“Stellar—I was really, really impressed. She’s great.”
—Chuck Durrett, The CoHousing Company; leading developer of cohousing in the US
“Tree combines a strong passion for organizational facilitation with well-honed experience and skill in the field. She is very engaging as a trainer and partners with organizations to make lasting change possible.”
—Waylon Spoden, Coworker Innovation & Engagement Manager, Organically Grown Company (Portland, OR)
“Thank you so much for your participation at our conference—I’m still impressed that you were able to pull off a genuinely interactive keynote in a crowded hotel ballroom. You were a joy to work with, and I really appreciate that you took the time to understand the specific challenges our volunteers face. I haven’t been able to get through all of the evaluations yet but I’m seeing nothing but positive feedback about what you covered so far. I had a few people pull me aside on Saturday to tell me how perfectly your training aligned with what their needs and challenges are, and people really connected with and appreciated how you modeled the skills you were talking about.”
—Anna Sanger Reed, Education and Outreach Coordinator, Parkinson’s Resources of Oregon
“Sperry Tree Care Co., my family business, used the professional consultation services of Tree Bressen over 16 months. Her specific skill set and dedication to our success resulted in organizational growth beyond our initial expectations. We are a far stronger, more effective organization because of her work. Using Tree as a catalyst for growth we were able to realize our long-held business goals of becoming a more effective organization and transitioning control of the business to the next generation. Our family, our staff, and our customers have all benefited from her professional service. Our financial profit has increased, and will continue to increase, because of her work.”
—Teresa Damron, General Manager, Sperry Tree Care Co. Read Full Letter
“The workshop with Tree was amazing . . . the most professional and interesting one I’ve ever attended on any topic. For every one of the fourteen hours, she brought energy, focus and compassion to the room. She recognized the will and intelligence in the room and built on those, flexing her material to where we were at (rather than simply blanketing us with only pre-developed material).”
—Skylark, Pacific Gardens Cohousing (Nanaimo, BC)
“Exceeded all expectations,” and “This was probably the best event I attended during this conference.”
—feedback comments from two different attendees at National Cohousing Conference 2019 (Portland, OR)
“In April 2006 we hired Tree to serve as the lead facilitator for a full day Transpartisan Citizen Town Hall in Medford Oregon convened by the Reuniting America Project. The room of over 100 participants were as highly polarized as the political spectrum allows—points of view as diverse as committed greens to fiercely independent libertarians to what would now be called tea partiers. It took great skill, sensitivity, firmness and kindness to maintain a neutral stance and the group’s trust and respect, but she managed beautifully.”
—Joseph McCormick, formerly director of Reuniting America (currently with Devine Consulting Group)
“There are two qualities about Tree’s group work that most jump out for me. First, her fearlessness in tackling hard issues. When the going gets tough, she does not blink. Second, her deep dedication to bringing her honest self and making room for the truths of others. Rooted like her namesake, you never have to guess where Tree stands: what you hear is what you get.”
—Laird Schaub, Executive Secretary, Fellowship for Intentional Community
“Thanks very much for your help. I left the meeting with a very positive feeling that we sharpened our focus considerably and we have the will to move forward and help our community.”
—Val Rapp, McKenzie Valley Wellness (Blue River, OR)
“Your energy was great! And your intuitive reading of our group was spot-on. I feel I understand why consensus is so valuable in a deeper way. I also feel more confident and energized about fulfilling a facilitator’s role.”
—Debby Smick, Evans Oaks (Silverton, OR)
“I cannot thank you enough for the conflict workshop. I learned so much! Putting many of the concepts into action has lifted such a weight off my shoulders. Thank you, thank you!”
—Vicki Perry, Opportunity Village (Eugene, OR)
“Tree helped us make a cultural shift in our organization. Our meetings have become more positive and productive. Specifically she taught us how to be ‘assertively neutral’ as facilitators, which is helping us move to solutions in places we might have stayed stuck in the past.”
