Frequently Asked Questions
Before the workshop
What are the benefits of joining an Honesty Europe workshop?
In the workshop, we will support you to:
- experience more freedom in your life;
- let go of shame, fear and attachment to approval;
- use conflict creatively;
- get beyond blaming others for your own shit;
- get used to expressing all your emotions including anger, sadness, fear, joy, appreciation and attraction;
- learn the art of asking for what you want;
- recognize the difference between noticing and imagining, and use that to improve your communication and relationships;
- heal your relationships and find forgiveness;
- experience deeper love, connection, compassion & intimacy.
In the workshop, you will have the opportunity to experience—and experiment with—how living out loud, being happy and not giving a shit is for you! Radical Honesty is a way to create connections and to stay present to your experience and bodily sensations. In the workshop, we talk about the things we are ashamed and afraid of. We express our sadness and appreciation and fears and anger and joy and attractions. We notice what patterns we use in our lives to sabotage our happiness. We talk about money and our sexuality and any other taboos we might have created to torture ourselves.
Most participants report that they have got more out of the workshop than they expected and that they felt happier and freer in their lives afterward. See here and here what others have expressed about their experiences of our workshops.
What is the benefit of joining a group instead of doing individual work?
In the group setting of a workshop or retreat, you have the opportunity to be seen by many people while working doing your personal work (e.g. expressing your shame, embarrassment, secrets, etc.). Having others witness you sharing shameful things and notice your body eventually relaxing oftentimes can be very healing. We tend to say that shame breeds in shadows and whatever is brought to light will eventually feel less shameful.
Group members also offer a lot of mirrors for you in terms of experiencing many emotions such as appreciation, anger, connection, attraction, shame, joy, love, sadness, excitement and more. You might notice how some group members remind you of a part of you or remind you of others in your life and you might feel triggered by that and get to work with those more parts of yourself.
Many of us also make great friends in groups and find a community of honesty people to keep in touch with and share with also after the workshop and in many community activities that we offer.
I want to join a workshop. What do I do now?
Go here and select the workshop you want to join. You can make your payment via credit card or PayPal.
Once you’ve paid, you’ll be registered for the workshop. A receipt will automatically be sent to you (if you haven’t received it, then check your email account’s spam folder for it). About a week or two before the workshop begins, all the registered participants will receive from us a welcome letter that will contain more information about the workshop including location address, what to bring with you and how to prepare yourself for the workshop.
Your workshops are often fully booked. How do I ensure getting a spot for myself?
We recommend you book your spot as early as possible. If a workshop you want to attend is fully booked, contact us to join the waiting list. We will then inform you if/when a spot becomes available for you.
What is your cancellation policy?
We do not refund payments. However, you can transfer your spot to another person taken that they are suitable for the workshop (e.g. in case of Advanced workshop, they have joined a workshop or retreat before). Kindly inform us as soon as possible about transferring our spot or your cancellation.
What if a workshop is cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions or I can’t reach the workshop site due to Covid-19 travel restrictions?
In such cases, we will offer you to transfer your payment to a future event of ours. Or, if you wish, we will refund to you your payment.
How can I prepare myself before attending a workshop?
We suggest reading Brad Blanton’s books Radical Honesty (particularly the introduction and chapters 1 & 4-7) and/or Practicing Radical Honesty (particularly the introduction and chapters 2, 6, 9). You can also watch our YouTube videos.
Do you offer RH workshops for beginners?
Yes. In fact, any workshop not listed as “Advanced” is open to anyone attending their first RH workshop. You can also join one of our periodic Open Evenings in Helsinki or Amsterdam to get a 3-hour taster of the practice of Radical Honesty or one of our free online Webinars. (Please check our calendar for any such upcoming event.)
What is the program of a weekend workshop?
At the beginning of the workshop, we make a few basic commitments about how we want to work together (such as, to tell the truth, to keep confidentiality and to ask for what we want). The weekend workshops include learning by theory and through group discussions on how to be radically honest. We also do group and paired exercises and work with whatever is arising within the group in any given moment. Sharing aloud with the rest of the group emotions, sensations and experiences is an important part of the workshop. Participants can express worry, anger, embarrassment, appreciation, etc. which may involve yelling or swearing—or might not.
We try to focus on practicing Radical Honesty as much as possible and the best way to do that is by experiencing it first-hand. Talking about Radical Honesty is not the same as practicing it. So, if you wish to hope to spend your time in a workshop by sitting on the side lines and observing others practice it, you probably won’t experience much about this practice.
