Hearth Circle Terms | Wild Women Hawaii

The Hearth Circle Participation Agreement & Release

Welcome to the Hearth. To protect the emotional safety, integrity, and sacred nature of this small seasonal container, all participants are required to read, align with, and uphold the following agreements.

1. Nature of the Gathering

The Hearth Circle is a facilitated women’s gathering focused on guided settling, shared witnessing, and steady connection. This is not therapy, counseling, medical care, or crisis support. Participation is voluntary and self-directed. You are responsible for your own well-being during and after each gathering.

2. Absolute Confidentiality

What is shared in the circle stays in the circle. You may share your own insights, breakthroughs, or feelings outside the group. You may never share another woman’s name, identity, story, or life details with anyone else, including partners, friends, or family.

Intentionality: This allows every woman to speak without fear of her vulnerability leaving the room.

3. Pure Verbal Witnessing

The Policy: When a woman shares, we listen without feedback, cross-talk, advice, coaching, or fixing through words.

The Intention: We offer the rare gift of allowing a story to simply exist, uncorrected and whole, while trusting each woman's sovereignty to navigate her own experience.

4. Honoring the Boundary of Non-Promotion

The Hearth is a sanctuary from commercial and professional life. You agree not to use this circle, or the contacts made within it, to pitch services, sell products, hand out business cards, network for business, or recruit clients. You also agree not to use the stories or structure of this group as content or inspiration for your own professional offerings.

Intentionality: This ensures we meet as equal human beings, completely stripped of professional roles, hierarchies, and transactional motives.

5. Fragrance Policy

On circle days, please refrain from wearing or bringing fragrances, including synthetic perfumes, body sprays, heavily scented lotions, or essential oil sprays. In enclosed studio spaces, synthetic chemicals (specifically phthalates, perfumes, and body sprays) directly trigger neuro-chemical stress responses such as headaches, dizziness, and nausea. For sensitive nervous systems, a heavily fragranced environment makes somatic regulation and sharing difficult.

6. Committed Presence & Punctuality

Trust and safety are built through consistency. Because this is a closed multi-month container, your presence matters. You commit to prioritizing our monthly Wednesday gathering. Please arrive a few minutes early so we can begin promptly at 5:00 PM.

7. Responsible Expression

We speak from our own lived experience. Please use "I" statements to share your personal truths, griefs, and joys. This is a space for personal reflection, not for debating politics, arguing, processing cultural theories, or lecturing the group.

Intentionality: This keeps the container anchored in raw, human vulnerability rather than intellectual discussion or lessons.

8. Non-Touch & Spatial Boundaries

The Policy: The Hearth Circle is strictly non-touch. To protect physical sovereignty, participants agree to refrain from physical touch, hugging, or physical consoling before, during, and after circle sessions while on the property. Each participant maintains her own designated floor cushion space throughout the gathering.

Intentionality: This keeps the container a trauma-sensitive sanctuary for all women and prevents side-dynamics from fragmenting the group's shared focus.

9. Container Alignment & Right of Dismissal

Michelle reserves the sole authority to protect the safety and integrity of the container. If a participant repeatedly violates these boundaries, flows out of alignment with the receptive structure, or disrupts group safety, her membership will be terminated immediately. In this event, any refund for unrendered sessions remains at the facilitator's administrative discretion.

10. Studio Environment: Resident Dogs

Gatherings are held in a private home studio where small dogs reside. One quiet, regulating dog may be present in the room during sessions. Some dander or fur may be present in the environment.

11. Safety & The Limits of Confidentiality

While absolute confidentiality is the foundation of our circle, it cannot be guaranteed if there is an immediate risk to basic safety. If a participant shares information indicating an immediate risk of severe harm to herself or others, or reveals suspected abuse or neglect of a minor or vulnerable adult, Michelle may step outside of the confidentiality agreement to seek emergency support or notify the relevant authorities.

Intentionality: This is a circle for sharing lived human experiences, but it is not intended for crisis or therapy. This boundary ensures that everyone in the room remains safe, supported, and legally protected.

12. Registration, Attendance, & Refund Policies

Trust, safety, and continuity are built through steady financial and physical commitment.

Seasonal Membership: Your $100 payment secures your seat for the full 5-month season. Of this, $40 is a non-refundable administrative and registration fee covering transaction and organizing costs.
Cancellation & Refund Deadline: Cancellations requested more than 14 days prior to our first session will receive a partial refund of $60. Cancellations made within 14 days of our first session are completely non-refundable, as the circle closes and your seat can no longer be filled.
No Partial Refunds: Because you are paying for your specific seat in a closed container, missed gatherings (due to illness, travel, or personal reasons) cannot be refunded, credited, or rolled over to future seasons.

13. Assumption of Risk & Release of Liability

By participating in The Hearth Circle, you acknowledge and agree to the following:

Voluntary Participation: You are voluntarily participating in a group gathering at a private residence and fully understand the risks involved, including but not limited to slips, trips, falls, or other accidents inherent in a home environment.
Assumption of Risk: You knowingly and freely assume all such risks, both known and unknown, including the physical demands of utilizing floor-based seating on an elevated wooden floor, and assume full responsibility for your physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing.
Release of Liability: You hereby release, waive, and forever discharge Michelle Gallagher Escobar, Wild Women Hawai‘i, and the owners/residents of the property from any and all liability, claims, demands, or causes of action for personal injury, property damage, or wrongful death, whether caused by ordinary negligence or otherwise, to the fullest extent permitted by law.
Indemnification & Hold Harmless: You agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Released Parties from any and all claims, actions, suits, procedures, costs, expenses, damages, and liabilities, including attorney’s fees, brought as a result of your involvement in The Hearth Circle. You further agree to reimburse the Released Parties for any such expenses incurred.