The CIRCLES® Curriculum Series focuses on teaching social boundaries, self-protection skills, and acceptable behavior along the parameters of touch, talk, and trust. It’s designed to be used with youth and adults with IDD. The CIRCLES® concept is simple: Six color-coded concentric circles categorize the degree of closeness in a particular relationship and pairs that color with the physical and emotional distance of the relationship. Leslie Walker-Hirsch, who is a social development/sexuality consultant based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, is going to lead tonight’s class, giving an overview of the CIRCLES® concept, from the “Purple Private Circle” where each individual starts with him/herself, through the “Blue Big Hug Circle” for a few close family members, the “Green Far-away Circle” for friends or extended family members, the “Yellow Handshake Circle” for people whose names you know and who also know your name, the “Orange Wave Circle” which is for no touching, substituting a wave of acknowledgment for physical touch, and the final ring the “Red Stranger Circle” which is for no touch at all for total strangers. For anyone who has trouble knowing where boundaries are, this class is for you.

Class is free for all wishing to attend. For more information, please contact Carolyn Naifeh. Please let her know if you or your loved one plan to join in, and she will send you the link.

This class is co-sponsored by the Down Syndrome Association of Middle Tennessee.