In this episode we chat with Charlotte Pointeaux about holding first moon circles to celebrate and support young people around their first period. Charlotte shares generously about: 

// the magic of circles

// how to set up the space so it’s really respectful and open

// how to normalise this discussion around periods

// her First Moon Circle facilitator training

// how to make sure your circles are inclusive of all genders who might bleed or be going through a lot of these hormonal changes and so much more!

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YMP S3 Ep5 – FULL TRANSCRIPT

Sound bite

[00:00:00] So sacred circle is very much built on the principle of, um, sitting in circle, for one. So just the very symbol and act of sitting in circle means that everybody is equal. Everybody is seen, everybody is heard, um, rather than in more of a workshop style where there might be somebody hiding at the back of the room or kind of out of sight.

[00:00:24] It sort of instantly drops everybody into it’s like everybody just knows that there is something really sacred about sitting in circle because also as the facilitator, you are, you kind of see yourself as equal to everybody else in the circle with you.

[00:00:40] So you’re holding the space but you have this reverence for everybody else sitting with you, um, this attitude that you can very much learn from them as much as they can learn from you.

generic intro

[00:00:53] Hello and welcome to the youth mentor podcast. This is your short burst of inspiration tips and research about teens for parents, educators, and mentors. I’m your host, Amanda Rootsey, founder of teen personal development school Shine From Within and coach to incredible youth mentors all over the world. Now I certainly don’t know it all.

[00:01:12] So I interview the experts about what’s going on for youth today. From psychological insights to really practical advice, this is your moment of inspiration, motivation, and a few laughs amidst the ever changing world of teens and tweens.

Episode Intro

[00:01:25] Welcome to this episode of the youth mentor podcast. I can’t wait to introduce you to Charlotte Pointeaux, to talk all about holding first moon circles to celebrate and support young people around their first period. Charlotte shares in depth about the magic of circles, how to set up the space so it’s really respectful and open and so that the young people feel like it’s really magical to. How to normalize his discussion around periods, how to make sure that your circle they’re inclusive of all genders who might bleed or, you know, it might be going through a lot of these hormonal changes. Uh, and so much more. Enjoy being mesmerized by Charlotte in this episode. 

[00:02:07] Um, and a note here too Charlotte also happens to be a graduate of our youth mentor training, which is open for enrollments at the moment. We start on Tuesday, the 12th of July. So if you’re interested in joining us for the last time in 2022, Make sure you come and check that out. You can just find the info for that at youthmentors.shinefromwithin.com.au. 

[00:02:30] Enjoy this episode. 

Episode Begins

[00:02:33] Welcome Charlotte. So, so nice to have you here on the youth mentor podcast. Thanks for joining us. 

[00:02:40] Well, thanks so much for having me so nice to be here. 

[00:02:44] Um, I know it’s going to be a juicy conversation. Before we get into it, would you mind sharing a little bit about yourself and the work you do? Cause you’re, you’re someone that, I’ve certainly known you for a few years and it’s been really special to see come through the youth mentor training.

[00:03:01] And yeah, I’d love to, to hear more about what you’ve done since you graduated from that and what you do now. 

[00:03:07] Yeah. Thank you. Yeah. So I did your youth mentor training, uh, About two and a half years ago now, I think it was. Um, and, um, that was just such a beautiful course and it really changed my path. I opened up a whole new world to me and, um, it was the first time that I felt like I had found something that felt really aligned and purpose driven. 

[00:03:34] So I started up my business, um, towards the end of your training and originally was, called sister souls mentoring. And I started off, um, holding circles because I also did, a bit of training on holding sacred circles. So, I brought the two together to do, um, circles for, um, mothers and daughters, um, which was just lovely to have moms and daughters come along and have a bit of special connection time together, um, away from the world and the busy schedules and homework and activities.

