connecticut

– COURTNEY EVANS

“Thank you for this beautiful offering you've created. I've done some many 'women's enrichment' programs and they all fall short on soul. NUSHU has soul in spades.”

02. Who This Training Is For

Educator in Ridgewood, New Jersey

– Sofia Estrella

“The training was a way for me to get to know myself as an educator in a way that my traditional schooling never did.”

Public Relations Consultant in San Diego, California

– Alicia Pearlman

“This training allowed me to be vulnerable. After a year or so of holding it together for myself and my family, it’s a breath of fresh air to be free to share whatever I’m feeling. Gosh, I’m so grateful for it. It was everything I hoped it would be.”

This training is for you if you feel called to help others and to be of service.

If you already have a practice of healing or teaching (yoga, nutrition, life coach, reiki, etc.), NUSHU Group is a complementary and additional modality that you can offer your community or clients, increasing your impact as well as your earnings.

If you are a solo practitioner, and are struggling to find a way to break into group work, NUSHU Group Facilitator Training will give you the tools and understanding to help you make the important transition that can take your work to the next level.

NUSHU Group Facilitator and Mindfulness Work  in Charlotte, North Carolina

– Katie Beam

“I love that there are members from all over the world in this group. And that even though we are in very different situations, and locations and cultures, at some point that there is a commonality and there is very much a desire for a lot of people to be part of a community like this.”

People from all walks of life, professions, ages and locations across the globe have participated.

Many of our facilitators are practitioners, such as life coaches, physical therapists, yoga instructors, therapists, reiki healers, nutritionists and more. We’ve also had engineers, dancers, doctors, lawyers, moms, grandmothers, professors and poets join us!

Past training cohorts have included people from more than 15 countries, with participants’ ages ranging from 20-70.

Physical Therapist and Movement Educator in New York, NY

– Dr. Katrina Rinne

“There have been major shifts in how I am showing up in every aspect of my life, from being the mom of a toddler, to being a pelvic floor therapist who holds space for bodies with high levels of trauma. It’s truly an amazing modality and I cannot wait to be facilitating NUSHU Group!” 

Meditation and Breathwork Practitioner in Astoria, NY

– Kelly Sullivan

“I came into training with a slew of doubts and fears. I was disarmed almost immediately and came to feel that I really belonged in this incredible group within the first two sessions. That feeling of support, nonjudgement, and belonging went a long way in my self-confidence as a person, as well as a facilitator and space-holder for others. I learned how to show up for myself more fully, so that I could in turn, do so for others with less worry, fear and attachment to outcomes.”

Your inner dialogue might be saying, "Who am I to think that I could be a leader or a teacher and help others on their personal journey?" If you are having these doubts, this training is exactly for you. 

NUSHU Group Facilitator Training addresses the underlying doubts that limit our empowerment and prevent us from stepping into our full healing power. It will encourage you to access your gifts to help others.

Mental Health Counselor in Queens, New York

– Joi Campbell

“You will not only learn how to be a NUSHU Group Facilitator, but you will also learn a lot about yourself in the process. It is truly a co-healing space, and you will be much better for it afterwards.”

Becoming a NUSHU Group Facilitator is available to anyone who holds the intention of love and has the capacity to show up for others with compassion and non-judgment. There are no skills or specific qualifications required.

We live in a culture that tells us we need endless degrees and qualifications before we are allowed to pursue our purpose. In this training, part of our work is to break through this belief.

If you feel drawn to this work, we encourage you to listen to that voice. Many past participants have expressed they received more from this training than they could have imagined.

This training is not right for someone who cannot commit to attending all of the live sessions and needs to follow a course at their own pace. It's not for someone who is actively working through trauma, is in mental health crisis, or feels that environments where hearing others share difficult stories can be triggering and unsafe. At NUSHU, we are as focused on the safety and wellbeing of our participants. 

It's important to note that the NUSHU Group modality is not group therapy nor is it appropriate for those who are not sufficiently resourced to recognize and advocate for their own safety.

No! Everyone is welcome.

Marketing Manager in Los Angeles, California

– Shirley Monge

“This training should be essential to anyone who wants to become a leader or healer. It teaches you great leadership skills such as confidence and a better understanding of others.”

Life Coach in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

– Dr. Caitlin Faas

“This is a wonderful compliment for coaches and therapists to the work they are already doing. I've already shared it with so many people I know.”

So much of what we teach in NUSHU Group Facilitator Training creates lasting and far-reaching impact and influence on all aspects of our lives, both personally and professionally. This training will enhance your capacity to serve others through your current modality. If you are looking to break into group work, this training will give you the tools and understanding so you can take your offerings to the next level.