You can read more here.
How intense are the workshops and retreats?
They can be intense, depending on the work you do and what arises in you during the workshop. Oftentimes people cry, shout, shake, laugh, express “strong” emotions and share deeply personal (and at times difficult) events from their past. If you have any questions or fears about your participation, you’re very welcome to contact us at info@HonestyEurope.com.
Do you have workshops that are less intense and there’s more time to hangout?
In the summer, we also have easy going retreats in our retreat center in the woods near Parkano, Finland. Participants get to practice Radical Honesty and enjoy the time in a forest by a lake – boating, swimming, having sauna, relaxing in the hammock, wondering through the forest, picking mushrooms, having spontaneous chat and sharing with other and more. Some days we might pack our lunch and walk through the forest to another inhabited lake and eat there and make some coffee and tea on the fire. Half-vacation workshops include daily movement and mediation and about 4-hour workshop session with short breaks.
Do you have workshops for couples?
Yes, we once or twice a year we lead a popular Couples Retreat by a lake in Finland. At this retreat, everyone joins with their partner or partners. We have especially designed exercises for couples which you can do together in the forest or in your cabin. We will share the experiences in the group and also do focused “hot seat work” with each couple.
We also periodically lead an online Couples Workshop or an ongoing Couples Group where you can do exercises with your partner in your own home as well as share your experiences with the group.
At all of our couples events, we offer practical exercises and tips for how to start and maintain honesty in the relationship. And quite often, a great learning can be gained by witnessing and experiencing other couples. We also offer once or twice a year a free webinar on How to Practice Radical Honesty in Relationships. Consult the workshop page for dates and time or message us.
Are your workshops and retreats suitable for everyone?
No. These workshops and retreats can be physically and psychologically stressful. Radical Honesty workshops also aren’t for you if you want to remain in your comfort zone, if you want to continue relying on white lies, if you want to continue manipulating others into taking care of you, if you want to continue trying to control others or yourself, or if you want to keep sugar-coating or ignoring issues in your relationships. Feel free to contact us with any concerns or questions about this at info@HonestyEurope.com.
I heard you lead retreats that offer both Radical Honesty and conscious touch. Is this true?
Yes, once or twice a year we lead Honesty & Conscious Touch retreats. The RH portions of the retreat are led by Pete and Tuulia and the tantra / conscious touch sessions are led by Radical Honesty trainer and conscious touch trainer Michael Kreuzwieser. You are welcomed to attend on your own or with a partner.
I’m curious about your place in Finland where you have retreats – can you tell me more?
Every year, we host several retreats in our retreat center cabins (and yurt!) by a lake surrounded by a lush pine forest. The location is in Parkano, about 2.5 hours from Helsinki by train/bus or car. Our space is secluded (we rarely see other people during our stay). During the breaks, participants can enjoy walking in the forests, lounging in the hammocks, swimming in the lake, rowing a boat, picking wild berries and mushrooms and/or connecting with other participants and. Each evening, our traditional, wood-heated sauna—large enough to accommodate our entire group—will be heated for our usage. The sauna sits beside the lake, which makes plunging into the cool water rather convenient and pleasant.
Watch a video of our place here.
After the Workshop
I have done an RH weekend workshop, what do I do now?
We recommend you to continue the practice at home, do exercises with friends, share in our post workshop sharing group and join our Facebook groups—Honesty Europe practice group (open to all) and the Honesty Europe Community group (open only to people who have attended our workshops). To really help get the practice of RH to stick, we also recommend you join another weekend workshop or a residential retreat. Even though we may do the same or similar exercises, we judge that people experience the exercises each time very differently and even more deeply. Most of our exercises work on multiple levels and repeating them many times can bring you totally new experiences and insights. You can find a list of all of our workshops here.
How can I continue the practice at home?
You can practice the exercises you learned in the workshop with your partner, family members and friends, and even at work. You can find more exercises in Brad Blanton’s book Practicing Radical Honesty. We recommend you to read Radical Honesty and Practicing Radical Honesty, The Truthtellers and other Brad Blanton’s books. The books Getting Real and by RH certified trainer Susan Campbell are also well-suited for this practice.
We also offer tips and useful reading / videos on our Honesty Europe Facebook page, in our Honesty Europe online practice group and in our videos. Our weekly newsletter gives tips and information on Radical Honesty and how to keep practising, you can subscribe to the newsletter here.
