Facilitator Screening Worksheet
Facilitator Screening Worksheet
Name: ___________________________________
Center: ___________________________________
Email: ___________________________________
Phone: ___________________________________
Reference #1 Name: ___________________________________
Reference #1 Email: ___________________________________
Reference #1 Phone: ___________________________________
Reference #2 Name: ___________________________________
Reference #2 Email: ___________________________________
Reference #2 Phone: ___________________________________
Research Questions
Here are a list of questions to ask yourself when conducting online research about a particular facilitator, shaman, or retreat center.
1. Does the center / group / facilitator have a large online presence or appear to be engaged in online advertising? Some groups have massive Facebook page, YouTube presence and regular advertising campaigns promoting retreats. A large online presence does not necessarily mean that the experience is going to be better or safer. Some medicine communities believe that the excessive focus on marketing and selling retreats comes at the expense of participant care. And that the efforts in gaining a large online following indicates an orientation towards making money and fame, which is out of alignment with the profound healing and spiritual experience these medicines offer.
2. What happens when you Google “Name of the Facilitator” + “Fraud”? Are there any ripoff reports or forum discussions coming up for the individual you are researching?
3. Does the center / group / facilitator seem to be at the center of online controversy or social media flame wars? Spend some time joining and monitoring closed Facebook groups to see if the individual you are considering working with comes up repeatedly in heated online conversations.
4. Based on what you are discovering in your research process, what are the pros and cons of working with this facilitator, group, or center?
Facilitator Screening Questions
Here are a list of suggested questions to ask the facilitator to understand what kind of experience you might be signing up for.
5. What is the cost of the ceremony / retreat and what is included?
6. What time are people expected to be there? What time does the work actually begin? Does this depend on the energy of the group, or is it a fixed start time?
7. When is it OK to leave?
8. How long have you been working with this medicine? how long have you been serving this medicine?
9. What is your training? Who trained you? What is your lineage?
10. Where does the medicine come from? Who makes it? What is in it?
11. Do I have any say in dosage, or is determined by the facilitator?
12. Are there other medicines offered during the ritual? What are they and who can participate?
13. Are there any medical or psychological restrictions or concerns that prevent participation?
14. How do I communicate medical or psychological issues to the facilitator or support staff? Is there an intake form or interview?
15. Are there any trained medical staff present?
16. How does the event typically unfold and what should I expect?
17. How many people will be attending?
18. How many support staff are there?
19. How should I prepare for this experience? Are there dietary, or lifestyle recommendations before and after?
20. Is there anything I need to bring to the venue? Food? Cushions? Blankets?
21. Is there food provided after the ceremony is over?
22. Do participants get to speak to the facilitator before and / or after the ceremony? If not, who is available to answer questions?
23. What happens after the ceremony is over? Do participants need to leave right away? If not, how long can participants stay on site?
24. Do the facilitators or support staff stay on premise to offer aftercare support?
25. What kind of integration support is available in the days, weeks following the event? Is the facilitator available for integration support, or would this be offered by the community or his / her assistants?
26. If I want to refer friends or family, what’s the referral process?
27. What’s the protocol on discretion? Are participants asked to refrain from talking about their experiences and mentioning the names of facilitators, for spiritual or legal reasons?
Questions to Ask References
It’s a good idea to ask the facilitator for 2 references you can speak to about what their experience was like. Here are a list of suggested questions to ask these references.
28. How was your experience with this facilitator?
29. Did you feel safe and well cared for?
30. What did you like about your experience?
31. What did you not like about your experience? What did you think they could have done better?
32. Was there any aftercare integration support offered? Did the facilitators seem available to support participants after the ceremony was over?
33. Is there anything that I should be aware of or prepare for?
34. If we were to switch places, and you were me, are there any questions that I haven’t asked you that you would ask?
35. Would you work with this facilitator again?