Testimonials
Short Videos: (Yoni, Axios, Michael, Golden, Las, Robert) A few 2020-22 Facebook Reviews Aram B : I attended one of David's celebrations for a friend and I was JEALOUS! Wish I'd known about David's work sooner - would have loved to celebrate my last birthday with him. Absolutely the greatest way to celebrate a life milestone in a deep, insightful way that will last forever... "I felt really seen and appreciated by my colleagues when I left to work for another group. They seemed to really enjoy it, too." - Mary L. Mark B: I highly recommend David Garrison and his Connected Celebrations! I've found David to be a passionate, talented and thoughtful facilitator who clearly loves what he does, and does it well! If you're looking to bring more joy, intimacy and connection into the life of a loved one, look no further. Axios P: (ZOOM) David facilitated my birthday circle - and to be quite honest - I wasn't expecting the experience to be as profound and impactful as it was. Through David's supportive nature, organized process, and masterful facilitation, he cultivated a unique and inviting space where my close family and friends felt encouraged and welcome to be with me on my special day. I ended up sharing a deeply vulnerable story, which was really well received, and truly rewarding to share. Having David there throughout the process was really helpful for me and my journey to reveal more of who I really am. This was truly a unique and powerful experience. Thanks again David for everything you do! ~ Axios Emma R: (ZOOM) Having David guide my family and friends through connective prompts and embodiment practices made my birthday gathering a time in which I could sit back and enjoy. Being on Zoom brought a special element of focus, I think, to what each person had to say. I care for David dearly and am so glad he's offering this to the world. Jesse F : (ZOOM) The activities that David led during my Zoom birthday party had everyone feeling connected, tender and sweet with each other It was so awesome to bring together folks from different cities and parts of my life into one online event, and I got exactly what I wanted by collaborating with David to make it happen! Thank you! Samuel J : When I first experienced this with David for his birthday I was blown away. It was the birthday celebration I had always dreamt of. If you're looking to bring intention and connection to any celebration, David is your man! Jerry O : (ZOOM) I have been studying Authentic Relating and Circling the past two years and wanted to have a Family Christmas Connection event. My family was in various places around the US and I had a desire to share what I was learning while not facilitating. Choosing that route allowed me to be present in connecting with my family and not holding the facilitator role simultaneously. A recommendation by friend came to me suggesting David, and after a brief introduction I felt confident in the capacity for my family to do this. I quickly realized in setting it up and experiencing David's facilitation work how happy was around selecting him. The quality of David's skills even impressed my father, who is often critical of others work. Thank you for your gifts! I am grateful for our new friendship. Jeff R. : David is an excellent facilitator. He leads with skill, compassion, and grace. He really knows his ultimate goal is to provide a safe container for folks to get the most out of the experience he is leading. He brings passion to his work and cares deeply about his clients. If you are looking for an extraordinary leader, David is your man. More IN PERSON Celebration Reviews The birthday celebration that David facilitated was quite memorable! I had a really fun time playing the games with all my friends and afterwards realized that I got to know several of them in a deeper way than before. The part where we all got to honor the birthday boy was really touching and moving to me and I suspect most everyone there. And of course the celebration afterwards was really fun. Thanks David for helping to create that experience for everyone. - S. R. I’m so grateful to David for facilitating my birthday celebration. To me, the most invaluable thing about David is the level of presence he is able to carry. I really felt like he was “with me.” He’s also a very clear communicator and brings everyone along for the ride. All the friends I had in attendance at my birthday were already relatively comfortable with emotional sharing, but I feel confident that had I had friends who were less comfortable, they would still be “brought along” for the journey because of David’s style of facilitating. Thank you David for a very meaningful experience! - Corey M "I've been to many open mics but never one where the emphasis was on people connecting with other people like David's Open Mic is. I can't imagine a better environment for fostering creativity and new relationships." - Harrison David is a masterful facilitator. He really knows how to generate connection in fun and deeply meaningful ways. My birthday celebration was beautiful and profound - it just flowed from one section to the next. I am still peeling back the layers of the experience. And I am trying to imagine a time when I have felt so held and so honored and so loved and so seen. I can't think of one. Thank