We highly recommend you meditate on a regular basis and/or do other kinds of mindfulness and awareness practices to help expand your ability to notice your bodily sensations and be more often present in the Here and now.
What happens after the workshop?
We stay in touch via a closed Facebook group or a Google email group and/or Whatsapp group.
Is there anything I need to consider after attending a workshop?
Things were probably stirred up in your nervous system during the workshop and we judge you would benefit by giving your body time to settle and allow your system to reintegrate what arose. We propose you do not book any intense program during or immediately after the workshop to give yourself time to rest. We also recommend that you ensure yourself good rest and sleep, eat healthfully and drink plenty of water during and after the workshop. Be mindful that after a workshop you might feel very tired or unusually energetic and/or your sleep patterns might be altered for a few nights. You might want to consider taking a day off after the workshop.
I want to get involved more in the Radical Honesty community. What can I do?
We warmly welcome you to join the Honesty Europe Community group on Facebook. In some cities, there are peer-led Meetups (organized by and run for people who’ve attended RH workshops). In other cities, we or other RH trainers and/or RH trainer candidates lead RH evenings and/or community days which are open to both experienced RH practitioners as well as newcomers to the practice. Get in touch with us for more info about what might be going on in your area. We also organize monthly online dances followed by round of sharing. And sometimes we host movie nights in Amsterdam where we watch a film together and then have a conversation together about what we had experienced while watching the film. These events are open to people who have joined our workshops and are announced in the Honesty Europe Community facebook group.
Could you support me with a personal issue after the workshop?
Yes, you can book a coaching session with one of the workshop leaders to be conducted in person or via video. You can also share your questions and whatever is arising in you in our post-workshop email group and ask for input and support.
General info about the workshops
How many people participate in one of your workshops?
In general, the maximum number of participants we have in our workshops is 16 (not including the workshop leaders and assistant). At our Radical Honesty evenings or community days, we might have upwards of 24 participants. At our Honesty Gathering retreats, we plan for 50-60 people to attend.
What is the typical age range of the participants in your workshops?
Generally, participants are a mix of people in their 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s (and occasionally older). The workshops are suitable for people 18 years old and older.
Do more men or more women participate in your workshops?
In most of our workshops, roughly an equal number of men and women participate. Sometimes, more women attend; sometimes, more men.
In what language are your workshops conducted?
At all our workshops, the language used is English, except for most weekend workshops in Helsinki where the language is Finnish.
English is not my first language and I’m nervous that my level of English comprehension is too low to participate effectively in the workshop. Will I still benefit by attending the workshop?
We believe so. A number of past workshop participants have expressed such a concern to us, and each time we judge that the person then got a lot out of the workshop. Sometimes we have an assistant who can provide in-the-moment translations for you/us.
Is accommodation included as part of your weekend workshops?
No, the weekend workshops are non-residential. This means accommodation is not included in the price. On the other hand, all of our retreats and 8-day intensive workshops are residential and the food and lodging is (almost always) provided and included in the cost of the workshop.
I eat a vegetarian/vegan/gluten-free diet. Will the food served at the retreat accommodate me?
Yes. At all of our retreats we offer vegetarian meals using organic and/or local food as much as possible. If you inform us about your food restrictions by a requested time, we’ll be able to accommodate your dietary restrictions and/or food allergies (vegan, gluten-free, etc.).
[Please note: at almost all of our weekend workshops, while we will have coffee/tea/water/snacks available, you’ll be on your own for lunch on Saturday and Sunday.]
Can I attend a workshop with my partner / friend / parent / (adult) child?
Yes! We welcome you to attend a workshop with a loved one. We believe that participating in a workshop together can transform your relationship for the better. You will learn tools to help you relate better and deeper and to communicate with each other in a more direct and loving way. Couples and friends frequently do attend our workshops together. You’re also welcome to attend with your adult child (though the workshops are not suitable for people under the age of 18). At times, we offer retreats specifically for couples or for parents & their adult children to attend together. Please check our workshop calendar for further information.
My partner and I are both interested in joining a workshop. Do you recommend we do our first workshop together or separately?
Most of our workshops tend to have at least one couple among the participants. So, attending our workshops as a couple (outside of our actual Couples Retreat) isn’t unusual. And couples can still do their individual work in the workshop, apart from their partner.
One argument for a couple doing their first RH workshop together: oftentimes when A. attends a first RH workshop on his/her own, upon returning home they are frustrated that B. doesn’t understand these new communication techniques/concepts/language that A. found beneficial using at the workshop. A. may end up trying to coach B. in some way, which can easily backfire (especially during a moment of conflict). So, for that reason, we can recommend both parties attending their first RH workshop together. Then they would be more likely to be on a similar standing after the workshop.
