If you have a problem accessing our program calendar, please email programs@smithcenter.org. We will be happy to talk about our program offerings and assist you with registration.

Healing Circles

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Healing Circles bring together small numbers of people impacted by a condition or circumstance to share experiences and harvest collective wisdom. Healing Circles is a peer-led process by which people support each other through deep listening and shared learning. When working at its best, this collaborative conversation model leads to authentic and deep connectivity and can create wisdom and healing for participants.

Prayer Flags by Kiersten Gallagher

Ongoing Healing Circles

Healing Circle for Parents with Cancer

Monthly on the 4th Tuesday of each month from 12:00-1:00pm, with Lauren Sauer & Tracy Steffek

A peer-led virtual support group for parents who are newly diagnosed, in active treatment or in survivorship who experiencing challenges with their role as a parent during their cancer journey. As this is a peer led support group the co-facilitators can best support parents who have children from 0-18 years old.

Healing Circle for Metastatic Breast Cancer Thrivers 45+

Monthly on the 2nd Wednesday of the month from 5:15-6:45pm, with Lisa Hahn

This healing circle is for people who are 45 and older who are living and thriving with Metastatic Breast Cancer. This peer-led circle will provide a safe place to connect, support and share with one another.

Healing Circle for Young Adults with Metastatic Breast Cancer

Monthly – alternating between Wednesdays (6:00-7:00pm) and Saturdays (10:00-11:00am), with several hosts

We are a demand-driven and patient-led in-person and online community support group for young women and men (diagnosed between the age of 18 – 45ish) with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) in the DC, MD, and VA area. We have created this group as a means of providing both a safe community support space for people with MBC, as well as peer-led and expert-led information on living with breast cancer.

A Healing Circle – Support Group for Gay Men with Prostate Cancer

Monthly on the 4th Thursday from 7:00-8:30pm, with Kenneth Johnson

We are a group of gay men who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer or who are recovering from treatment that offer support to each other. In a peer-led community, we share our experiences and understanding to help one another best deal with our own personal situations.

Healing Circle: Grupo de Apoyo LGBTQIA+ con Cáncer de Próstata Para Hispanoparlantes (en Español)

Desarrollo 1 hora y media máximo, primer lunes de cada mes 19:30-21:00 (zona horaria de Madrid). (13:30-15:00 ET), con Alfonso Luis y Charles Domingue

El cáncer de próstata (CP) es una realidad que también afecta a la comunidad LGBTQIA+. Es el tumor más frecuente en personas con próstata, siendo el segundo más común en todo el mundo y el quinto en mortalidad. No hay evidencias que relacionen el CP con la orientación sexual. La mayoría de los diagnósticos se dan en personas mayores de 65 años, siendo muy poco frecuente en menores de 40.

El colectivo LGBTQIA+ enfrenta un triple tabú en relación al cáncer de próstata. Por un lado, es un tumor silenciado en nuestra sociedad debido a que afecta el concepto tradicional de masculinidad. Por otro lado, este silencio se agrava por nuestra condición sexual. Esta situación puede afectar los tratamientos que recibimos, debido a la falta de información sobre los efectos secundarios de los tratamientos en relación a nuestra orientación sexual y nuestras prácticas sexuales. Y, para finalizar, existe otro condicionante importante: la edad. La generación que está siendo diagnosticada actualmente ha sido marginada y discriminada por lo que tiene muchas veces miedo a compartir sus dudas.

Lo que proponemos es crear un espacio para hablar de nuestras experiencias, de los tratamientos que recibimos, de nuestras emociones, de cómo nos sentimos, de cómo afecta el CP a nuestras relaciones y de las herramientas que tenemos para afrontar nuestras dificultades. Es muy difícil encontrar un grupo de apoyo para hispanohablantes pertenecientes al colectivo LGBTQIA+. En este grupo encontrarás apoyo


Monthly on the 1st Monday of each month from 7:30 – 9:00PM Madrid Time Zone/1:30 – 3:00 PM EST, with Alfonso Luis and Charles Domingue