[00:04:13] And just life at home to connect and yeah, just to bond and do something that was pretty special and a little bit grown up as well. So that was really lovely. Um, I did some circles just for girls as well. Um, young teen girls where they could come and, and just hangout. Um, we’d have a bit of a facilitated conversation and sip some tea and have some treats and, um, just have a, a bit of, bit of a time for them to disconnect from their world and talking to them about some of the challenges they were experiencing as well, maybe at school. I’ve run some workshops. I did a day workshops for tweens and teens. That was super fun and a real test of my endurance. And, putting into practice everything that I’d learned on your training, because, uh, it was just me in this, in a group of girls for, uh, for the best part of a day.

[00:05:14] And we did various topics, um, sitting in circle together. And, um, I think one was called Confidently You and the other was, um, Inspiring you, I think it was called. So they were just beautiful, beautiful days. Um, and yeah, it was, I really loved doing that and I could see how much of a difference it made just to have the girls along in the school holidays before they started, um, their new school year.

[00:05:43] Um, it was just a, um, you know, an important stage of their life, where they needed a chance to come and share what was on their mind. We looked at, you know, how they could celebrate themselves and their differences and their own personal gifts and talents. And to know that that was okay and they didn’t need to fit in with the crowd as it were.

[00:06:04] Um, and we covered quite a few different topics in, in those days, um, and body image, um, and, um, connecting to the intuition as well. Um, so yeah, that was, that was brilliant. 

[00:06:18] I hold sacred circles for women too. And, um, I had a baby last year and then after she was born, um, one of my parents asked me to start talking to what I would, I hold a session and talk to their daughter, um, and her friends about periods. 

[00:06:39] And at the time I thought, well, this was something I was really interested in personally, um, I love practicing menstrual cycle awareness, which I discovered when I was trying to have a baby. Um, and, um, sort of realized that why didn’t I know about this sooner? Why didn’t, why weren’t we taught it when we were younger? So the opportunity to hold a beautiful circle for a group of girls and talk to them about, um, about their periods and their cycles and, you know, the magic and the superpowers that lie within them.

[00:07:12] Um, I thought, sure, I can, I can do this. So, um, I held my very first, ‘first moon circle’, um, which was for a group of girls who were aged. I think there were 11 and 12 the group, just to support them before their first period, or around the time of their first period. Um, it’s in fact, uh, one or two had already started bleeding in the group, but had only had the talk at school, um, of how to support themselves, you know, what to expect.

[00:07:45] You know, very basic, um, and focused on anatomy and, you know, here’s, here’s the tampon or a pad kind of off you go, um, you know, focusing on the reproductive side of things more than the self care and the spiritual and, you know, framing it in a really positive way. So. Yeah, it was a roaring success. And, um, the, the girls loved it.

[00:08:10] They’d been really uncomfortable beforehand, when the mum had said, you know, could I talk with, ‘would they come to an event about, um, about periods’ they were like, ‘God, no yuck!’ 

[00:08:21] But once, once we did it, they, um, they could really talk to their moms about their periods and, um, express what they needed. And using terminology correctly, like vaginas and vulvas and cervical fluid and, you know, all, all of those good things, uh, they could talk about it you know, more confidently and openly.

[00:08:42] And, um, the mums felt like they’d had this really beautiful winning mum moments. So I thought, well, this is this, this might be a thing here. And from that point on I’ve, um, been holding first moon circles, um, for groups of friends and family, but also as public events where, um, others in the community to can come along, um, to do the same thing.

[00:09:09] And more recently, I’ve just been starting to teach Others, how to hold their own first moon cirlces. So working with people who are already youth mentors, or who are, um, coaches, teachers, um, or even people who have got no experience working with other young people, or have never run an event before, um, Just people who are really passionate about this and see the value in it and want to hold, hold this space.

[00:09:40] Um, I’ve been helping them to, to learn how to do it and then the content and how to do it safely, um, yeah. To, to take this work out to their own communities so we can spread the spread the good word about positive, healthy periods and you know, to celebrate, um, girls as they’re growing into adults. So it’s been a busy period since I did your training.

