The Relational Cadre is a diverse group of humans who are invited to explore aspects of a central theme through the lens of Relational Cultural Theory (RCT). Each session, participants will be provided a prompt encompassing this year’s theme—Playful Connections—that will be discussed in small breakout groups, sharing uncovered insights when returning to the larger group.
As we spend this year deeply considering the nature of play and how play shows up in our professions, interests, and elsewhere, our hope is that Cadre members are able to bring their own experiences to share with others and connect RCT to the diversity of passions thriving in our community.
Everyone is Welcome
There is no requirement to have a pre-existing understanding of RCT.
We are asking Cadre members to serve only with the knowledge, skills, and abilities they already have. That includes helping us translate RCT terminology into the language of each profession or passion represented in the Cadre and intentionally connecting RCT concepts to any relevant research and practices used in those fields. We are hopeful members will be able to use RCT to gain new perspectives on challenges that face them as individuals or within their organizations. Cadre members are encouraged to apply the theme of Playful Connections to their own interests, expertise, and projects between sessions.
The 2024 Relational Cadre is expected to run as a hybrid events one Sunday afternoon each month from 1-3pm Eastern. In-person attendance takes place at the Bloomington Center for Connection (315 W. Dodds) while online participation will be facilitated through Zoom.
Join Our Monthly Discussions
Anticipated dates and topics for sessions of the 2024 Relational Cadre are:
January 28, 2024 — World Building: Co-creating Context — Explore how shared and co-created narratives enhance connection and allow us to play with how our cultures support and challenge connection with each other.
February 25, 2024 — Imagining Together — Engage in a shared creative process that includes improv and storytelling, and explore how that helps us imagine relational possibilities and process feelings that arise in a safer context than interactions with higher stakes.
March 24, 2024 — Sharing the Experience — Use expressive play to co-create meaning through the power of symbolism and metaphor in connection, bringing a shared language to future interactions.
May 5, 2024 — Healthy Conflict — Embrace play as a means to explore conflict through expressive play: embracing the villain, trash-talking, and identifying and communicating when things aren’t fun.
June 2, 2024 — Co-creating Memories — Retell our stories through play, with a focus on changing perspective and exploring both implicit and declarative memories that influence how we connect with others. Move from re-enacting to re-experiencing, releasing, and reorganizing.
July 14, 2024 — How To Play — Articulate the constraints, actions, and consent that create safe and inclusive play, including using boundaries as places of meeting and growth, and deciding what and when to show yourself.
August 4, 2024 — Spreading Play — Play connects people, and we all benefit from connection. Explore play as a way to build and strengthen community, collaboration, and growth.
The 2024 Relational Summit: Playful Connections—a four-day event on September 5-8 in Bloomington, Indiana—will serve as the culmination of our Relational Cadre and includes in-person and community-based elements. The Summit will include workshops, panel conversations, and sessions with thematic small-group discussion, bringing together the wisdom and insights on Play gained by Cadre members throughout the year. More information will be made available later, but please reserve those dates for a larger community exploration.
To maximize the value of this learning through consistent and enthusiastic participation, participants are encouraged to commit to attending all 7 monthly sessions and the Relational Summit in September 2024. However, all new and veteran Cadre members are invited to attend any individual session that meets their interests and availability.
Please register to reserve a spot in our collaborative Cadre program. This is a transformative opportunity to delve deep into the complexities and nuances of human connection.
Relational Cadre is Grounded in RCT
The essence of the Relational Cadre revolves around the exploration of Relational Cultural Theory (RCT), a groundbreaking theory that stemmed from the pioneering work of Jean Baker Miller in the 1970s. The theory emphasizes the vital role that relationships and culture play in individual growth and societal change. RCT serves as the backbone for the therapeutic services, community outreach, and educational programming provided by the BCC.
A typical session in the Cadre is a mixture of prompted discussion, reflective activities, and interactive exercises. Following a video or presentation prompt, participants engage in conversations about the topic of the day, routinely returning to the larger group to share insights and curiosities. It’s chance to dissect a particular facet of human connection in a safe and nurturing environment. From seasoned scholars to curious laypersons, all are invited to bring their unique perspectives to the table and share them in small groups.
Progress Groups Allow for Ongoing Exploration
In addition to the Relational Cadre, the BCC also offers Progress Groups, ongoing micro-communities that experiment with applications of RCT across a broad theme: Believing, Cherishing, Communicating, Gaming, Imagining, Learning, and Serving. One of the two small-group discussions within each Cadre session is formed around these Progress Groups.
BCC Progress Groups serve a dual role: they act as a catalyst for fresh ideas independent of the Cadre, while simultaneously being enriched by the evolving the discourse taking place within Cadre sessions. Together, the Cadre and Progress Groups work together to push RCT thinking forward in multiple areas, from community building to academic discourse.
Interested in joining this communal voyage of discovery? Please register to join the 2024 Relational Cadre.