—Amanda K, White Bird Clinic (Eugene, OR)
“Thanks for doing an awesome job facilitating the Open Space session! I thought it went great and felt good. It was really great working with you—thank you for being so well prepared and creating such a positive space in the conference.”
—Jared Pruch, Co-Director, Local Food Connection (Eugene, OR)
“Tree Bressen’s skills in identifying and revealing shared beliefs in a group is one of the most convincing arguments that consensus decision-making is possible that i have ever seen. I have seen her take acrimonious uncooperative groups and guide them to a shared vision and plan. She is neither a miracle worker nor a magician, but often it is not possible to tell why not. Tree Bressen delivers on the promise that meetings can be both fun and effective and most important, after she leaves, her training empowers folks to continue on with these new sharpened skills. I have been to well over a thousand facilitated meetings in the last 25 years, and Tree Bressen is perhaps the best facilitator i have ever worked with.”
—Paxus Calta, Nuclear Information and Resource Service (NIRS) (Washington, DC)
“Tree has the rare ability to guide a group towards finding its commonality, while honoring the diversity of views it holds. I heartily recommend her work.”
—Jeff Grossberg, Executive Director, Boulder Waldorf Foundation; President, Eastways Consulting
“Thank you again for a great workshop. It was important to us that the workshop provide a positive springboard for future work, and this certainly did. I was especially glad to see the response of people who have been less engaged or reluctant to do work around emotional issues. Your positive, respectful, cheerful approach accompanying exercises which allowed but did not demand personal opening up was just what we needed.”
—Susan Bennett, Columbia Ecovillage (Portland, OR)
“The way you created a space where everyone seemed to be open and felt safe to open up is in this case a bit miraculous. You would be the first person I would come to at the time I needed to do this kind of work again with a group.”
—Galen Hefferman, Forest Refuge (Carver, OR)
“Tree’s strong, caring, and competent style was a boon for all of us. Her inimitable smile and positive, hopeful presence made everyone feel comfortable and free to express themselves. She served as lead facilitator for several hours of community process on a difficult topic and helped us to make substantial progress. In the Facilitators’ Training, her sessions on Consensus 101, Agenda Planning, and Facilitation Role-Playing were very well-planned and thought-provoking. She allowed time for everyone to be heard, but kept us on track to complete the tasks and meet the goals that we established at the beginning of the weekend. A year later, we have a Facilitation Group which meets regularly and provides leadership for what most community members agree are more productive and enjoyable Community Meetings.”
—Karen Kairys, Sunward Cohousing (Ann Arbor, MI)
“Tree’s enthusiasm for making meetings great is infectious! She’s a facilitator with skill and heart, and she’s ‘walked the talk’ in community. This short workshop gave me a myriad of ideas and practical suggestions to make meetings better—and more fun!”
—Maureen Butler, Canadian Cohousing Network (Vancouver, BC)
“The skills you teach are so useful in so many ways. In fact, I credit the continued success of my relationship with my partner (even through the hard times we have been enduring) to words of wisdom from your mouth at the last facilitation workshop of yours that we attended. The idea of working together against a problem or obstacle rather than against one another has saved our marriage on more than one occasion!”
—Gail Karuna (Eugene, OR)
“Tree provided simple guidelines for making explicit some of the common ‘hidden problems’ in group facilitation and provided us with lots of practice at exposing, preventing, and resolving them. We all came away inspired and ready to help support one another to help our groups operate most effectively. The evaluations were overwhelmingly positive, and we are looking forward to having Tree here again.”
—Raines Cohen, Vice President, Swan’s Market Cohousing (Oakland, CA)
“We called upon Tree Bressen to help us design a high-impact, interactive and engaging process for hundreds of participants. She took the time to thoroughly understand our objectives, then explained and offered numerous innovative ideas and processes for structuring a spectacularly successful event. What impressed me most during each planning meeting was her singular focus on being of service to our goals. After extensive collaboration, Tree’s expertise enabled her to deftly translate what we wanted to achieve directly into the design and content of our event, which she then facilitated with confidence and alacrity.”