Prostate cancer (PC) is a reality that also affects the LGBTQIA+ community. It is the most frequent tumor in people with a prostate, the second most common worldwide and the fifth in mortality. There is no evidence to relate PC to sexual orientation. Most diagnoses occur in people over 65, being very rare in those under 40. The LGBTQIA+ group faces a triple taboo in relation to prostate cancer. On the one hand, it is a cancer that is not often spoken of in our society because it affects the traditional concept of masculinity. On the other hand, this silence is aggravated by our sexuality. This situation can affect the treatments we receive, due to the lack of information on the side effects of treatments in relation to our sexual orientation and our sexual practices. And, finally, there is another important condition: age. The generation that is currently being diagnosed has been marginalized and discriminated against, so they are often afraid to ask questions related to intimacy.

What we propose is to create a space to talk about our experiences, the treatments we receive, our emotions, how we feel, how PC affects our relationships, and the tools we have to face our difficulties. It is very difficult to find a support group for Spanish speakers in the the LGBTQIA+ community. In this group you will find support.

Room for Grief

Monthly on the third Monday of the month from 12:00 – 1:30pm ET/9:00 – 10:30am PST/11:00am – 12:30pm CST/5:00-6:30pm UK, with Members of the Grief Team from Healing Circles Global

If you’ve lost a loved one, a healing circle for those in grief is an opportunity to share what’s on your heart and mind, to listen, and be listened to deeply and generously.

Our healing circles are a safe and supportive space to walk with each other through these times.  Each circle is a blend of sharing and silence, compassion and curiosity. Our agreements ensure acceptance and confidentiality. We honor our own unique paths to healing and respect the choices of others.

This is an ongoing circle. Therefore, you are welcome to join at any time.

Please note: Healing circles are groups of peers who support one another through deep listening and compassion. Circle participants abide by agreements, including agreements around confidentiality. The volunteers who host healing circles do not provide medical or psychotherapeutic advice or treatment. Participation in a healing circle does not replace the care provided by a qualified healthcare professional.


Meet Our Peer-Led Healing Circles Facilitators

About Lauren Sauer

Lauren Sauer is a two-time osteosarcoma cancer survivor first diagnosed in 2017 when her daughter was 22 months old, and diagnosed with a recurrence in 2022 when her daughter was 6 years old. Her daughter will be 8 in September. Lauren finished active treatment in September 2022. It took Lauren a long time after her active cancer treatment 2017-2018 to know that she was enough for her daughter during treatment and accept that her village parented her child during that time period. She says that she looks forward to the opportunity to accompany others on their journey as they deal with parent guilt and parent grief. She also looks forward to the opportunity to use Circles principles (creating safe spaces for people to share and be heard) to help facilitate this group. She looks forward to walking with you in your cancer journey.

About Tracy Steffek

Tracy Steffek was diagnosed with breast cancer in November 2021 at four-months postpartum. Immediately after she completed treatment, she was subsequently diagnosed with a secondary cancer of the tongue in October 2023. Tracy completed three life altering surgeries and active head and neck cancer treatment in March 2023. Her experience with two different cancers back-to-back was eye opening because the support and resources varied greatly. Today, she is an advocate for stronger community-health systems coordination and transformation. Originally from New Jersey, Tracy currently lives with her husband, two daughters, grandmother, and two dogs in Virginia. She works full-time and serves on multiple boards and advisory committees, including Bright Spot Network’s Parent Advisory Board. She recognizes that healing from the emotional and medical trauma of cancer will be a lifelong journey, and as a co-facilitator, she looks forward to creating an authentic, non-judgemental space to cultivate shared connection.