Engineer and Nonprofit Volunteer Leader in Tenants Harbor, Maine

– Susan Bates

“Trusting my gut to apply for Facilitator Training in 2020 was a big step towards my intention to pay attention to my intuitive, heart-centered self. My professional life in technology had called on my rational/logical self, and my leadership roles rewarded my organizational skills. At 65, I wanted to call more on my emotions. Every step along the way during training affirmed my decision. Offering NUSHU Groups is a meaningful way for me to serve others."

Arts and Entertainment in Iloilo City, Philippines

– Joce Sta Maria

“I felt so inspired by the women in my cohort and what they brought to the collective. The “wellness world” is quite foreign to me as I've only started dabbling into it earlier this year, but NUSHU Group Facilitator Training is for everyone and anyone who is open and drawn to this work. Thank you for sharing this gift with me.”

Yes! Some of our most powerful facilitators have current or past careers that have nothing to do with personal growth or healing. Many of them have felt a calling inside them for a long time that finally found its expression through this modality.

Yes! We offer compensated roles for Certified NUHU Group Facilitators to lead NUSHU Groups, and participate in our courses and trainings.

Marketing and Communications in Charleston, South Carolina

– Colby Jones 

“I love the structure of the sessions each week and the resources available. Above all, I love that there’s accountability, but that it doesn’t feel too forced…it’s very much ‘come as you are’ and ‘learn as you go.’” 

Mental Health Counselor in Queens, New York

– Joi Campbell

“You will not only learn how to be a NUSHU Group Facilitator, but you will also learn a lot about yourself in the process. It is truly a co-healing space, and you will be much better for it afterwards.”

Nutrition and Fitness Coach in Montreal, Canada

– Renee Young

“There was so much love put into creating this training and it attracted so many people who had that same level of love. I felt like this training held my hand and brought me back to myself.”

03. Cost, Timeline, and Training Materials

The investment for our 16-week program is $2,899 USD if you pay in full. Payment plans are also available at $499 USD per month for six months.

Yes, we offer payment plans. On your application, you will be able to indicate whether you would like to pay in full or utilize our payment plan.

We are deeply committed to accessibility and offer scholarships for all of our trainings. We understand that this is substantial financial investment and we will be offering a select number of partial scholarships by application.  As we are only able to offer a limited number of scholarships, we ask that you please consider this option only if you find yourself in a place where the cost of training would create a substantial financial hardship.

Before you apply, please remember that there are costs associated with running a training, and the fee reflects our tremendous commitment of time and resources to creating a high-quality training that is substantial, effective and also personal.

If investing in this training simply means that you would be forgoing some of the "nice to haves," we ask that you honor the value of the training and apply in the regular pool. In this way, you are joining us in our commitment to accessibility by opening a spot for someone who wouldn't otherwise be able to join the training.

Yes, we offer a reduced rate of $1,449 USD if you pay in full. Payment plans are also available at $249 USD per month for six months. You will be able to indicate on your application whether you would like to utilize this reduced rate.

No, this training is 100% live. It is expected that all participants keep up with the weekly work and participate fully in the sessions.  

The power of this training is in large part due to the interaction between participants. When you show up for lessons and training sessions, you are showing up not only for yourself, but also for others in your cohort. We ask that you only apply if you intend to attend all of the training sessions.

Of course, we understand that emergencies arise and that you may not be able to attend a session from time to time. Should this happen, we kindly ask that you contact us as far in advance as possible.

The NUSHU Group Facilitator community is an extraordinary group of people who meet regularly through our Facilitators Circle Membership. A free, six-month membership in this community is included as a part of this training course. Here you will find ongoing support and encouragement for you to start your own NUSHU Groups or to incorporate NUSHU Groups into your current modality.

Membership in Facilitators Circle is part of our requirements to hold a certification to offer NUSHU Groups. You can learn more about certification in the next FAQ section.

We are unfortunately unable to offer refunds for this course once an application has been accepted and payment has been made. We intentionally keep the number of participants small, and therefore must limit the number of applications we accept. Once the application process has concluded, and you have reserved your spot, it is not possible to fill it with another participant.

Engineer, Nonprofit Volunteer Leader in Tenants Harbor, Maine

– SUSAN BATES

"Offering NUSHU Groups is a meaningful way for me to serve others. When I witness people connecting with each other, and remembering what matters to them, I know I’ve found my calling for this stage of my life."

Spiritual Life Coach in Brooklyn, New York

– BROOKE GRAMER

"I saw each one of the facilitators in my class grow exponentially between the first and final training sessions. By the end, I was able to see in myself what my fellow classmates saw in me."

Business Management in Baldwin Harbor, New York

– TESS BRUNETTI

“This training has given me a clearer path to find my own answers to life's little queries. It has had a profound effect on my personal healing journey. I came out of it learning how to be a better communicator."

