Meet Amelia Broughton

Today we’d like to introduce you to Amelia Broughton.

Amelia, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I’ve always been fascinated by why humans are the way they are. Ever since I was little, I’ve known I was here to make a significant contribution to humanity, but I never quite understood what that might look like. My childhood consisted of more to moving from England to Houston, TX, where I would struggle to express myself, understand who I was, and what it even meant to “fit in.” I constantly felt like I didn’t belong and that I had no idea how to communicate how lonely and misunderstood I felt most of the time. I was bullied quite often and generally felt that being relational came with many hiccups that felt challenging to navigate.

When I went to college at CU Boulder, I finally started to find my footing and deeply enjoyed being curious about just about everything. My wild sense of curiosity became an ally through these formative years as I majored in Psychology and Sociology, but I still didn’t have a firm understanding of the future ahead.

In 2015, after many years of various soul searching, I found a relational practice by the name of Circling. In it’s most basic form, Circling is a group practice of being acutely aware of relational dynamics, the present moment, and a real time discovery of the internal worlds of multiple people with dynamic, complex perspectives. Humans are all WILDLY different with commonalities that appear similar on the surface but can range in detail and depth when fleshed out and discussed. In finding these relational practices, I’d found a space to communication the inner workings of my endlessly fascinated-by-life self with other people while simultaneously getting to listen and learn about theirs. This all may sound weird, but to me, communication and connection started to make sense in a way it never had before.

I immediately jumped into a 9-month relational leadership intensive training by the name of T3 (Train the Trainer) and have never looked back. My practice, my purpose, and my passion is to be relational aware, attuned to my impact, and in touch with the layers of understanding that can be illuminated or brushed past in any given moment. I’ve gotten to where I am today by learning from the masters of this work,  training with or being on staff for just about every single training there is out there in the world of Relational Leadership, Circling and Authentic Relating. I witnessed facilitators, leaders, and students discover possibilities beyond immediate comprehension of their brains and personal experience to step into an alternative perspective, another persons understanding of reality, and have another person feel deeply seen, heard, and understood in ways they may have never had before. It’s magic, it’s healing, it’s profound.

I’ve also gotten where I am today by continuously sharing the work that matters to me. It had a profound impact on every single area of my life and continues to expand my world every day. Its impact is undeniable and with my commitment, the state of the world, and the longing that many people have to feel connected and a sense of belonging, I’ve been able to do what lights me up while giving a gift to people that desire something different that they’ve been told is what it means to be human. I provide a space to cultivate and expand relational skills, nourish social health and wellbeing, and deepen self-awareness and personal impact.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Yes and not at all. It has been smooth in that every single person, workshop and opportunity has been placed perfectly on my path, at the right time, exactly when I was ready and not a moment before or after. For this, I am forever grateful. In the last two years, it’s been the most challenging as I’ve literally been paving a path that in many senses has never been done before. To say no to so many conventional standards of life, expectations, and general understandings has been extremely confronting and I’ve wanted to throw the towel in more times than I’d like to admit. But, something has kept me going. That something is that my mission is much bigger than me, it impacts more than me in countless ways.

I’ve struggled with the ways I’ve been conditioned to view life. I’ve struggled to let go of the outdated programming that has me feel insecure, not belong, not feel enough, not feel like I’ve chosen the “right” path. Sometimes I wonder what a secure paying job at a corporation would be like. I know the sense of “security” would feel wonderful in times of chaos. I’ve struggled to stay hopeful, to keep trusting my path instead of looking over at another person’s and thinking I pail in comparison to what their life must be like based on my own perception. There’s a lot to be distracted by these days, but the more I stay true to me and what lights me up, the better it gets. I am human, after all.

I’ve struggled to continue taking leaps of faith and commit to the path that feels extremely scary and daunting, and yet, it continues to be the best choice I’ve ever made.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Authentic Connection – An Authentic Relating & Relational Leadership Workshop – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Authentic Connection workshops are designed around a theme bimonthly. What do I do? On the most basic level, I facilitate groups through relational exercises to create and cultivate self-awareness, discovery, connection, social skills and expand perceptions of reality. My specialization is to tease out insights, illuminate blind spots, and enhance integration individually and on the group level during the workshop. I am a participant in the workshop, just like everyone else, and I provide guidance and a trained ear. I’m learning with everyone and mining the wisdom of the group and the individuals that show up at each workshop.

