Guys Groups help boys to develop self confidence, express their emotions, manage stress & anxieties, and develop strong healthy friendships. These life-changing skills are easy to learn within the Group because the guys are learning together and having FUN!
Great things happen in these Thriving Guys Groups!
Guys learn…
- self-confidence and self-respect
- how to calm their feelings of anxiety
- how to safely express their emotions
- to appreciate their growing, changing bodies
- how to be authentic while still relating to others
- how to support one another and build trusting friendships & relationships
Guys have fun in the process…
- pizza!
- awesome prizes!
- fun competitions!
We are running Groups & Circles at the following schools for the 2024/25 school year:
- Sudie Williams TAG Academy (Dallas, TX)
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- Elementary Guys Group (grades 4-5)
- Middle School Guys Group (grades 6-8)
- Elementary Girls Circle (grades 4-5)
- Middle School Girls Circle (grades 6-8)
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- Withers Elementary (Dallas, TX)
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- Elementary Girls Circle (grades 4-6)
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- Dealey Montessori (Dallas, TX)
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- Elementary Girls Circle (grades 4-5)
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Learn more about our Thriving Girls Circles!
Want to bring Guys Groups and/or Girls Circles to your school, church, or neighborhood?
Contact us!
Testimonials
Thriving Together LLC started Girls Circles in 2023. The popular and trusted curriculum has been revamped for Guys Groups for the 2024/2025 school year. Here are testimonials from the girls and we will share the guys’ testimonials soon!
Circle has changed me because now I am not embarrassed about how my body is changing. I don’t care what people think of me. I want to be myself more, and I am just happier than I used to be! I am also less shy and quiet. And I love making friends with people from different grades.
Circle is so fun and engaging. It has helped teach me that I don’t need to feel insecure. This is the best club I have ever been in. It has helped me stay calmer and embrace things I might not have wanted to before.
I love Circle because it allows me to learn about my emotions and growing body. The information is given to me in a safe and comfortable environment where I allow myself to open my little shell and express myself.
What Moms Are Saying About Circles!
We can’t wait to hear the testimonials from the Boy Moms soon!!
She talks a lot about hearing from other girls in the circle and how those perspectives help her feel more understood and connected. She is much less concerned about getting her period and feels more confident facing some of the changes that come with puberty.
She is now confident in overall spotlight group activities and doesn’t fade into the background as much as before (ie: modern band performances, soccer drills).
This experience has definitely made her more confident and she feels “safe” with her own feelings, which in turn made her feel not alone and a happier person on the outside. As parents, we have noticed a huge stride in her emotional feelings. We are no longer wondering if something is wrong or if she is ok. She is more open to us and the best part is her affection toward us, which makes us want to scream with joy!
Here’s What We Cover in these Guys Groups!
Typically each meeting lasts for 90 minutes and is held after school approximately once a month. There is a total of 10 meetings, and this takes the group through an entire school year. For groups outside of school (churches, neighborhood groups, etc.), the schedule is flexible and the ten 90-minute sessions can occur at a time that works best for the organization.
SESSION #1: The Man Box
- Discuss the societal “Man Box” that defines a “real man” and how it can limit how men & boys act and express themselves.
- Learn how society often makes it “wrong” for men/boys to show emotion or ask for help.
- Discuss what it means to respect one other in the group.
- Eat pizza, play music, do fun competitions, win awesome prizes, and have FUN!
SESSION #2: Integrity
- What does it mean to act with integrity?
- Discuss how boys & guys can act with integrity even when the social implications are hard.
- Identify your top positive character traits that make you uniquely you.
- Eat pizza, play music, do fun competitions, win awesome prizes, and have FUN!
SESSION #3: Brotherhood
- Learn how life is harder when you do it alone and without the support of friends & relationships.
- Discuss how the “Man Box” can block men & boys from developing deeper, authentic friendships.
- Discuss & experience the qualities of a true brotherhood.
- Eat pizza, play music, do fun competitions, win awesome prizes, and have FUN!