you David for such an enriching gift, that touched my heart and soul. - Robert M The Energetic Connection Games park event David led was wonderful. I got to really embody my "inner child" and play with other adults in many ways I've always wanted to but there wasn't a good way. I especially loved the fun movement activities and when we all went under a tree and opened up in small groups. I felt really close to everyone after the event and looking forward to next time. - Mary R - The Emotional Intelligence, Leadership and soft skills training event David co-led was amazing. Centered around experiential exercises, the two days helped me contribute to better team cohesion with my co-workers. It also allowed me to develop my decision making abilities. After the training I had more self awareness, and was able to communicate more effectively. I asked David to lead a short "Connection Celebration" on the evening of my birthday. The gathering came at the end of my “standard” birthday party and because young grand kids are part of my immediate family, the group of 15 or 20 was made up of friends and acquaintances. What happened was magical.... I felt really seen and supported in a truly beautiful way. David set the tone for a few simple but authentic conversations and at the end we were all moved. Thanks, David. - Michael L "My meetup hiking group did this and had a GREAT time. I haven't played outdoor games with others like that since I was a teen. " - G. M. I participated in an event honoring the birthday of a long-time friend. David did a great job both designing and guiding us through a range of experiences, from helping us all get present, to having fun, to sharing where we really got to know each other in a deeper way. David clearly cares about what he does, and his facilitation was spot-on every step of the way. My sense was that everyone and especially the honoree got a lot out of the experience. - Phillip G. The 5 Dysfunctions concepts have really helped me to see where the teams I'm a part of are working well together and where I can step up to make things better. Really glad I took this workshop. - Lynn M. More ZOOM Celebration Reviews (ZOOM) Our work team really connected and had a lot of fun during the “Team Celebration” David led. I left with a lot more appreciation for my teammates, where we’ve been and where we’re headed. I’d recommend this experience for almost any remote team that wants to get to know each other and work together better. - Scott F. (ZOOM) The Zoom call David held for my extended family (who lives all over the country) was really great. We got to share a bunch of old memories and give each other sweet affirmations. It seemed like everyone had a lot of fun and left feeling much closer. - Lisa N. (ZOOM) I hired David to facilitate a belated birthday celebration for me on Zoom, since my actual birthday was right at the start of the COVID-19 quarantine. The event went great! It was really meaningful for me to be able to just let go and trust the process. The activities and facilitation during the Zoom event had everyone feeling connected, tender and sweet with each other. My heart was filled! It was so awesome to bring together folks from different cities and parts of my life into one online event, and it wouldn't have been possible without David. - Jesse F (ZOOM) David and I pioneered a soft skills initiative at our common employer Zilliant. From there, a series of opportunities for growth have ensued and David has established himself as a trusted, experienced and results driven coach and facilitator. Most coaches are generalists, David is not. I chose to partner with David whenever I need someone who knows how to create authentic relationships based on genuine appreciation. His group sessions "Connected Team Celebrations" are unique and highly impactful on team cohesion and solidarity! Ellie Dahger - Peak Performance Coach (ZOOM) The event David led on Self Awareness was an eye opener for me. I got to practice being really open with a colleague about what I was experiencing in the moment. Looking forward to more. - Mark B. (ZOOM) "I felt really seen and appreciated by my colleagues when I left to work for another group. They seemed to really enjoy it, too." - Mary L. (ZOOM) The workshop on Active Listening was great. My partner and I (who I work with) got to practice sharing, listening, and reflecting skills. I think both of us left feeling really heared and seen. I'd love to do more of these activities. - Cynthia W. (ZOOM) "The family gathering David helped with went great! I loved when my family gave each other appreciations. I think everyone got a lot out of it. Sharing pictures was fun, too! Thanks!" - Jim L. (ZOOM) I came to David with a unique request to create a ceremony where I could own and honor three major life transitions that were so entangled with one another that they felt like a tourniquet on my life. And because of COVID-19, we had to do this on Zoom It turned out beautifully and was without a doubt one of the most moving and cathartic experiences of my life. Suffice it to say, The Connected Celebration David and I created, that he led, left me feeling loved, honored, and fully seen - like the rose in T.S. Elliot's poem - "The rose had the look of flowers that are looked at." Many thanks, David. - Robert M. |