A small group of like-minded people you can stop performing around.
Eight Wednesday evenings to be known for who you are, to know others the same way, and to set down the work of being "on."
Apply for the September circleYou know a lot of people. How many of them really know you?
Many of the people who join this circle are capable, well connected, and quietly aware that something is missing in how they relate. They listen well but are rarely known. They keep a part of themselves back, even with the people they love. Some have simply noticed they hold others at a polite distance, and are not sure how to stop. Most are not lonely, exactly. They are just rarely met.
If any of that lands, you are the kind of person this circle is for. No diagnosis required, and no experience with groups needed. Most people arrive a little nervous. That is normal, and welcome.
What actually happens in the room
We meet for ninety minutes each week, in person, with the same small circle for all eight weeks. There is no curriculum and nothing to prepare, and that is the point. How you show up here, seeking approval, holding back, meeting conflict, tends to mirror how you show up in the rest of your life, your marriage, your work. Here we slow down and look at it together, in real time.
We do not recap our week. We talk about what is happening between us, in the room, as it happens. As trust builds, people relate in ways they rarely allow themselves anywhere else, and that is where the change tends to begin. It is not therapy, and it is not a workshop. It is a structured space for honest relating, guided by an experienced facilitator.
"When you express your deepest feelings, secure that you will not be rejected or criticized, something sorts itself out in the mind and brings a sense of peace."Anthony Storr (adapted for inclusivity)
What the circle gives you
Honest feedback
The one thing everyday life withholds: how you actually land on others. Out in the world, people rarely tell you; they just drift away. Here, you find out, generously and directly.
Deeper relationships
The self-awareness you build in this room carries straight into the relationships that matter most to you.
A place to be human
A space to set the performance down and look at what is hard: stress, isolation, the quiet sense of being an impostor, alongside others who understand.
In their words
The process created a shift in me. In being able to share my vulnerability in this space, the group has given me increased authenticity and confidence, and deeper, more meaningful connections with others.
It is a safe and brave space to shed our social identities and experience a more authentic self.
I am so glad I joined. I have developed real courage and authenticity.
The September circle
- When
- 8 Wednesdays, 7:30 to 9:00pm, from 2 September 2026
- Where
- Duo Galleria, 7 Fraser Street, Singapore 189356. In person only. View map
- Size
- A small circle, limited to 12 places
- Cost
- SG$1,200 for the eight weeks. Returning members pay SG$1,080 (10% less).
- Commitment
- Attend at least 6 of 8 sessions (5 if you have done more than one circle before)
- To join
- Apply by 22 August. We will arrange a short call first.
If cost is a genuine barrier, please mention it on the call. I keep a small number of reduced-fee places where possible.
Three simple steps
Get in touch
Send a short message through the form below with a few times you are free.
A 20-minute call
We talk it through, you ask anything, and we both feel out the fit. No pressure either way.
Join the circle
If it feels like a good fit, we confirm your place and begin together on 2 September.
Dr. Jonathan Marshall
I value the aliveness that emerges when people meet each other honestly. I have spent years leading and taking part in groups like this one, and I now work full time as a psychotherapist, executive coach, and leadership psychologist. For twelve years I taught leadership psychology at the National University of Singapore.
Irvin Yalom's work on human connection shapes how I facilitate: enough structure to keep the room safe, and enough openness for something real to happen. More about me here.
Questions
Is this group therapy?
No. It is a group for personal growth and authentic relating, not group therapy and not a substitute for treatment. People who are also in individual therapy or coaching often find the two complement each other well.
If there is no weekly topic or agenda, what do we actually talk about?
Whatever is alive in the room. The structure comes from our interactions rather than a syllabus: what is happening between us, how we affect each other, what is hard to say. It can feel a little edgy at first, and that is part of the work.
Is this going to be confrontational?
It is honest, but it is not a hot seat. My role as facilitator is to keep the room psychologically safe, so feedback is offered with curiosity and care rather than bluntness. You set your own pace.
Do I need any experience with groups?
None at all. Most people arrive a little nervous and unsure what to expect. That is completely normal, and part of it.
Is what I say kept confidential?
Confidentiality is a core agreement. We discuss it explicitly in the first session, and everyone commits to protecting what is shared in the room.
Who else will be in the room?
A small, mixed circle of thoughtful adults from different walks of life, limited to 12. The variety is part of what makes it work.
Is it really in person only?
Yes, in person at Duo Galleria. Being in the same room matters for this kind of work in a way a screen cannot replicate.
Are there ground rules?
Yes, a short circle agreement covering confidentiality, attendance, and a commitment to stay engaged through the harder moments. We walk through it together on your chemistry call, so you know exactly what you are saying yes to before you commit.
What if I need to withdraw?
If you withdraw more than 72 hours before the first session, 80% of the fee is refunded. After that point the fee is non-refundable.
A little more to read and watch
- Read: a Straits Times piece on the value of emotional agility, the soft skill we all need. Read the article.
- Read: The Schopenhauer Cure by Dr. Irvin Yalom, a novel that brings the life of a group vividly onto the page. Yalom was a formative influence on how I work.
- Watch: a short dramatization of a chapter from The Schopenhauer Cure. It gives a real feel for the life of a group, though the intensity and pace are heightened for the screen.
Apply for the September circle
Places are limited to 12 and applications close on 22 August. Send a short message with a few times you are free, and we will set up a 20-minute call.