JIHAN MCDONALD

Facilitator. Writer. Ritualist.

Facilitation

Facilitation is the art of helping you do what you want to do in the world. Whether it is having a difficult community conversation, mediating a conflict, or engaging in self-discovery, my trauma-informed & healing centered facilitation methods ensures creative, practical, and holistic address of challenges we all face. 

Allies for Life

Trauma-informed and healing-centered workshops and events for businesses, organizations, and communities working on radical allyship. The award winning curriculum is used by non-profits, schools, and businesses as part of their personal and professional development practices. 
Client Response
"I didn't quite understand the scope of the workshop so I was coming in blind. As someone who has done a lot of deep personal/spiritual work I wasn't anticipating to be introduced to so many new concepts, ideas, and tools. I'm so grateful for the mind expansion... Thank you for being such a deep & compassionate human and for creating this space. "  

- Julie S., participant 

Capital NVC

I was invited to Baltimore to teach a class on embodied Nonviolent Communication and used Theater of the Oppressed to explore personal and universal dynamics in conflict. 

Client Response
"I am still much touched/amazed to connect my justice work with something like inner demand-energy for  communication that reassures ME... when more self-connection/compassion might take me closer to what I long for with others. Still savoring your touch and deep trust in this dynamic process."  - Louisa, participant

CA Youth Rising/ The Pollination Project

This entrepreneurship incubator was looking for an intensive workshop that could bring together personal and professional development for young people of color starting businesses. I designed a 3-day immersive workshop for them with a handbook for their further study. 
Client Response
"Topics discussed during the training were very though provoking and helped get me out of my comfort zone. Definitely learned about myself. Life changing experience, thank you Jihan!"

"Absolutely loved the content and the way it was presented. A truly life changing experience."  

"Thank you for sharing all this info. and knowledge. I really appreciated training and learning about communication styles and having the theater of the oppressed as part of our activities. It made me reflect a lot on my own life, how I interact with others and patterns I've formed and picked up over the course of my life."

"100% would recommend this summit to others! I have grown personally and professionally in just three days. " 

- Anonymous feedback from teens

BayNVC/Oakland Unified School District

The BayNVC team reached out to me for support in holding a town hall with the school district's Board of Directors over school closures and charter school contracts.
Client Response
"It was powerful. There was so much hostility in the air, but as soon as you started speaking the entire feeling of the room changed, got calmer and grounded."    

Miki K., Lead Facilitator

The Diversity Center

The Diversity Center was struggling with staff burnout, vicarious trauma, and delivering on their promise of diversity with integrity. For them, I developed Addressing Tension w/ Attention and a long-term plan for transparency and equity in the organization.
Client Response
"Our work with you has already been very powerful and grounding. I am looking forward to having you continue to support our team."   Sharon P, Executive Director

Canticle Farm

Long time collaborator Canticle Farm needed an on-call mediator to address the tensions that can arise while living in intentional community.   
Client Response
"Amazing session today! Thank you!!"  - mediation recipient

Pacific School of Religion

As Assistant for the Office of Community Life, I developed programming & content for new student orientations, recruited & trained teams of volunteers, and created a workshop series highlighting important community issues on campus. I received the Koinonia Community Building Award and Wind Beneath My Wings Award for my facilitation and culture creation work on campus.
Client Response
"Through the training that you provided us as volunteers for the New Student Orientation I came to understand my true calling coordinating personal development workshops and trainings for youth."   Emily S., graduate student

Butte Community College

The school's diversity program for staff & faculty was struggling to bridge the gap from theory to practice. I consulted with their leadership team, worked directly with staff & faculty, and facilitated an immersive workshop on diversity & inclusion.
Client Response
"When Jihan first asked my colleagues to tune into their own breathing in a regular old staff meeting I looked around nervously. I certainly wanted to believe somatic awareness could be incorporated into our daily business, but doubted people would be that agreeable or vulnerable. Jihan modeled this "tune in" in a powerful way, noting why this should proceed or even replace a verbal check-in. And indeed, my colleagues followed along. This effectively changed the tone of meetings since there were at least a couple of us committed to holding it... We need to be somewhat self-connected to be present. And it really helps to be present if you have to make important decisions!."    - Heather S., English professor

Holistic Underground

Founded by a Healing Actions mentee, I have been a regular guest teacher for their ALTER/Women's ALTER leadership programs and a consultant to the organization. They use the Healing Actions Medicine Chest as part of their organizational practices & consulting tool kit. 
Client Response 

"I use something you've taught me literally every day in my leadership."   

Mazin M., Co-Founder

Life Academy

After a string of disturbing racial incidents on campus, school put out a call for community leaders to share their gifts with the kids. I answered with a workshop on self-respect, leadership, and inclusion. 
Client Response
"I 've always been a follower, this is the first time  I've ever felt myself be a leader. "
  - anonymous student feedback

"You made magic! Thank you! . One particular quote I wanted to share with you from the survey, 'I wish Jihan McDonald was a teacher  because they made us all feel comfortable.' Thank you for doing that. Thank you for being that. Thank you for making the universe better."   - Christi C. , Coordinator

Ventura Charter School

I worked with teachers, administrators, and parents on developing more culturally responsive Nonviolent Communication skills. I also produced a video training series on NVC basics for their continued use for professional development and new family integration. 
Client Response
"I want to thank you for working with us. I've had a chip on my shoulder about NVC since I first encountered it... The NVC framework has been great for my kid at school, but I did not trust it or connect with how it had been taught to and modeled for me. As I listened to you discussing anger, the love underneath, and protecting our own selves as an essential part of NVC, something really shifted for me. My love for myself has been hard won, so thinking about my own anger - how it protects me sometimes and that the love underneath is for me - was transformative. I felt tender/weepy during some of the workshop, and I saw/felt how NVC can work. So I thank you."       Kendall, Parent

Stanford University

I was invited as a guest teacher to share the Healing Actions Medicine Chest with the students of "Empathy, Ethics, and Compassion Meditation: Practices in the Pursuit of Social Justice". 
Client Response
"Everything you did and talked about was very helpful."  Donna H, Teacher

Quality Counts Conference

For the annual California Teaching Consortium training I developed a workshop on bringing self-care into the classroom as a theory and a practice for staff and students alike. 

Permaculture Convergence

This progressive event brings together leaders looking at solutions for a sustainable future. With them, I shared the Healing Actions Medicine Chest and facilitated Theater of the Oppressed exercises on power dynamics in community. 

Discovery Charter School

This teacher was looking for a way to engage their 6th grade class in a conversation about police & state violence. For them, I facilitated Theater of the Oppressed exercises that revealed their own experiences, understanding, and empathy of injustice. 

Holy Names University

I facilitated the first Allies for Life/Healing Actions Alliance workshops at Holy Names as part of the He(art)work conversation series, designed to provide a space for addressing social issues on campus through art. I then expanded it to a Participatory Action Research project, which was nominated for and won the Alpha Delta Leadership Award. 

New Leaders Council

This leadership program needed a personal and professional development training that could support young people of color in their projects for social change. 

The Canopy House

This intentional community in a highly gentrifying neighborhood wanted to explore social power dynamics in their house and create cultural practices in a alignment with their vision. We resolved already existing house conflicts, created working agreements, and established norms to support continued progress. 
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