Men's, Relateful Health & Co-Ed Practice Groups
All of the groups I facilitate are rooted in Present-Moment Relating Practices (Authentic Relating). I use these practices to facilitate Men's Groups, Health groups and co-ed practice groups. If you are new to Authentic Relating, here's an overview:
Many of us have a deep desire to connect more deeply with others, get past the surface, and bring more of our whole self into relationships. Authentic relating is this invitation. . .
Authentic relating is an opportunity to practice skills and tools that deepen our sense of connection not only with others, but with ourselves, giving us the direct experience of being seen in our wholeness.
Authentic relating is a practice arena for honesty and kindness, where we are invited to see the truth of our experiences, and voice them without judgement (even when the truth is that I'm judging).
Authentic relating is NOT a therapy, though it can provide profound insights into obstacles and struggles in our life.
Authentic relating is similar to meditation, except it is practiced in relationship with other people, not in solitude. It involves maintaining a conscious awareness of both ourselves, as well as others and noticing what arises within us as we connect with others.
Authentic relating is an invitation to enter into a "brave-space" NOT a "safe-space," with the realization that life is messy, and sometimes we feel uncomfortable with what other people say. Authentic relating provides a container for both noticing these discomforts, as well as voicing them, and being seen in them.
Authentic relating a chance to see others and be seen by others, without fixing, rescuing, advice giving, caretaking or running away.
Choose the group you're most interested in.
A conscious group where men are able to practice being their whole selves, with other men, being their whole selves.
Anything you are with is welcome.
We practice being in the present moment with each other, which is usually a bit odd for people at first, but within a couple of weeks, most people find it very relieving to leave their stories, assumptions and projections at the door, and simply "be human" with others.
Being present with others facilitates a connection that is often felt as very deep and powerful, while helping us interact with things within our selves, and with others in a way that maintains a sense of self and autonomy.
This is not a therapy group, though it may be highly therapeutic. It assumes the ability to regulate oneself, and a desire to connect with others.
A conscious and aware group meeting weekly to explore deeper aspects of health, together. This group is informed by the present-moment relating practice of Relatefulness, though is oriented towards health, healing, sickness, and the real suffering of being human. All are welcome, and all IS welcome. There will be opportunities to explore specific individual therapies, functional medicine, and naturopathic medical treatments, though the overall facilitation of the group will prioritize present moment relationship with these tools and therapies, and leverage information very strategically.
The group will be facilitated by Dr. Brian Plante and Dr. Node Smith, both naturopathic doctors with combined specialties in somatic therapies, functional neurology and nervous system regulation, neurodivergence, and all manners of chronic disease.
If you are looking for a group to truly be yourself inside of your health journey, to be seen, and also see others in the pain and joy of human experience, this may be a perfect group for you.
The orientation of this group is to be genuinely helpful for all participating, though will not have a structured therapeutic focus. Each session may differ significantly to each other, following what is most relevant to/for the group at the time. The intention of this group is not as a replacement for any type of psychotherapy or medical care.
This is a more traditional AR flow group, and will explore what is alive for the group, and how we are being with that together over the course of the group time.
We may participate in pair or small group games, or may flow during these groups, depending on what the group dynamic is.
Due to the co-ed nature, this group may be more charged, and does require the ability to take care of oneself, and self-regulate with potentially activating topics, opinions or language.
So I know how to reach you.
Here is a list of resources you may find helpful in orienting a bit more to the type of facilitation I bring into the groups I run. They aren't mandatory, but may be helpful for you:
The Relational Field Podcast (this is our podcast that we created for this group, to explore more of the theory, and to show how these practices can be used to explore controversial topics with curiosity rather than contempt).Watch on YouTube
Some other relevant resources:
Authentic Revolution
Authentic Relating Training (ART)
Relateful Company
Circling Canada (5 hour online circling course)
Circling Documentary: Part 1 · Part 2 · Part 3 · Part 4
Circling is a very specific authentic relating practice, that is much more like a relational meditation, than a structured game. This documentary was created during a live training, and captures the power of these embodied practices incredibly well.
© 2026 Dr Node Smith – Integral Health Solutions