Frequently Asked Questions (for Participants)

If you are thinking about reaching out, you probably carry a few quiet worries first. The answers below cover the questions people ask us most, so you know precisely what you are stepping into.

Is this therapy?

No. The Witness Method is peer support. Your Witness is a trained listener, never a therapist, psychologist, or doctor. They will never diagnose you or run a treatment process. Your medication stays between you and your doctor. If you also need therapy, we warmly encourage you to use professional help alongside this. The two forms of support work well side by side.

Do I have to be in crisis? Is my problem big enough?

You never have to be falling apart to deserve an hour of being heard. A hard week counts. Grief that nobody around you understands counts. The quiet weight you have stopped mentioning counts. There is no bar to clear, and no problem too small to bring.

What actually happens in a session?

A 1:1 runs about thirty to forty-five minutes. Your Witness sets the frame, asks one gentle question, and then mostly listens while you talk, reflecting your words back and confirming that your feeling makes sense. Near the end, you choose how to land. There is a fuller walk through a session on our 1:1 Witness Session page.

Which format should I start with?

Pick by what you need right now. A Circle puts you in a room of people being heard together, and that helps most on the days the loneliness weighs heaviest. The Mirror lets you write it out, at your own pace, from wherever you are. For depth with one person fully focused on you, book a 1:1. You can move between them later.

How much does it cost?

Circles of Truth are free. Always. Someone in pain should get a place to be heard without reaching for a credit card. The paid formats, the 1:1 sessions and The Mirror, exist partly to keep those free spaces open. You will see the cost of a 1:1 on the booking page, with no hidden surprises.

Is what I say private?

Yes. What you share in a Witness space stays there. Your Witness will never repeat it to family, friends, or anyone outside the method. There are three, and only three, exceptions, and we tell you all of them before you open up: if your life is in danger, if a child or a dependent person is being harmed, or if a court legally compels it. Outside those three, your words are held.

Can I stay anonymous?

Largely, yes. In The Mirror you can write under a pseudonym. In a Circle or a 1:1, a first name is enough. We keep the smallest amount of information needed to run the program, and nothing more.

Who is on the other side?

A trained Witness. Every Witness learns the method, passes a practical test, and stays in ongoing supervision, so the person holding your story knows how to hold it with care. They are skilled peer-support listeners working inside clear limits, never pretending to be a clinician.

What if I cry or fall apart?

That is welcome here. Tears are honest, and the space is built to hold them. Your Witness will sit with you through it, in no rush, and neither of you has to fill the quiet. You never have to apologize for a feeling.

What if I have no idea what to say?

That is completely fine, and more common than you would think. You start wherever you can, with a single sentence if that is all you have. The silences are part of it, never a failure. Your Witness follows you, gently, and never pushes you past your own pace.

Will they tell me what to do?

No, unless you ask. Your Witness is a mirror, not an adviser. They reflect your own words back so you can see them clearly. If you do want options, they will ask first, then offer a few to choose from rather than one “right” answer.

Can I delete my data later?

Yes. Send us an email, and we will remove your identifying details and any Mirror exchanges within thirty days. One safety record may be kept in anonymized form, with your name stripped out, as we explain plainly in the disclaimer.

Still wondering whether this is for you?

The simplest way to find out is to start small. Join a free Circle or book a 1:1 session. Bring whatever you are carrying. The willingness to be heard is enough.

You belong in that room.