04. Certification & Additional Questions

Facilitators Circle is a private and dedicated membership community for Certified NUSHU Group Facilitators to engage in ongoing personal and professional development as well as engage in an ongoing exchange of wisdom and support.

Facilitators Circle Membership includes:
  • The title of Certified NUSHU Group Facilitator 
  • Calendar of live workshops and events 
  • Facilitator Resource Library including prompt database, recorded masterclasses, and official NUSHU Group materials
  • Private online community for members to connect, ask questions, share experiences, and support each other
  • Bonus workshops + giveaways, including first access to all future retreats, trainings, and courses

Facilitators Circle membership costs $349.99 annually or $38.99/month. The first six months of membership is already included in your training fee ($234 value).

Brand Marketing Manager in Park Ridge, Illinois

– Jessica Clark

“The discussions around protecting our energy as a facilitator were pretty profound and I’ve been able to take that into other aspects of my life, especially when it comes to parenting. I feel like I’m on the right path now and have the tools to move forward. I was blown away by the training masterclass with Ally Bogard. I feel like I stepped through this door of knowing and I can never go back.”

Being a Certified NUSHU Group Facilitator entitles you to use the NUSHU name and materials provided during the training and through the Facilitators Circle membership.

You may identify yourself on your website, Instagram, LinkedIn, or other social media platforms as a Certified NUSHU Group Facilitator. You can also publish the official facilitator seal signifying your certification. 

You may use all of the copy that was shared during training including the NUSHU Group description, NUSHU Group Guidelines, sample prompts, as well as sample openings and closings.

You will have access to a rich library of resources and ongoing programming that will be offered through the Facilitators Circle membership.

And, why does the certification require an ongoing membership to Facilitators Circle?
First and foremost, we seek to do good and not do harm. Empowering people to go out into the world to run NUSHU Group is a responsibility we take very seriously. When we create spaces for people to share their experiences and emotions, challenging situations can come up. We believe that a supportive community rich with resources is an important aspect of making sure that you can advocate powerfully for the safety of everyone you bring into your NUSHU Group.

The resources we provide through Facilitators Circle are designed to create continuous learning and support, increasing self-awareness. In addition, at the heart of our work is community. The wisdom of the collective is greater than that of any one of us alone. We feel that the contribution of every facilitator in the membership makes all of us better. Investment in our own ongoing growth, as well as supporting others, are an integral part of this work and central to the NUSHU ethos.

The names and reputations of NUSHU, NUSHU Group, and Certified NUSHU Group Facilitator are incredibly important to us. We honor and take seriously the trust that everyone who interacts with NUSHU places in us. It’s important for us to know and be aware of any facilitator out in the world who is using these names. We know that any challenges that may arise within our community are challenges that we need to be aware of and that we can handle more effectively together. Creating a space where we can all share challenges, the latest NUSHU Group updates, and best practices will strengthen the safety of our spaces.

You can use all of the skills and ideas you learned during NUSHU Group Facilitator Training, but not the NUSHU name, NUSHU Group materials, or title of NUSHU Group Facilitator. You can hold sharing circles and incorporate the principles of the structure and approach learned during the training in your work, family, life, or community.

A picture is worth a thousand words. Here are some of our favorite shots from the September 2022 Facilitators Retreat!
Magic. Truly. It comes up again and again when people try to explain what the training means to them. We think it has to do with the fact that when you connect with humans on this heart level, words can’t really describe what happens to us from the inside out.  

A common refrain we hear is that people enter into this training with a gut feeling, an instinct that it is somehow meant for them. They don’t really know exactly what they are getting, but they trust the mystery. When they are finished, they are shocked at how much they received and how it transformed them.

We’ll stop giving you words now and invite you to trust that instinct inside you if it’s telling you that this is your path to follow! We hope to see you there.

Aura & Energy Medium in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

– Beth Montgomery

“I love the community and space we have here. I feel safe, supported, and seen. I am so grateful to be a part of this mission– it truly feels like I'm stepping into the path I'm supposed to be on. You ladies have done a phenomenal job at keeping things organized, encouraging us, and creating this coursework. I am really impressed. There was a LOT of work that went into this and I applaud you all. I can see and feel how much heart and passion went into this work. I am grateful to have found NUSHU. I feel that I've found my people.”

Yes. We provide extensive lessons and resources to help you understand what trauma is and how to keep your NUSHU Group participants safe. We also provide a network of support should any questions or concerns arise following the training.

Yes! We are holding an information session on Thursday, December 8 at 2:30pm ET. Please register in advance here.

Please email any questions to info@nushu.com. We’re here for you, always!