[00:10:08] Well, it’s happened. 

[00:10:10] Oh, it’s so wonderful hearing that journey and the different learning that you’ve picked up along the way and how your business has evolved through that, and through the different experiences and through life and having babies and, um, just being curious and following what people are asking for too, like the mom asking for a circle around periods.

[00:10:33] Yeah. It’s um, it’s very much been like that. I’ve, I’ve found that, um, After people in my community started knowing, um, that I was out there and working with young people. Um, and there’s not much in the area. Um, you know, and even, even if there were everybody brings something slightly different to, to the work, um, now people have started to reach out and, and make suggestions.

[00:11:00] They could, I, if I’m doing something, could they learn how to do it too? Or could I do this for them? And, um, I think being open and receptive has just been a real gift to me has been, it’s been brilliant strategy. Well, not a strategy because it wasn’t planned, but it’s just kind of worked out that way and it’s been great.

[00:11:20] Oh, that’s beautiful. so, I have so many questions from just getting that really lovely overview of all the things that you do, but considering what you really focus on now, um, how can parents and mentors and coaches and other caring adults with young people around them, how can they support the young people, particularly the ones that identify as girls through, that Rite of passage of your first period and make it a really positive experience?

[00:11:53] Big question. 

[00:11:55] It’s a really big question, but I think, you know, if you pair it right back to the basics, it’s, it’s showing up, it’s, um, holding a space for people to be able to talk about it. It’s role modeling it yourself so that it’s, it’s something that, um, you know, we’re lifting away that, that shame, um, because whether we are conscious or not, we hold a lot of shame around our periods, especially in a, in a female body.

[00:12:25] Um, you know, it’s very much sort of programmed into us from an early age, you know, in the media, in a, in a culture, um, the way that other people respond and, and, and to our bodies as, as we change, um, you know, we don’t start off with this, um, with the shame or, um, you know, secrecy about it or the discomfort, it sort of it’s, it’s taught to us.

[00:12:54] Um, and so. I think by the time girls are reaching, you know, once their body starts to change, if they’ve not, if, if you know, they might’ve had the education at school, they might’ve read books, they might’ve had parents, um, talk to them about it, but when it starts to happen, it can still be something that’s, um, you know, a cause of embarrassment or, or concern and worry.

[00:13:21] Um, You know, this sort of feeling of, of not being in control of what’s happening and not really understanding what’s happening. So at its, at its at the base. I think, um, if we can talk about it, if we can name it, um, openly, um, know whether you’re a parent, you know, you can do that with your children, uh, talking about your own your own body, your own experience. Um, it’s really, it’s really helpful if you’re more of a space holder, so whether a teacher or a mentor or somebody else, I’m just trying to be open as much as you can. If you are talking specifically about these topics and making sure that you are using the correct terminology, um, for, um, you know, body parts and processes what’s happening.

[00:14:17] Um, but even just talking about, you know, how you’re feeling. So if you are, um, bleeding, if it’s, if you’re, if you’re, if you have your period, you know, you can say things like, yeah, if you, if you’re not feeling like you, um, have such high energy, if you want to be more, more restful, um, go a bit more slower and a bit more gently, then naming why rather than just, oh, I’m not feeling very well, or I don’t feel, um, active today.

[00:14:48] You can say, oh, I’ve, you know, you’ve got your period. Um, and, and that’s how you’re feeling. And I think just these basic steps of role modeling and being open, um, brings it into the light and it helps to normalize it for young people. 

[00:15:05] As a parent, you know, you can go a whole step further. You can talk to your children about all the changes that are going to happen.

[00:15:15] Um, you can talk about how, um, it’s a really special rite of passage, this journey into adulthood, whether, you know, you, your child identifies as female and therefore becoming a woman is, um, is the appropriate, process for them or, or, you know, whether it’s, you know, becoming an adult for them. Talking about, um, Yeah, how they can support themselves through that process, not just practically with bleeding, but more looking at how they can support themselves emotionally, how they can manage that energy, giving them permission to, um, to be more restful when they need to, and talking about it. 

