In brief
- Every forum meeting follows the same foundational structure -- opening, monthly updates, one or two deep dive presentations, and a closing. The predictability is intentional: it frees members to focus on being present rather than what comes next.
- The presentation is the centerpiece: one member presents a real challenge, the group asks clarifying questions, sits in silence, then shares from their own experience rather than offering advice — leaving the presenter feeling heard rather than managed.
- In-person meetings run roughly 3.5 to 4 hours with two presentations; virtual meetings run a tighter 2.5 to 3 with one. Same structure, two settings. Hover over each segment to see who's involved and where to go deeper.
Every forum meeting follows the same foundational structure, in person or on video. The predictability is part of the design. Knowing what comes next lets you focus on the only thing that matters: being present.
Hover over each segment to see what happens, who's involved, and where to go deeper.
0:00
Transition
Opening
~15 minutes
The moderator welcomes the group, reaffirms the confidentiality commitment, and leads a communication starter -- a brief question that helps people arrive and shift gears. "What's one thing you're carrying today that you'd like to set down?" One minute per person. The point isn't the answer. It's the transition from the outside world into the forum space.
Confidentiality →
Forum roles →
Attendance →
Exercise library →
Roles active: moderator, all members
0:15
Each member
Monthly Updates
~5 minutes per person · ~60 minutes total
Each member gives a four-to-five-minute update across three areas: business, personal, and family. This is not a status report. It's the moment you decide how much of yourself to bring into the room. Come prepared. Some groups use a structured format. Others open with a feeling. The update is your first act of participation each month.
Monthly updates →
Creative update formats →
The 5% →
Roles active: each member (presenting), timer, moderator
1:15
Break
~10 minutes
Stretch, refill, catch your breath. In-person groups use this for the informal connection that builds relationships between the structured segments.
1:25
The centerpiece · ~60 minutes
Deep Dive Presentation
One member brings something real to the group -- a challenge, a decision, a situation they're sitting with. The presentation unfolds in three phases, followed by a brief closing reflection.
The presentation →
Roles active: presenter, coach, scribe, language observer, timer, all members
1:25
Phase 1
The Presentation
~10 minutes
The presenter speaks uninterrupted: background, current situation, what they've considered, what they're feeling. The group listens. Before the presentation, the coach leads a brief communication starter that connects the group to the emotional territory of the topic.
1:35
Phase 2
Clarifying Questions & Silence
~10 minutes
Questions that open new territory, not advice wearing a question mark. Then several minutes of silence while each member searches their own life for what connects to what they just heard. The silence is not awkward. It's where the real processing happens.
1:45
Phase 3
Experience Sharing
~20 minutes
One at a time, each member speaks -- not about the presenter's situation, but about their own. First person. Past tense. "When I was facing something similar, I felt..." When six or seven people do this, the presenter doesn't leave with a to-do list. They leave having been heard.
2:05
Resolution
Presenter Reflection
~5 minutes
The presenter shares what the experience was like for them -- what landed, what surprised them, what they're taking away. This moment belongs to the presenter.
2:25
Second hour · ~60 minutes
Second Presentation or Special Topic
~60 minutes · same structure as above
Most meetings include a second presentation, following the same three-phase structure. Alternatively, the group may use this time for a special topic: an exercise, a group discussion, or a facilitated exploration of a theme that's emerged across multiple members' updates.
Presentations may be planned in advance -- with the presenter coached beforehand for an hour or two by the designated coach -- or they may emerge spontaneously from the updates when something in the room calls for deeper attention.
3:25
Wrap-up
Meeting Close
~15 minutes
The group wraps up with a brief meeting assessment: likes and wishes, a few words about what you got from the meeting. Then logistics: confirming the next meeting date, who will present, and any administrative items. The meeting ends where it began -- with each person checking in, briefly, on where they are now.
Total: approximately 3.5 to 4 hours
At subsequent meetings
Integration
In the weeks and months after a presentation, the presenter may share how things are going -- what they've acted on, what's shifted, what's still unresolved. This happens informally during updates or in conversation between meetings. It's how the group holds each other accountable to the insights that surfaced in the room.
The structure is the same every month, and that's what makes the depth possible. When you don't have to think about what comes next, you can think about what actually matters. Learn the form well. Groups that know it in their bones earn the room to shape it -- see Forum Flexibility for how established forums do exactly that. Meeting on video? The structure is the same -- see Virtual Forum for the disciplines of the screen.
For a deeper look at each segment, follow the links above. For the complete new member orientation, start with the new member guide.