SESSION #4: Releasing Trapped Emotions
- Learn about the different vibrations of each emotion, from fear & anger to love & joy.
- Learn how boys & men often default to anger rather than feeling the depth of emotion that is often underneath the anger.
- Learn the Swamping technique to release fear, sadness, and other tough emotions.
- Eat pizza, play music, do fun competitions, win awesome prizes, & have FUN!
SESSION #5: Managing Stress & Anxiety
- Learn the physical causes of stress / anxiety (bad food, lack of movement, lack of sleep)
- Learn the mental / emotional causes of stress anxiety
- Learn breathing techniques to immediately put you into a more relaxed state.
- Receive a short audio recording to help reduce feelings of stress & anxiety whenever they arise
- Take home a masculine diffuser bracelet with the essential oil of your choice.
- Eat pizza, play music, do fun competitions, win awesome prizes, and have FUN!
SESSION #6: Understand & Embrace Your Body
- Understand the male anatomy in an age-appropriate and comfortable way.
- Learn about the changes that come with puberty (physical, emotional, societal).
- Learn about good hygiene and respecting and caring for your body.
- Elementary: Take home a copy of the book: Guy Stuff: The Body Book for Boys
- Middle School: Take home a copy of the book: American Medical Association Boy’s Guide to Becoming a Teen
- Eat pizza, play music, do fun competitions, win awesome prizes, & have FUN!
SESSION #7: Relationships and Understanding Girls
- Girls go through lots of changes during puberty too! Understand how and why girls may be saying or doing certain things.
- Learn high level female anatomy so you better understand the other half of the population!
- Middle School only: Discuss consent and what mutual respect looks like when interacting with girls or romantic partners.
- Eat pizza, play music, do fun competitions, win awesome prizes, & have FUN!
SESSION #8: Cake Walk to Show Your Mastery of All-Things-GUY!
- Participate in a FUN Cake Walk to show off your knowledge of your body and how it’s changing!
- Earn a cupcake for correct answers to fun but important questions / scenarios!
- Discuss various social scenarios and see how the group would approach certain real-life challenges.
- Eat pizza, play music, do fun competitions, win awesome prizes, and have FUN!
SESSION #9: Digital Safety & Healthy Body Image
- Creating a healthy body image in an age of social media and unrealistic standards
- Texting, Sexting, and appropriate digital communications (age-appropriate discussion)
- The dangers of pornography (age-appropriate discussion depending on age of group)
- Eat pizza, play music, do fun competitions, win awesome prizes, & have FUN!
SESSION #10: Review and End-of-Year Celebration
- Review integrity, brotherhood, the “Man Box”, and discuss how their perspectives have changed since being in this Group.
- Review techniques for expressing emotions in a safe and healthy way.
- Review techniques for managing stress & anxiety.
- Eat pizza, play music, do fun competitions, win awesome prizes, & have FUN!
PLUS: Lots of Friendly Competition & FUN!
- We learn best when we feel relaxed and safe, and that’s why we do FUN competitions & activities!
- Shhhhh … don’t tell the guys … but they will actually be learning a ton about themselves & their bodies without even realizing it, because they will be too busy HAVING FUN!!
- The guys will eat pizza, listen to music, and do fun competitions like rock, paper, scissors and like “Face the Cookie” where they have to balance a cookie or their forehead and the first one to get it in their mouth without using their hands wins. And so much more!! Oh, and did we mention the awesome prizes that will keep them excited and motivated to compete?!
The Guys Groups Also Include Neuroacoustic Sound Therapy!
The Guys Groups program also includes 3 Neuroacoustic Sound Therapy soundtracks (MP3) designed to improve sleep, reduce anxiety, and build emotional resilience. The soundtracks are very relaxing and contain Delta, Theta, and Alpha brain frequencies.
These soundtracks incorporate a sound technology called binaural beats, which gently entrains the brainwaves to various states of consciousness for particular effects. Delta brainwaves are known to improve sleep, Theta brainwaves help facilitate emotional processing and boost creativity, and Alpha brainwaves have been shown to help reduce anxiety and improve focus. Each soundtrack is 30 minutes and your son can listen any time of day or night. Most people enjoy listening as they are falling asleep at night because the soundtracks slow down your brainwaves and can help you fall asleep more easily.