[00:16:02] Um, and then maybe even having a little party or a celebration, um, when they actually do begin menstruating. So there’s all kinds of ways you can do this, and it depends on what your role is, but at the core of it, I would say being as open as possible, um, being encouraging and supportive, Celebrating the changes on, you know, beyond just the practical and the biological, um, so that they’re able to see the beauty within, within the changes as well.

[00:16:40] Um, some really nice things that you can do. 

[00:16:44] Oh, that sounds beautiful. We don’t often spend much time, I don’t think on the, the emotional changes. And, um, some of the changes that we can’t necessarily see during that time, but yeah, if you can embrace it from such a young age, gosh, wouldn’t that be magical?! 

[00:17:04] And so when, when you’re holding space for, for people in a group and young people to talk about this in a group, how do you hold sacred circles for young people in a way that’s really safe and inclusive, especially when it’s a topic that can bring up a lot of feelings?

[00:17:25] Um, yeah, that’s a great question. Um, So sacred circle is very much built on the principle of, um, sitting in circle, for one. So just the very symbol and act of sitting in circle means that everybody is equal. Everybody is seen, everybody is heard, um, rather than in more of a workshop style where there might be somebody hiding at the back of the room or kind of out of sight.

[00:17:55] It sort of instantly drops everybody into it’s like everybody just knows that there is something really sacred about sitting in circle because also as the facilitator, you are, you kind of see yourself as equal to everybody else in the circle with you.

[00:18:11] So you’re holding the space but you have this reverence for everybody else sitting with you, um, this attitude that you can very much learn from them as much as they can learn from you. You’re respectful of them. Um, and the same, you know, they’re respectful to you and to everybody else in the group. So, yeah, I just find instantly just everybody sitting, we sit around a centerpiece, a little altar space where, you know, you can put whatever you want on there, but I like to put candles and crystals and little affirmation or Oracle cards.

[00:18:47] Um, and it’s yeah, it’s, it just creates this very kind of, Ooh, look, it’s a bit magical. Um, and I think it’s quite grown up, um, And so yeah, everybody tends to drop into this. Yeah. This attitude of like, it’s, this is something special, you know, it’s not like at school in a, in a lesson where you’re there being told what to do.

[00:19:11] Um, We also have guidelines. Guidelines were very important part of circle, but also, you know, working with young people and it’s something you, you teach as welL in your training about, um, you know, when you’re working with anyone, but especially with young people. Um, but the way I tend to do it in circle is to, instead of, um, taking time to workshop what the guidelines might be and sort of co-create them, I tend to more offer up some, some guidelines to the group and say, you know, and they can include things like, you know, we have, um, we take it in turns, you know, we actively and deeply listen to understand, you know, we want to support each other. Um, hear each other’s point of view.

[00:20:01] Um, talk a little bit about sisterhoods because you know, we have, um, People identifying as female in the group. Um, but that concept of, um, kindness and not judging, being open to and accepting each others truths and experiences. Um, It’s really, it’s, it’s really powerful. And I ask the girls if they, if they agree, if there’s anything that’s been missed, um, but just very much setting the scene for what’s expected from them.

[00:20:37] Um, and what they can expect from me as well. We also talk about confidentiality, um, and how I give them a chance to ask me any of the questions that they might’ve felt uncomfortable asking their parents or teachers or friends, um, and tell them that I’ll do my best to answer them openly. Um, as much as I can do.

[00:20:58] Um, but if there’s anything that’s, that comes up that, um, makes me worry about their safety, then, you know, then I would have to talk to their parents, but any of the questions about, um, You know the content, then I try to sort of encourage them to feel that this is a safe space to ask anything that they’ve, they’ve not felt, um, able to ask before.

