Everything. The go-to verbiage is that this is a space to talk about your highest highs and your lowest lows. Council members talk about both their professional and personal lives. The program is specifically designed to create an atmosphere where individuals feel safe to be as open, vulnerable, and transparent as they’d like to be.

No topics are automatically off-limits. Councils operate autonomously with training and guidance from the Program Leadership Team which means that councils make individual decisions for how certain topics may need to be handled given the preferences/comfort of their members.

Applications are reviewed thoroughly and the Program Leadership Team endeavors to create Council groups that are as diverse as possible while still ensuring members will have others who are in similar stages of life and have a similar outlook for what they hope to gain from the program.

Councils are encouraged to have one 4 hour meeting per month and one overnight retreat per year. This typically results in 10 meetings per year and 1 retreat, as many councils choose not to meet in December or opt for a purely social outing instead. Councils operate autonomously with training and guidance from the Program Leadership Team which means that councils make individual decisions for when to meet and for how long. Each council will work together to determine the meeting dates that work best for all members.

Truthfully, very little. You are only able to discuss what you have personally shared with the council or what you have personally learned from the program without alluding to what anyone else has shared. Absolutely no information may be shared about anything another council member has discussed no matter if you withhold their name or not. A breach of confidentiality will result in immediate removal from the Council program without exception. A removed member may only be reinstated to their Council via unanimous vote from the other members.

The Council Program is dedicated to offering members the following 3 things:

1. Meaningful relationships.

2. Personal growth, emotional intelligence, and self-awareness.

3. Professional tools and insights.

If you are an individual who is committed to working on the above items and who is willing to dedicate the time in their schedule to accommodate a monthly 4 hour meeting along with an annual overnight retreat then it is highly likely that this program is for you.

Meetings are highly structured with a full agenda and operate on a strict timekeeping schedule where members are given an equal and allotted time for their personal updates, questions, and experience sharing. This ensures that each member has space to speak without interruption and creates an atmosphere that fosters active listening.

Councils operate autonomously with training and guidance from the Program Leadership Team which means that councils make individual decisions for what their retreat will look like based on the preferences and budgetary concerns of their individual members. Most typically councils will rent an AirBnB within 2 hours of Nashville and meet from Friday evening to Sunday morning although some Councils prefer a 1 night only retreat. Moderators are encouraged to schedule the retreat to include equal time for Council programming, planned recreational group activities, and free time for council members to interact and relax.

The 2023/24 Council Dues are $100., however an alternative payment plan is available for individuals who request it for budgeting purposes. Individual Councils operate differently regarding food and beverages at their monthly meetings though it would be safe to assume $15-$20 for a meal at each monthly meeting. Retreat Budgets are left entirely up to the individual councils but it would be safe to assume an amount between $200 and $400 for the retreat based on the preferences and budgetary concerns of each Council’s individual members. Initial 2024/25 Council Dues will be $200. Continuing council member dues will be $150.

Excellent question. There is a strong chance you will be placed with at least one person who is ideologically dissimilar to you. The strength of the council program lies in its ability to help members relate and care about one another despite personality or outlook differences. There are specific structures within council meetings that are intended to help with clearing the air amongst members and creating a space to prevent or resolve conflict.

In the event that the conflict occurs as a result of a council member behaving in a manner that is harmful to other members or to the psychological safety of the group then that member will be removed from the program and directed toward alternative resources that may better assist them with achieving the goals that had initially brought them to the Council program.