b'Circles of SisterhoodA duo helps women glow, grow and build communityBY TAMI STECKLERTammyPalazzo(L)andRebecca Bascio(R)createdYou:Intentionally Designed to create a space for women toshedrolesandexpectationsthatno longer work, and to choose what comes next.W omenliketogather.I was looking for something to marry my deep-seatedthing but doing the things that create the life they Notinthetradition- desire to support families and children with my needwant. Intentions in circle allow the participant to stay alhunter-gathererfor flexibility and less responsibility. I thought thattrue to the circle and who they are in it. It is empower-paradigm,butgatherjoining the group would assist with thinking throughing to be intentional. togethertodiscussmy options. And (spoiler alert!) it did. But in the end,As they planned their pilot groups, Bascio and books,playgames,it gave me so much more. Participant Mary MorgansPalazzo were conscious of the fact they are not thera-orsolvetheworldssentiment echoes my own: You: Intentionally De- pists. But they had attended a circle retreat, and it problems. They are doers, sharers, fixers, and think- signed entered my life at a time I was bereft of solidwas eye-opening. It confirmed for them that there ersresponding to a multitude of changes with theintrospection and female support and conversation. is much to be gained through directed conversation, flexibility of an Olympic gymnast. And yet whenBascio and Tammy Palazzo developed You: Inten- and reinforced their belief that we have something it comes to taking time to consider their own lives,tionally Designed to challenge societal values, to cre- akin to superpowers inside of us. They also realized women are likely to place their needs and desires onate a space that helps women shed roles, expectations,that while they did not have all lifes answers and the back burner. and ideals that no longer work, and to choose whatcouldntsolveeveryonesproblems,theyhadvalu-When Rebecca Bascio approached me about join- comes next. These partners always knew the focusableassetstooffertheirownexperiences,their ing a pilot circle, I balked. I was not a joiner, and thiswould be on intention. As women we are not alwaysprofessional training, their mutual ability to create type of group was not something I sought out. But,making choices for ourselves. We wanted to create aand lead meaningful conversations and, most impor-nevertheless, I agreedpartly because she plied mespace where women can choose, This is who I wanttantly, their shared belief in the power of women in with ramen, but also because the topic of transitionto be; I want to intentionally design my life, explainsdialogue. As Palazzo explains, We are not trying to resonated with me. In my early 60s, empty-nested af- Palazzo. Women should be making choices alwaysdesign someones life, but we can help to draw up ter raising children for 40 years, and partnered for 32,and owning those choices, not just doing the righta blueprint to guide them where they want to go. 38/ matters magazine / fall 2022'