[00:21:23] Um, and so that seems to set a really nice safe container, um, for the group. And just reminding them that, you know, we are, if, if any behavior comes up where, um, They might interrupt each other or they might sort of talk over each other and, um, kind of judging each other a little bit, then I’ll remind them again.

[00:21:47] You know, that this is, um, a really, this is a sacred space and, and you know, this is a safe space for everybody and, you know, others will have different perspectives and we’re open and we’re listening to each other. Um, you know, you might know something, but somebody else might not, you’ve all got different perspectives and it’s really important to, um, to support each other.

[00:22:08] Um, And yeah, it just sort of anchors everybody and makes everybody know, like I say, what’s expected. Um, but you also asked about inclusive circles. So, um, particularly around, um, gender, I find with this topic, um, it’s really important to be aware that not all women and girls bleed and not all who bleed identify as a woman or girl.

[00:22:37] Um, you know, we’ve got the gender diverse community and, you know, I make it clear that, um, people of all gender identities are welcome to first mean circles. Um, they are for, um, they are for. Girls and well for people who are going to be menstruating or, um, or who have a female body, um, who want to, um, learn about the changes that their bodies are going to experience.

[00:23:09] So it’s, it’s not for, it’s not, it’s not a space for a boy, but what I mean is that if, um, At a trans person wanted to come along. Um, and then they would be welcomed. Um, and we would be able to acknowledge that experience, um, you know, physically or emotionally, um, So a trans trans person may or may not have periods depending on their identity.

[00:23:39] Um, and even people who are taking hormone replacement therapy might have, um, because of the hormones they’re taking there might have. And it might not have, they might not bleed. They might not have the period, but they might get the hormonal shifts around the cycle that still require some management.

[00:23:58] And we can give them some understanding of how to work with those. So that’s what I mean by, um, you know, we welcome people of different gender identities. It’s not just for girls and their mothers. And talking about parents as well. Um, it’s important to note that, um, you know, not everybody has a mother at all.

[00:24:22] Um, and so their mother might, you know, might not be able to come along. Um, it might be a different parent or guardian or carer, or even an auntie or a friend. Um, if it might not be a female who comes and, you know, are welcome. To come along as well. Um, because I think the more men we can bring into this conversation, the more powerful it is, the more we are going to, um, to create real change in a safe world that you know, is aware of menstruation and, and, and cycle awareness and, um, can really honor the feminine.

[00:25:04] Within us within his old, when I say the feminine, I mean, um, you know, I was sick. Like nature’s more than, um, That masculine, which is more of a, uh, that energy that we are encouraged to just push on all the time, regardless and not rest and not tend to what we need. Um, so bringing us all back into honoring our bodies and what we need.

[00:25:28] So, uh, and obviously fathers can support their daughters, um, through menstruation. So, uh, want. Fathers. I think that’s a really, um, really beautiful thing to, to put out there. Um, I’ve not actually had any fathers come along and that’s, that’s their choice, but I think, you know, putting it out there that, that this is a welcoming place, um, is, is an important thing to do.

[00:25:56] Um, so yeah, well, yeah. 

[00:26:02] Um, there’s so much, so much goodness there about what they, um, yeah, just picturing that space for young people to feel like it’s a really special place where they’re valued as equals I imagine is quite rare for kids, just in the way that school is structured and things like that. And you know, it’s not often that they do get to sit in a place like that and feel like what they are contributing to the circle is just as important as what you contribute to the circle as the adult. 

[00:26:36] Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. And I love it. Cause I always learn something from everyone who’s there, whether it’s just understanding their experience, um, receiving their questions and realizing what’s been on their mind.

[00:26:52] Um, You know, it’s, it’s everybody reveals a new layer to this or new learning or, you know, it helps me grow as a facilitator. Um, and yeah, it’s really nice to be able to, to show them that this isn’t school, you know, if, if they, uh, if they need the toilet, they can go to the toilet without having to ask.