Can my employer / business pay for me to attend a workshop?
Absolutely. An increasing number of employers are paying for their employees to participate in our workshops as part of employee training and well-being programs. Get an approval from the appropriate person/department at your work and send us the billing details.
I heard something about people having to get naked at RH workshops. Is that true? And if so, what’s that all about?
At the 8-day Intensive Workshop, yes indeed, we all get naked. We each take turns standing nude before the group and talk about our sexual histories and what we like and don’t like about our bodies. We do this as part of an exercise to help us get over any shame we may have about our bodies and/or sexuality. People often think this will be some sort of “sexy” exercise. Actually, it tends to be anything but that. It’s usually about dealing with shame and embarrassment.
At our RH retreats in Finland, the sauna is available every evening for all who want to use it. While no one is required to go to the sauna or to be nude in the sauna, we believe it can be very empowering experience to do so. Otherwise, at our other workshops, we keep our clothes on.
Other stuff
Do you offer coaching or facilitation for individuals or couples?
Yes, both Pete and Tuulia offer 1:1 coaching, couples coaching as well as facilitations for honest talks (e.g. between parents and adult children, ex-partners, etc.).
Tuulia is a trained therapist and she also offers therapy for individuals and couples.
Pete is a certified Somatic Experiencing Practitioner and offers S.E. sessions in person and online to help people with heal their traumas.
Both Pete and Tuulia especially like working with people who are continuing the work they began doing in a workshop or retreat.
I want you to come lead a weekend workshop in my city. Are you open to doing that?
Yes. In fact, many of the workshops we lead are in the locations where they are because a local requested we lead a workshop in her/his city. Though, please keep in mind: we usually book our workshop schedule about a year in advance. Also, we’re not always able to accommodate everyone who invites us to lead a workshop in their city or for their group.
Can you lead a workshop in my workplace?
Yes. We have led such sessions for several companies. We can tailor for your company a session ranging from two hours to two days. Or we can lead your team in a series of ongoing sessions over a longer period of time. The workplace workshop consists of a short introduction to Radical Honesty, exercises and facilitated sharing. We can also introduce tools and ideas that can be implemented within the team to cultivate and enhance openness. The ideal group size for such a session is 8-14 people, though we have formats that suit larger groups, too. We also offer individual and paired coaching for workplaces.
I want to know more about the leaders of the workshop. Where can I find that information?
At almost all of our workshops (except currently for the ones conducted in the Finnish language) we have two workshop leaders and usually also one assistant leader who is an RH trainer candidate and/or a trainee in our Honesty Europe trainee program. You can read more about us and the team here.
I am a student / unemployed / financially challenged. How can I start my Radical Honesty practice at a low cost?
Every month, we offer a webinar free of charge. We also periodically lead low-cost online honesty hours and shorter practice opportunities. And, in person, we offer Radical Honesty evenings in Helsinki and Amsterdam. Check our calendar for any such events.
If you judge your finances are a barrier to you joining our workshops, you can apply for financial support from the Honesty Europe Support Fund. Read more about the Fund here.
After you have joined a (a full day or longer) workshop or a retreat with us, you are welcome to join our Honesty Europe Community (closed Facebook group) where we offer free online dancing and sharing sessions for community members.
Another great way to practice is check out the videos on our YouTube channel, subscribe to our weekly newsletter which includes many tips for your honesty practice and/or join our online practice group called Honesty Europe.
I want to help out / join your team. How can I make that happen?
We sometimes offer cook, cooks’ helper, light helper and photographer/videographer posts in our workshops and retreats. We prefer to work with people who have previously participated in our workshops. In that way, they are familiar with us and we are familiar with them before entering a situation where we’re working together. If you’re interested in working with us, get in touch with us at info@HonestyEurope.com and we can discuss your desire.
I noticed you have people assisting you with the leading of the workshop. How can I become one of your assistants?
Our assistants are all RH trainer candidates who are on the path towards becoming RH trainers. And they are also usually trainees within our year-long Honesty Europe trainee program. You can read more about our trainee program here.
How can I become a Radical Honesty trainer?
You can read here about the steps required to become certified as a Radical Honesty trainer.
Other questions?
If you have a question that wasn’t answered above, please feel free to ask us at info@HonestyEurope.com.