Testimonials

gert has a depth of experience and skill both rare and precious in the work of community repair and healing. gert is an embodied practitioner whose presence is always invitational and empowering. Participants feel seen and heard when gert is facilitating, healing happens organically resulting in connections that are genuine and lasting. I applaud and support gert and their facilitation skills without reservation.

— Leigh Ann Roberts, Circle Center Consulting, LLC

Gert is a skilled and experienced facilitator. They have a deep well of compassion and care, they know when to slow down, when needed they re-direct the focus of the conversation with gentleness and concern for the one speaking, they are kind and open hearted and set a good example of how to be in dialogue with others.

— Frank Phoenix, President, Fenwick Foundation

Gert combines their lived experience in the organizing world, with the professional tools and methods they have learned through their therapy work into their facilitation. This creates a space and practice that is deeply intentional, careful, and impactful at the same time. Something unique about Gert´s facilitation is their ability to remain open and flexible during a training or space. They will prioritize hearing what the participants need and want from that space and will guide their choice through intentional tools.

— Ingrid, Organizer & Language Justice interpreter

gert brings a deep well of care and compassion into their facilitation. I have been moved by how they lead with love and acceptance and offer a space of welcome to all truths and experiences. Their beautiful heart gives them clear sight into a community's needs and struggles, which they meet with presence, patience, and perseverance. I wish I could experience their facilitation more often! :)

— Shilpa Jain, bridge-builder, conflict transformation supporter, and beloved community member

gert is honestly a dream collaborator and facilitator. Their insight, thoughtful approach, deep awareness and attunement, and gentle strength in holding space are beautiful to experience. They bring a wealth of experience, skills, and knowledge to their facilitation spaces, and participants and communities experience deep connection and change at the speed of trust. I am grateful gert is out in the world creating islands of coherence in our current sea of chaos.

— Janie Wilkerson (she/her), LPC/MHSP, LCMHC

gert brings so much warmth, patience, and compassion to group spaces. Their facilitation is like a warm cozy blanket - comforting and flexible. gert balances spaciousness with directness and focus. I know I have the space I need, and I know we will stay focused on our goals and intentions.

— Serena Fulton, YES! Southern Jam participant

gert is a gifted facilitator who centers the personal in the systemic. They intimately understand the dynamics and interplay present in a group with unusual clarity to make the invisible visible. gert humbly offers wisdom, grounding, and care to all whom they encounter. After facilitating countless meetings and three week long retreats with gert, I find that their joy, groundedness, and humility are always present.

— Jacklyn Byrd, LPC, Constellation Counseling

gert's ability to create a safe and inclusive space is next level. I had the honor of joining a YES! Jam where gert was one of the facilitators for 4 days. Even though there were several facilitators, gert's kindness and empathy was apparent instantly. We were a diverse group of 20, and I felt that gert was able to show up as their authentic self while also seeing and honoring each member of the group. Truly a gifted facilitator who I hope I can work with again.

— Malaka Refai

Gert's is a grounded, adaptable, kind, warm and playful facilitator and presence. They are collaborative and open to holding nuance, which allows them to honor multiple truths of a team and group. Gert leads with softness and clarity.

— Chetna Mehta, artist and facilitator, collaborator on the Healing and Social Change Jam team

I have co-facilitated Circles with gert on a number of occasions, both in a supportive and lead role. gert has a welcoming vibe for participants as they enter the space, putting people at ease and helping to create a space where people have a sense of belonging. gert also has a wonderfully joyful & exuberant presence that invites people to be authentic & vulnerable, if they choose to be. gert is very thoughtful in their speaking, being mindful to speak from the heart and sharing appropriately to create connections. They are tuned into their own biases while modeling the importance of thinking before you speak, thus reducing the possibility of harm that might come from speech that is "well intended" that might have a negative impact. I always look forward to being in Circle with gert, either from a facilitative or participatory role!

— Tracy Roberts LMSW/Lead facilitator Circle Center Consulting

What stands out most to me about gert is their genuine warmth.  Leading with their heart, they create a space where people feel safe to speak honestly and be truly heard. gert listens with real attention, responds with empathy, and has a gift for helping groups move through difficult or emotional topics without ever losing that sense of care.

Beyond the compassion they bring, gert is also skilled at keeping sessions purposeful and inclusive, making sure quieter voices are drawn in and every perspective feels valued. I felt seen and genuinely supported during sessions gert facilitated.

— Alison McCrary, Executive Director of Mission Mycelium

gert gave me permission to be in my body which is no small feat for someone perpetually swimming in concepts and the abstract nature of life. They celebrated my courage, slowed down my nerves, and let me take risks that I am proud of. I am a better relator and facilitator having seen gert's example.

— Christina Langone: artist, educator, speaker, and local business owner

Gert’s compassion was essential to [the group’s] process. Some circles opened emotional moments in which memory, grief, struggle, relief, and recognition rose close to the surface. These moments were not hurried, managed for convenience, or treated as interruptions to the agenda. Participants were offered as much time as they needed. Gert listened patiently, allowed silence to do its work, and responded with care rather than pressure. Their presence communicated that the person speaking mattered more than keeping perfect time. That spaciousness helped the circle become a place of dignity and witness rather than performance. It also demonstrated that compassion is itself a transformational tool: it can slow the impulse to fix, make room for truth, and help a participant remain connected to self and community while strong emotion is present.

— Rev. Dr. Denise L. Graves, Peace Ministry LLC, Founder/President