[00:27:16] They can just tell me and if I go, but you know, also that I’m there and I’m interested in, in, um, In hearing and witnessing them. And, um, you know, particularly for children who have, uh, had a challenging time at school in the classroom, um, you know, with any, um, any group dynamics or with any of the, you know, bullying or, um, even situations where they’ve not felt like they can be themselves, um, Yeah.

[00:27:49] We sit together in these circles for about three hours and, um, you know, even though, so we’re quite tentative and nervous and shy at the start, walk away feeling, um, like they can trust in. In other girls, more like I’ve had just the most beautiful feedback saying, you know, I’ve learned that girls have, you know, have my back.

[00:28:13] Um, when we talk about, if you get caught short, you know, when you have your period and you’ve not got anything, you know, you can actually go and ask, ask somebody else if they’ve got anything. And, um, you know, it’s like this code when it comes to periods and whatever else is going on, like we’ll hope it will help a sister out.

[00:28:31] And, um, yeah, I think that kind of. It makes a big difference. So it’s really powerful. 

[00:28:38] Yeah. I’ve experienced it myself, running, running the different workshops, but also seeing it with different mentors as well to have that space that’s outside of school and, um, and a little bit separate, even if it’s amongst a group of young people that you’ve never met before can be so empowering, hey, to kind of show them: look, you can connect and make really beautiful, build really beautiful relationships over here. When there are other things happening at school or at home or netball or wherever it might be it’s it can really support their resilience and their confidence and their wellbeing to know that there are other communities where they are valued and where they get to be heard.

[00:29:21] That’s really special what you’ve created.

[00:29:23] 100%. Yeah. I just think that because I’ve offered these, uh, um, private groups, so for groups of friends or family, even, um, like cousins and, um, you know, friends or family, 

[00:29:38] it gives them like, it just strengthens that relationship, but also the ones which are “public” public where, you know, anyone in the community can come along, definitely happens. Like what your, what you just said that about, you know, realizing that, uh, there’s more to the world than their school and their classroom.

[00:29:59] And, you know, the, the group that they’ve been traveling through school with for, you know, a decade or more, depending on, you know, whether they’ve all stayed at the same school, it can feel a bit like you’re trapped with these people when you, when you’re at school and, um, yeah. Helping them to just realize that, like you say, there’s more to the community and that there’s, um, They can be themselves and, you know, to broaden that peer support network, um, beyond just what they’ve, what they experienced on the day to day.

[00:30:38] Um, yeah, it’s really powerful stuff. 

[00:30:43] Um, and really wonderful to hear the way that you ensure that your facilitators are holding an inclusive space when it comes to gender as well. And I think you just learn more, the more that you kind of hold these spaces right, with the different people that come along and, um, the different learning and reading that we can do. I think at times I notice if I, if I’m talking to parents or other adults, they can sometimes look at me really perplexed. Do you really need to be considering these things, you know? And, um, they just, unless you’re there with young people on a regular basis, you don’t real… and unless you open up a safe space where they feel like they can share who they really are and how, um, yeah. Who they really are, then you can be really missing these opportunities for extra support.

[00:31:40] Absolutely. Yeah, that makes sense. Yeah. So, so true. You know, I first started learning about this topic with you on, on your youth mentor training with one of the teachers that you bought into the retreat that we went on.

[00:31:54] Um, Cameron Aire n and, um, yeah, and I just, I thought, oh my gosh, um, you know, it was, I thought this is just something that we just miss as a, as a, as a culture. Um, and it’s so important. And, but if we deny people the opportunity to self identify, you know to tell us their pronouns to share their personal experience that we’re not, you know, so many people don’t follow or don’t identify as the gender binary. Um, and we’re just gaslighting them and denying them. And it’s no wonder that the mental health rates are so poor, um, the outcomes, the say poor within, you know, um, the gender diverse community, particularly. And then talking about periods it’s like, you just can’t, you can’t just. You can’t do this and just talk about, it’s just girls who have periods and deny, you know, that anybody else might bleed or that it might be different for other sectors of the community. Um, you know, and so I really wanted to hold this to a whole module on this so that the facilitators really have, uh, More an awareness, but no more, more than being just aware.

