Yearning for some quality social interaction in a safe, structured setting? You are not alone!
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, “social connection is a fundamental human need, as essential to survival as food, water and shelter” and “increasing social connection can enhance life satisfaction, educational attainment, and performance in the workplace.”
CHATS offers a way to counteract the growing lack of quality social connection in our communities and our homes. The US Surgeon General issued an advisory on the epidemic of loneliness, citing studies showing that we are feeling less connected, less trusting, and are spending less time engaged with friends in person. And while social media helps keep us connected when we cannot meet in person it is not a full substitute, leading famed psychotherapist and author Esther Perel to quip, “I have a thousand friends, but not a single person to feed my cat.”
The ability to connect is at the heart of helping our community. CHATS is a facilitated process designed to deepen our appreciation and understanding of others through interesting conversations and activities. These sessions are opportunities to foster genuine connections. They are simple, hands-on, and far more engaging, fulfilling, and fun than can be explained on paper. You will get to connect with others in a setting where the rules are clear, the playing field is level, and the risk is minimized. You may also enjoy a few fascinating insights and discover some “AHAs” along the way.
Each CHATS session is different, so join us for as many as you want! Or reach out to us to plan CHATS for your organization. We envision CHATS as a wonderful option to build connection in businesses, classrooms, congregations, social groups, and more! For more information or to sign up for an upcoming CHATS session, please contact Lisa Barkema by email (lbarkema@piedmontpeace.org) or phone (540-347-6650).
