Whether it’s post-lockdown loneliness or simply a wish to talk uninterrupted to strangers, there are many personal reasons a sharing circle might appeal to someone.

“For a lot of women, how we spend time together growing up is like one big sharing circle,” says Carina Wan, 39, who attends a monthly online gathering from her home in Leigh-On-Sea, Essex. “But then for those of us who find partners, start families or move out of the city, finding opportunities to connect with people at the same level of intimacy can be really hard. I really struggle with small talk. I want to get straight to the stuff that matters, so a sharing circle is the perfect environment.”

Saira Plane, 39, from Gilston, Hertfordshire, echoes this. “After the pandemic and George Floyd’s murder, the world had changed, as had my life and social circles,” she says. “I found myself feeling really alone and didn’t have anyone in my life who could understand. Circle is a place where I am heard, seen and held in ways I haven’t managed to cultivate in other areas of my life yet.”

It’s this desire to connect that is likely behind the surge in these circles. “Generations past buried their feelings,” Melissa Maouris, a reparenting coach who runs regular online and in-person sharing circles, tells Stylist. “But now we’re seeing a rise of people who want to openly talk about their experiences and gain support from others, even if they don’t know them. It’s easy to believe we’re the only ones struggling, but when we hear of someone else going through something, it gives us perspective.”

Before dashing off to find a local circle, it’s important to seek out a properly trained facilitator through a programme such as Sister Stories to ensure boundaries are in place.

“I have been in a circle where the facilitator was overly focused on her personal struggles,” explains Laura Bidgood, 42, from Southend-On-Sea, Essex. “A circle is a time to open up, a freedom to laugh, cry and scream, so it’s about putting the attendees first.”

Several days after I attended my own, I found myself still thinking about the way a handful of strangers opened up so honestly and deeply via a Zoom call. It’s a sad truth that we’re often too busy in life to properly connect in conversation. But in that hour my faith in human relationships, and our ability to listen to one another, was restored.

Images: Getty

It's good to open up – but would you join a ‘sharing circle’ of strangers?