[00:33:18] They, they know, um, how to hold the safe space has to be inclusive. You know, the things we can do practically to make it, um, you know, like on booking forms, you know, we put things that, you know, when we’re asking because it’s the parent who fills out the form for the minor. Just having an awareness that if you’re asking for personal pronouns on the booking form of your, of the child, the parents might not actually get it right. Um, and so then being able to sit in circle and asking again, as part of the icebreaker, so you’re just normalizing it. You know, my, my pronouns are she, does everybody, you know, how do you identify? Do you identify you?

[00:34:00] And she liked to be called she or something else? Um, just gives the children the opportunity to. Uh, to say, well, actually, you know, no I don’t. And you know, could you call me this instead? Or, um, you know, and they might not have even talked to their parents about it. Um, so by putting it on the booking form, it’s showing the parents that, you know this yes.

[00:34:26] Like you, like you were saying, Amanda, like, yes, this is something that we need to talk about. And yes, this is something that we can, yeah, I do need to be concerned about that. And I do need to ask these questions and, you know, we all showed it it’s important and to normalizing it in that way, but also acknowledging the child’s, um, might, might not have talked to their parents about it, but giving them the chance to be, you know, sort of sovereign beings.

[00:34:52] And then we might and talk about here to, to, to tell them for themselves, Um, you know, if they want to, they don’t have to, but if they want to, they have the opportunity. Um, and it, it just normalizes it. And even in groups where everybody says, no, I, you know, I, I, I’m a girl. I identify as girl, you can call me she or her.

[00:35:15] Um, we’d always had, we always have this little conversation about, you know, I said, you know what personal pronouns are and somebody will say, ‘oh, there’s a person at school who you know, who doesn’t want to be called share, you know, you know, oh, that person or I’ve heard of it,’ or it’s just, you know, again, normalizing it, even if it doesn’t affect anyone in the group.

[00:35:35] It’s um, it’s a really powerful act is activism. I think so. 

[00:35:44] Um, and you know, whenever I have asked for people to share their pronouns, or there’s always someone who, who shares a pronoun that, that, um, you wouldn’t assume is there, and I’ve noticed that. From running these recent online workshops in the online academy and having our week where we had a lot of different people coming through a lot, a lot of different young people coming through and pretty much on every class, we had someone, um, who didn’t identify as female on those classes.

[00:36:14] Um, so it was, it was important to make sure at the start that we always. Change your name and include your pronouns in the zoom call. Um, but then also making sure that if we are going to do that, that we do actually do our very best to make sure that we then use those, those pronouns, because it’s just so ingrained in us.

[00:36:37] Isn’t it to just, yeah. To just say she, she and her constantly. Yeah. 

[00:36:46] And I think, you know, that’s, um, Something that, you know, we, we, we have to work towards as a, as a culture, as a society and, um, you know, knowledge that, yeah, we may, we may get this wrong and that it might feel a bit intimidating and overwhelming, you know, when you have the highest intentions, but, you know, you’re just so conditioned into the, you know, following this binary, um, Um, but you know, just bringing awareness and doing what you can and doing your very best and owning if you mis-gender somebody or you use the wrong pronouns is, is, um, you know, it’s just taking ownership for it. Um, and, and doing your best is, you know, is, is, is a huge step in itself. 

[00:37:34] Um, Oh, another huge topic that we, we can, yeah, it seems so nice hearing about, uh, just the beautiful Rite of passage experience that you provide to young people and that the really special space that you hold in your sacred circles.

[00:37:55] And so many tips around ensuring that we can support young people around us to have a really positive first period. Um, or any period, really? 

[00:38:06] Yeah, that’s right. It’s never too late. You can always, uh, you know, even if you’re, you’ve got a child who’s been, um, having periods for a few years, you can still, um, you know, it’s never too late to begin to, um, you know, do this together.

