About Totem

Totem is a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing the practice of Circle to you.

We believe that utilizing Circles can lead to a more thoughtful and caring world.

See Schedule
See Schedule

Who is Totem?

We are a community that believes in bettering mental wellness through Circle, a vehicle for facilitating nonhierarchical communication and self-exploration through storytelling. We think the best support comes from people who know how to speak your language.

What are Circles?

Circles are virtual gatherings of 3 to 8 individuals. Picture them as Totem's version of support groups tailored for the digital age. Each participant gets the chance to share their stories without interruption, responding to prompts facilitated by the Circle's Keeper—our term for the moderator.

Why Circles?

By sharing our experiences in the format of Circles, we learn not only from ourselves, but each other. These shifts in perspective can help us overcome obstacles that life inevitably hands us.

Our Values

Growth and change through storytelling

We have been natural storytellers for thousands of years. Through storytelling, we unlock unique perspectives that would otherwise be hidden from us. Our revelations lead us to advance our understanding of the world.

Embrace different perspectives

We acknowledge when our opinions don’t ring true for everyone. This opens us to learning through the lens of others. We hope this awareness gets us closer to a world where everybody is treated with respect.

Your voice matters

We love listening to experts in their field. Everyone is an expert in themselves. When we speak from our experiences, we reveal truths that no one else can. You have so much to share, and we want to listen.

Heal through community

We know being seen, heard, and understood is a profoundly healing experience. Just as some traumas are caused by negative interactions with people, positive interactions can help us move past the pain we’ve felt in our journeys.

Support

Thanks to funding from the Lopker Family Foundation and contributions from people who believe in our services, Totem can continue bringing the practice of Circles to those who need it.

Totem is a 501(c)(3) non-profit

All of our resources go to directly into growing and maintaining Totem, from building our website, to community outreach, to compensating our Keepers.

Totem is committed to transparency and will share details of our annual reports, strategic roadmaps, and financials.

Safe and confidential

Totem prioritizes the security and confidentiality of all of our members. We will not, under any circumstances, sell or share your information with third parties. Your data is treated with the highest level of respect and protection.

For a comprehensive understanding of how we handle your information, please refer to our Privacy Policy.