All members of the household are welcome (and encouraged!) to listen to these soundtracks! You will also receive a home listening protocol and instructional videos. Note that these soundtracks are contraindicated for those with epilepsy (diagnosed and undiagnosed) as well as those with severe mental illness
Listen to short samples of Deep Sleep, Emotional Freedom, and Mental Calm.
Want to bring Guys Groups and/or Girls Circles to your school, church, or neighborhood?
Contact us!
More Testimonials
Thriving Together LLC started Girls Circles in 2023. The popular and trusted curriculum has been revamped for Guys Groups for the 2024/2025 school year. Here are testimonials from the girls and we will share the guys’ testimonials soon!
Circle is a completely safe and loving space. No one will judge you. They can always turn something you think is weird into something fun. They help you have a better perspective of yourself. Before, I was ashamed of how I looked. Now I love the way I look. Before, I was scared. Now I speak up for myself.
Circle is calming, relaxing, and fun. As soon as you join you have 10 new friends because everyone is like a best friend. I used to laugh & feel uncomfortable but now I don’t feel awkward about periods and growing up. Circle has helped me so much!!!! I have so much more self esteem now! Miss Heather & Miss Candace are amazing!!
I just officially became a maiden during the menarche ceremony, and I hope all little girls get to experience this. It made me appreciate growing up and for the first time really connect with all my sisters, older and younger. Thank y’all so much!
Circle has changed me so much. I learned to love myself and to not be ashamed of my body. I became closer with all the girls in my circle. I now know that I am not alone.
I love Circle because everybody is so nice and inclusive of each other! They make sure everybody feels comfortable. I can now love myself even in hard times. I can embrace all emotions and move them through my body.
Guys Group Leaders
Guys Groups are led by men who have developed a healthy and balanced approach to life. Guys Group leaders teach the Thriving Guys curriculum, while each bringing their own special gifts and leadership skills to the group.
Meet One of our Guys Group Leaders!
Gracen Lee has worn many professional hats over the past 30 years including an architect, college professor, CGI artist, creative director, sales representative, and Montessori assistant. Moreover, he helped raise 3 sons as a stay home dad for 12 years and taught Sunday school for a year and half during that time. In his free time, Gracen enjoys facilitating group meditations and sound baths. He also plays the handpan drum and loves to DJ music and dance. In Gracen’s words: “The reason why I want to lead the group of young men is to share what I consider to be the most important self knowledge; that is, we are loved beyond measure regardless of what we look like, what we can do, or how other people regard us.”
Guys Group Creators
Heather Shover and Candace Moss (Thriving Together LLC) started Girls Circles in 2023. The popular and trusted curriculum has been revamped for Guys Groups for the 2024/2025 school year. We worked alongside men to create a Thriving Guys curriculum that is relevant, transformative, and a LOT of FUN!
Hi! I’m Heather Shover, proud mama of an 11 year old girl and a 14 year old boy! I am the founder of myHealthTorch and co-founder of NeuroTonz.
In my private health practice I help kids and adults release trapped emotions, manage anxieties, reduce stress, and improve self image. I am trained in Neuroacoustic Sound Therapy, Functional Medicine coaching, and various modalities to release trapped emotions from the body.
I have led Women’s Healing Circles in my home for years, and in 2023 I began leading monthly Girls Circles for 4th – 6th grade girls at my daughter’s school. The Girls Circles were so impactful that we expanded to include middle school circles, weekend retreats, and Guys Groups too!
I’m Candace Moss. For two decades I’ve been teaching holistic healing, empowerment, and somatic movement. In my private practice, I help people transform anxiety, depression, and chronic illness via nervous system regulation.
In working with guys of all ages, I’ve learned a lot about what men wish they had learned as boys. I am so pleased to help create programs where guys can feel safe to be themselves and practice skills that will serve them now and into adulthood.