[00:38:27] Yeah. And so where can we find you? If, if someone listening is interested in accessing, I know you’ve got wonderful resources on your website too, but even if they aren’t interested in your facilitator training or the sacred circles that you run in New South Wales, where would they, or even the coaching, I know that you coach mothers and women as well.

[00:38:48] So many things, how can we get thank you. 

[00:38:52] Um, well, my website is www.charlottepointeaux.com. And, um, perhaps you could spell my name in the, um, in the show notes, Amanda, just for everybody. 

[00:39:07] Thanks so much, Charlotte. Thanks for sharing your wisdom and journey information. It’s wonderful. 

[00:39:16] Thank you so much for having me, Amanda, it’s always such a pleasure to, uh, to talk to you and to share stories and experience and yeah, it’s been lovely. Thank you. 

[00:39:27] Oh, you’re welcome. It’s been amazing to see the business evolve and grow since, um, since the training.

[00:39:34] I remember you were working full time or perhaps part time in a university when I first met you. Yeah. Yeah. That’s right. Lot’s changed. Yeah. So amazing. And just to see the, um, the, so you’re doing exactly what you’re meant to be doing, you know, to, to see the way that, to know the way that you’d be holding space for young people.

[00:40:01] And now sharing that with, with other adults is just so special. 

[00:40:06] Yeah. Thank you. It feels like I’ve found…I’ve found my purpose. It’s really, you know, sort of revealed itself to me if you like, I’ve just been following, following the proverbial bread crumbs, but, um, yeah, just, um, sort of integrating all of the, all of the training that I’ve done and the experience, the personal experience and the professional experience.

[00:40:33] And, uh, it’s all just come together and yeah, this is just so important and, um, You know, I think it’s, uh, the more people that can, um, be supported at this time in their life, it really does change the trajectory of, of their lives, you know, for, for a young person, who’s, who’s going through this huge transformation on the inside and then on the outside.

[00:40:59] And, um, you know, it can be either, you know, emotionally, physically painful experience, or it can be incredibly empowering. And we’ve been looking at how, you know, the knock on effects through the rest of, you know, the other rites of passages, but through life and you know, how, how empowered somebody feels to follow their intuition and make their own decisions and, you know, honor their body’s wisdom and their boundaries.

[00:41:26] And, um, to fulfill their own purpose and their health outcomes. It’s just, it’s so profound, the ripple effect of, you know, supporting children at this, you know, boys and girls, um, at this time of life, it’s, it’s really, really, really powerful. 

[00:41:46] Yeah. Facilitators all around the world, delivering that’s the vision. Thank you. Thanks Charlotte.

Outro

[00:42:02] Thanks for joining us for this episode. Oh, gosh, I imagine having circles like this, when you’re a Twain, just magic. We have here at shine from within we’ve just wrapped our youth mentor conference. So if you’re keen to watch the replay of all of the sessions, um, there, now you can just kind of buy a ticket, just like you’re coming along live, but you’ll get access to all of the replays. So you can find all that info@youth-mentor-conference.com. 

[00:42:30] And, um, then as I mentioned at the top of the episode, we’re actually about to start our next round of youth mentor training, which is our certification. Uh, it’s probably, it will, it will be the last time that we run the training, um, for this year. So yeah, if you’re interested in. Becoming a youth mentor and getting started on this youth mentor journey or expanding your youth mentor work, come and check it out at youthmentors.shinefromwithin.com.au. See in the next episode – we’ve still got lots of amazing episodes to come don’t you worry!

[00:43:03] 

Mentioned in this episode:

• CharlottePointeaux.com
• First Moon Circles – find one near you
• First Moon Circle Facilitator Training
• Youth Mentor Training
• Youth Mentor Conference – access it all now!

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And if you want to work with teens too, head to Youthmentors.shinefromwithin.com.au to learn more about our Youth Mentor Training and download the quiz to find out your youth mentor archetype!