—Patricia Hine, Co-founder and President, 350 Eugene (Eugene, OR)
“I really thought that this workshop was great—it really packed A LOT into the amount of time we had. Thanks!”
—Doug, Growers Market (Eugene, OR)
“Thank you, thank you! You were the key to making the first WOW symposium the success it was.”
—Lynne Swift (Eugene, OR)
“Since we’re a consensus based community, I can’t speak for everyone (Tree taught us that!), but since she came and spent an afternoon with us at Lost Valley Educational Center (an intentional community of 25 adults and 8 kids), our (voluminous) meetings haven’t gotten any shorter but we sure accomplish a heck of a lot more! Her workshop helped us to streamline our own process to promote clarity and focus. Her presentation was fun and involving, her facility with her material superb, and her on-the-spot adaptation to our specific needs allowed us to be totally engaged in the work.”
—Russ Reina, Conference Coordinator, Lost Valley Educational Center (Dexter, OR)
“It was clear you have experienced many of the things we asked about and had some accurate observations about our group. I’m amazed you got me to role play!”
—Lorna, Shannon Farm (Afton, VA)
“Thank you for facilitating my learning that I am my best tool for learning.”
—Jim Nelson, workshop participant (Portland, OR)
“I was skeptical and dreading it but ended up enjoying it and found it super valuable. Thanks!”
—2014 workshop participant at East Blair Housing Cooperative (Eugene, OR)
“Your energy and enthusiasm for sharing your knowledge and skill around facilitation is absolutely awe-inspiring.”
—Sheila MacLean, Roberts Creek Cohousing (BC)
“Very practical, useful and informative. I loved the way you explained your own process as a facilitator. All three role plays were fabulous. Very clear explanations for everything. Handouts were excellent. Lots of good ideas and information that could apply to many different facilitation and teaching situations. Fantastic workshop—I learned a ton.”
—Cassandra, Twin Oaks Community (Louisa, VA)
“You bring this work alive.”
—Daniel Lindenberger, WindSong Cohousing (Langley, BC)
“Tree’s facilitation is a breath of fresh air for groups that need help making good decisions in a reasonable amount of time. Her style is relaxed and calm while keeping meetings going at a good pace. She skillfully breaks up complex topics into manageable threads so that groups can communicate more effectively.”
—Jeffrey Harris, Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage (Rutledge, MO)
“I am thoroughly impressed with both her techniques and her teaching skills. She has a real knack for keeping the group on topic, for reading the vibes of the participants, and for keeping track of the loose ends and knowing where in the agenda to weave them back in.”
—Geoph Kozeny, The Peripatetic Communitarian
“I have observed Tree Bressen in several facilitation venues over the last number of years. I have found her skills exceptional, particularly her ability to ensure that all voices in whatever process is being worked with are genuinely included. To my observation, this ability to make sure that ‘nothing slips through the cracks’ pays great dividends in the future.”
—Bill Becker, CEO, Sunrise Credit Union
“I felt the combination of skills you brought opened doors I hadn’t seen open here before.”
—Komalam Kosonen, Forest Refuge (Carver, OR)
“Tree Bressen’s ability to process conflict by making sure each person feels fully heard has deeply impressed me on several occasions. It made a critical difference on delicate issues of vital importance to those involved (including me). Although Tree is an experienced facilitator and mediator of exceptional discipline and skill, she never stops learning—and teaching.”
—Tom Atlee, Founder, Co-Intelligence Institute (Eugene, OR)
“We want to thank you for your very impressive workshop on consensus—your amazing energy and cheerful personality.”
—Rosemary & Lawrence Lowe, Cranberry Commons (BC, Canada)
“Tree visited with us in the fall of 2001, giving us heaping helpings of appropriate information to put in our community soup for working out our differences. We learned some vital facilitation skills that have measurably helped our meeting process go more smoothly, and members report feeling satisfied at least, and absolutely amazed at the results of integrating some of the skills Tree demonstrated for us. She was highly amenable to working within, and understanding our process for meetings. We are definitely in a better place as a community because of her input.”
