Frequently Asked Questions
ART Courses
Firstly, a very warm welcome to the world of ART! We are delighted you are here. We recommend that you start with one of our Level 1 courses. You can find out more and see the full course schedule here. Level 1 introduces you to the five practices of Authentic Relating that are core to everything we do. It is not possible to move through the higher level courses without first completing our Level 1.
All of our courses are based on experiential learning. They are structured around a mix of games, exercises and teachings. The structure is mostly the same for both in-person and online versions of the Level 1 and Level 2 courses, with some adaptations made for the different environments. With the online courses, we make use of break-out rooms in order to facilitate sharing in pairs and small groups, as well as coming together in the larger group.
The In-person Level 1 is a 2 day dive into authentic relating with a group of up to 24 participants (plus staff). It is intense, connective and transformative with participants reporting back about how they were able to make immediate changes in their lives and relationships after the weekend had ended.
The online courses (Level 1 & 2) are spread over 6 weeks. The curriculum is broken down into chunks with core teachings being taught each week. The space between each session allows for a slower integration of the learning with weekly tasks to try out bringing the skills and practices to your everyday life.
WHEN YOU ATTEND ONLINE
- Participate in weekly sessions, allowing time to digest the material
- Have time between sessions to practice and integrate the skills in your life in real-time
- Engage with a global cohort, with greater opportunity for diverse perspectives and a unique combination of humans
- Experience flexible scheduling that allows participation from your home or wherever you are
- Access to your fellow participants through a group chat to foster continuous learning and community bonds, during and after the course
WHEN YOU ATTEND IN-PERSON
- Create deep and lasting connections with like-minded people who live near you
- Experience interactive practices firsthand, from eye-contact to dance and play
- Experience the rush of energy and aliveness that comes from immersing yourself in deep connection in a shared physical space
- Enjoy your new social connections during lunch, at course breaks, and beyond
- Cultivate a strong sense of camaraderie with your fellow participants, having spent two full days in person and deep in this practice together
The Embodied Edition of our Level 1 course incorporates the wisdom held within the body and uses it to support a deeper connection with ourselves and with others. This is done through embodied meditation and movement exercises and uses these to compliment the curriculum offered on the regular Level 1 course. You can find the schedule for our Embodied Edition courses here.
The short answer is yes! We offer several variations on Level 1, including the Embodied Edition, The ART of Intimacy for Couples and several language courses. Upon graduating from any Level 1 course you are welcome to proceed to Level 2. You can find out more about Level 2 here.
The price of our Level 1 and 2 courses do not include food or lodging. Whilst some light snacks are generally provided at our courses, we encourage participants to bring their own lunch or find somewhere nearby the venue to go to during their lunch break (suggestions are often included in the course welcome email).
Anyone coming from out of town to one of courses will need to secure themselves some lodgings in the town or city where the course is being held.
Our Level 4 course is designed to support you in bringing authentic relating to your own facilitation work. You will graduate as an ART certified facilitator and are then welcome to use our tools, games and practices in your own workshops. You will leave with the skills you need to embody this work as a daily way of being.
Becoming a Course Leader with ART is by invitation only following completion of Level 4. It requires a further level of study, beyond Level 4.
Course Registration
Once your payment is processed, you should expect to receive an order confirmation email to the address supplied with your order submission. You will then be placed on the course register and will receive a pre-course email around 1-2 weeks before the beginning of the course. For online courses, this will include a link to access the Zoom calls, as well as an invitation to a participant WhatsApp group. For in-person courses this will include details of the venue as well as timings for the course.
Once your payment is processed, you should expect to receive an order confirmation email to the address supplied with your order submission. Sometimes these emails can go astray so it is worth checking your junk or spam folders if you cannot see them. If you still cannot find it, please contact us on [email protected] to check up on your order.
As per our Cancellation Policy, we do not normally offer people refunds or course credits/transfers within 7 days of the course start date. If you contact us at least 7 days before the start of the course then we will be able to transfer you to a different course if spaces are available. We also understand that life can be unpredictable – if you feel that your circumstances are exceptional then please get in touch at [email protected] and we’ll be happy to discuss alternative options.
Please check our Level 1 & 2 Cancellation Policy or the Level 3 & 4 Cancellation Policy for full details of what you may be entitled to at the time of your request for a refund or course transfer.
In busy periods or during times where ART is closed, it may not be possible to respond to your request immediately. Please be assured that we take each request from the date it was received, rather than the date we open and respond to it.
We hold a value for making our courses accessible to as many people as possible. We understand that financial investment can be a barrier to this. We offer two scholarship seats per course that are available at 50% discount on the full course price. If this is something you would benefit from, we welcome your application here.
We do not record the course sessions. You will receive detailed course notes after each session and also be invited to join a WhatsApp group with your peers to share learnings and reflections after each session.
That being said, your presence is important. While our courses are led by experienced AR facilitators, this is a co-created course. We ask you to attend all the sessions. It is particularly important that you attend the first session as we will be creating a shared context and understanding for the whole course.
Please note that you will be removed from the course should you miss the first two sessions of the course. We rely on a strong start with all participants to begin building solid group dynamic from which trust can be built and vulnerability welcomed. If you miss more than 2 sessions during the course, you will not be able to graduate from the Level 1 and may have to retake the course in its entirety to access our more advanced Authentic Relating courses.
If you foresee this to be a problem, please email [email protected] so we can discuss alternative solutions.
The sessions are not recorded to protect the integrity of the container. Some people share openly and vulnerable during the course and we find they do so more freely knowing that their share will not be recorded.
We don’t provide specific recommendations for places to stay. Many of our participants tend to use hotels or Airbnb’s close to the course venue that can be booked online from your own research. You will also receive a link to join a WhatsApp group along with the other participants where you can co-ordinate accommodation and transport plans.
ART Community
If you would like to recommend the world of ART to friends and family then please consider the ART Partner Program where you can also make a commission when someone you refer signs up to one of our courses. This is a vital element in our mission to share the practice of authentic relating with people everywhere. Authentic Relating at its core is a relational practice, and nothing we do could exist without the beautiful network of people around the world who are dedicated to inviting others into the circles we create at our courses and programs.
You can find out more and purchase the Authentic Relating book here. Written by co-founder Ryel Kestrano, this is the complete guide to having better, deeper, richer connections and interactions with everyone in your life. Easy to learn and easy to apply, the skills and tools of authentic relating work in everyday life, from casual conversations to heated conflict.
We don’t currently have an easy way to connect people in different locations, outside of the courses we run. If you would like to practice authentic relating as a way of connecting with others then we offer free weekly community circles online. You can find out more and sign up here.
You can also join ARTland, our global online community here.