The following testimonials are a good example of what I’m known for….

“There’s something about Amelia – the moment you are with her, you cannot help but drop into a state of presence and ease. Her entire demeanor evokes a feeling of trust and surrender. When it comes to her workshops, this feeling is magnified, as I’ve felt the entire room collectively drop into this state. From here, she truly holds the container for deepened authenticity and vulnerability. I’ve always felt I’ll help, guided, and fully welcomed in the spaces she creates. As a natural facilitator, Amelia’s workshops become a timeless space for personal growth and interpersonal exploration. If you are curious about her Authentic Connection, follow the nudge and check it out – you will be grateful you did.” — Lola Martinez, Programming Director of The Assemblage

“My first experience with Authentic Connection was during a workshop Amelia was teaching and guiding at Archipelago. I was on a first date and little did I know, I would be authentically connecting with almost everyone in the room except my date! Amelia immediately made me feel comfortable, at ease and welcomed. She was vulnerable from the start and allowed us to peek into her world and get to know her. As she flawlessly guided us through each exercise, I found myself relaxing more and more, feeling less and less nervous, and connecting deeper, faster. It was the first time I’d ever experienced eye-gazing, where you look into another person (in this case a complete stranger) for an extended period of time. It felt awkward and silly to start, but quickly become something beautiful. Not only did Amelia give us the prompts and resources for deep curiosity, she gave us tools and questions we can use to connect with anyone, anytime. The conversations sparked throughout the evening made me laugh hysterically, feel intensity, shed some tears, and feel seen. And you better believe it started some truly beautiful conversations and connections with a man I now love and am honored to call my partner! Thanks to Amelia for taking us on a journey inward while connecting with those outward.
” — Kathleen Hooper, Singer/Songwriter of LVDY

“There is an artistry to holding a co-creative container: too rigid and you give up spontaneity, too loose and you’re just socializing.

As a facilitator, Amelia invites you to the fertile ground between the two extremes to discover what is possible when you show up more fully than you knew you could.

I’ve been to many well-led Authentic Relating-style workshops. Before working with Amelia, I had never been to one where, when the session ended, the entire group was so dropped in that we proceeded to stay until the venue kicked us out. That was her gift to us: an invitation to the kind of presence we were all craving, and just needed an artful nudge in the right direction to access.

With a mix of playful laughter and a deft and careful hand, she weaves together tools of facilitation into something altogether more than they are on their own, and we the group reap the benefit. She is a facilitator that you deserve to experience, and the space you create under her guidance is that mysterious space of connection and vulnerability that we are all hungry for.”
— Jason Hardy, Co-founder & COO ActionLab360

I’m most proud of the impact this work and my specific facilitation of it has. I’m deeply grateful for the people that keep coming back for more because they knowhow powerful it has been in their relationship to themselves, with friends, family, strangers, etc. I’m proud to be a leader in this work and be cultivating a community that values connection, communication, and growth. I’m proud of my commitment to creating the world I wish to see, and I’m deeply honored to guide others to create the relationship and social skills they desire to have. I feel proud to see Authentic Connection workshops continuously sold out and loved by so many. To give and receive such joy while doing what I love most is truly a gift.

So, what’s next? Any big plans?
I am deeply committed to my growth as an individual and leader, and am always proudly sharing this work. I look forward to traveling more and facilitating across the globe. My current focus is to share these workshops with co-working spaces, apartment building, and corporate environments as I believe they are ripe for discovery and connection. I’m a bigger thinker, a visionary if you will, and I see a world full of possibility when more people are able to listen, feel seen, heard, and loved. That’s the future I look forward to continuing to create.

Contact Info:

• Website: ameliabroughton.com
• Email: broughton.connect@gmail.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/broughtonconnection/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/broughton.connect

Image Credit:
Jeff Jones

Getting in touch: VoyageDenver is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.