About Lisa Hahn

Lisa Hahn

Lisa Hahn was diagnosed with MBC de novo in the Fall of 2019. In addition to working full-time and attending doctor appointments, she is always looking for a new exercise class and tries to maintain a consistent yoga and pilates practice. Her background in the arts as a former ballet dancer and arts council program officer have given her a strong appreciation for the arts and she is a regular attendee at the Smith Center. She lives in Alexandria with her husband, two teenage boys and two cats and you can follow her on Instagram @dancingwithmbc

About Kenneth Johnson

Kenneth Johnson

Kenneth Johnson, of Washington, D.C., is a co-facilitator and founding member of the Healing Circle Supporting Gay Men with Prostate Cancer hosted at the Smith Center since October 2018. Kenneth was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2016 at the age of 50 and treated with surgery and radiation. Before volunteering with the support group, Kenneth volunteered with many LGBTQ+ organizations and community non-profits in Atlanta, GA. Now, when not enjoying his book club’s latest selection or trying to keep his heart rate up at the gym, Kenneth can be found enjoying time with his vibrant parents who will soon celebrate their 57th wedding anniversary. Kenneth is nearing the end of a 34-year career in federal service as an information technology analyst and looks forward to hitting the highways to visit family and friends around the country.

About Alfonso Luis

Alfonso Luis Nieves, de nacionalidad española. Es fundador y facilitador del Healing Circle Cáncer de próstata y comunidad LGBTQIA+: un espacio para hispanoparlantes. Fui diagnosticado de ADENOCARCINOMA ACINAR. Después de buscar información y asesoramiento médico de varios urologos se me recomendó la electroporación irreversible, intervención a la que me sometí el 3 de diciembre de 2024.

He trabajado de voluntario en varios ámbitos, empecé con personas con síndrome de Down, más tarde y durante muy poco tiempo en un hospital como traductor, intérprete y acompañante y finalmente en Proyecto Hombre en terapias de familiares de personas con adicciones.

Actualmente estoy jubilado después de trabajar durante más de 30 años como profesor en centros públicos de España.


Alfonso Luis Nieves, of Spanish nationality, is a founder and facilitator of the Healing Circle: LGBTQIA+ Prostate Cancer Support Group for Spanish speakers. I was diagnosed with prostate cancer in October 2024. After seeking information and medical advice from several urologists, irreversible electroporation was recommended, an intervention I underwent on December 3, 2024.

I have worked as a volunteer in various fields, starting with people with Down syndrome, later and for a very short time in a hospital as a translator, interpreter and companion, and finally in Proyecto Hombre in therapies for relatives of people with addictions.

I am currently retired after working for more than 30 years as a teacher in public schools in Spain.


About Charles Domingue

Charles Domingue, estadounidense residente en España, es cofundador del Healing Circle del Cáncer de Próstata LGBTQIA+. Tiene licenciatura y maestría en Trabajo Social, y una certificación para enseñar inglés como lengua extranjera. Durante su etapa como trabajador social hospitalario en los EEUU, trabajó con personas con diversos problemas de salud, incluidas personas con cáncer, con esclerosis múltiple y con VIH/SIDA. Durante su tiempo como profesor de inglés en Europa, impartió clases de inglés de negocios en Praga, Barcelona y Madrid. Actualmente está jubilado y vive en Almería, España.

Poco después de jubilarse, a Charles le diagnosticaron cáncer de próstata y se sometió a una prostatectomía radical robótica. Siete meses y medio después de la cirugía, se sometió a radioterapia para tratar una recurrencia bioquímica.


Charles Domingue, an American residing in Spain, is the co-founder of the LGBTQIA+ Prostate Cancer Healing Circle. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Social Work, and a certification to teach English as a foreign language. During his time as a hospital social worker in the US, he worked with people with various health problems, including people with cancer, multiple sclerosis, and HIV/AIDS. During his time as an English teacher in Europe, he taught business English classes in Prague, Barcelona, and Madrid. He is now retired and living in Almería, Spain.

Shortly after retiring, Charles was diagnosed with prostate cancer and underwent a robotic radical prostatectomy. Seven and a half months after surgery, he underwent radiation therapy to treat a biochemical recurrence.

About Healing Circles Global

Healing Circles Global is a nonprofit whose vision is to provide positive social support to anyone who asks for it. This takes place in small circles built on a framework that brings out the best in people. It encourages participants to treat one another with kindness and respect, hold one another’s stories in confidence, withhold judgment, and honor one another’s unique path to healing without advising, fixing, or rescuing.

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