—Monika Hausmann, Membership Committee Co-Coordinator, East Blair Housing Cooperative (Eugene, OR)
“Well, you must have inspired me in a profound way since I find I have volunteered to facilitate the next two meetings. Thank you so much for your energy and experience.”
—Jen, workshop participant
“Tree is a charismatic, approachable facilitator who sets an excellent example of what inclusive, competent, sensitive facilitation looks like.”
—workshop participant, Canadian Cohousing Network (Vancouver, BC)
“I was skeptical at first about all this but you helped me see not only that it can work but it works well.”
—Participant, STARC Alliance
“Tree came to our national conference in 2000 as our Consensus and Facilitation trainer and she really made the conference. As a network of student activists we struggle with our process often. Tree took the time to not only build our basic skill level, but explore our unique situation. Her presence and listening skills built immediate trust with our group and allowed us to learn more fully. I highly recommend Tree, her trainings improved the culture and decision-making processes in our network.”
—Laura Close, National Field Organizer, STARC Alliance
“Thanks for an incredible weekend of information, knowledge, history, heart, soul, practice, and your amazing, brilliant, inspiring modelling!”
—Erica Peng, workshop participant
“Tree has a keen ability to penetrate to the heart of core community issues in a respectful, honest, simple, practical and often fun way. She inspires and teaches people to access truth that moves them forward.”
—Elliott Willis, workshop participant (BC, Canada)
“I have a much bigger toolkit for meetings than I ever had before. I was surprised by how effective physical activities could be for getting people out of stuck places. Tree’s facilitation is respectful, compassionate, and empowering. She’s a natural teacher, and understands what students need: an excellent model to imitate, and then a push to develop their own style and not just try to become her.”
—Jane Mossop, Roberts Creek Cohousing (BC, Canada)
“Whether untangling facts or feelings, Tree stays patiently persistent, helping individuals speak their truths clearly, in service to the group. Tree is very accepting and can be very gentle. Yet, this doesn’t get in the way of tracking complicated details, or laughing heartily when called for. I am often struck by Tree’s diverse approaches, such that I feel comfortable sharing embarrassing, funny stories, or complicated dilemmas. Her tool kit is enriched by experiences in effective national nonprofits.”
—Alex McGee, Federation of Egalitarian Communities
“It was wonderful to host you here on Sunday. I really appreciate your flexibility, wisdom, and experience. After hearing you model really exceptional communication skills, I’ve felt much more capable of communicating clearly in the last few days.”
—Lee Cowan, Tryon Life Community Farm
“I have learned how to be open and welcoming to diversity, yet still manage the process so we can make decisions in a timely way. My agenda planning skills have been enhanced tremendously and I have a much broader access to tools and formats to keep meetings interesting, lively, authentic and effective. My confidence has increased and I am much more relaxed and able to ‘be’ in the process.”
—workshop participant
“Great balance of talk/explanation and experiential exercises. You have a fantastic command of the information and are exceptionally facile at facilitation. Your highly organized approach made it possible to assimilate a lot of information in a short amount of time. You manage to keep us all in line and on time while maintaining a seemingly casual, relaxed mood and atmosphere.”
—Deborah Ham, Columbia Ecovillage (Portland, OR)
“I appreciate your ability to hold space in confusing, frustrating, and challenging work. You are amazing!”
—Ana B (nonprofit in Eugene, OR)
“I can now work with groups in a more confident, relaxed and authentic way. I believe I have the tools to work with sticky/emotional issues—I know there is no perfect solution and I don’t have the same fears of making a mess.”
—workshop participant
“Of all the facilitators and consultants we’ve had here, you are the one I dislike the least.”
—Harry Dudley, Cascadia Commons Cohousing (Portland, OR)
“You gave me hope.”
—Erik Grove, Student Cooperative Association (Eugene, OR)
