Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Over here, we gather all the answers to questions we get frequently.
In case you cannot find what you are looking for, feel free to send a message. We are always glad to help you out.
Essence offers weekly, solution-focused reflection sessions in a small, intimate group. All participants are anonymous. The conversations are held digitally and audio-based only.
We cannot emphasize it enough: NOT BY ANY MEANS!
Essence is not to be considered as a substitute for psychological or psychotherapeutic counseling. People get together in our groups to share their everyday experiences. So, to make it as clear as possible: if you have any serious psychological issues, Essence cannot offer the professional help that is needed.
We felt that there was a lack of opportunities for communication like it is given within Essence. We simply started creating that space and that’s how we became the creators of Essence. This includes organizing and assembling the meetings, answering your questions and developing the full potential of our project.
People who know that an honest conversation is irreplaceable 🙂 Get to know us better at About Us.
You can join our discussion groups for free. We are happy to gather a diverse range of participants and manifold spaces for people to have those positive experiences. However, we do not underestimate the costs for the operating servers and the time invested into the entire organization, so we might have to evaluate the potential ways of financing our project in the future.
No, you will be able to suspend the participation or leave the discussion group at any time. However, we are thankful if you let us know any changes in advance so that we can fill the vacancy or reorganize the session. Your fellow group members sure would enjoy being able to say goodbye, and of course to hear from you again.
Essence will never reveal your identity to anyone. You are protected by your avatar and nickname, though your anonymity might be weakened if you share any details about yourself. For that reason we can only recommend you to share exclusively what you can take responsibility for.
In addition to that, we cannot guarantee that any of the other members might be recording a conversation. In that case we would obviously take legal actions against that participant. So to be clear, we will permanently protect your identity but it is important to be aware of potential risks.
Our experience tells us that the constellation among groups needs a change every now and then, since the long-term effects of hat permanence are rather not useful. We also might have members switching or have to split a group to form another one, but in that case we will obviously announce those kinds of changes early enough for you to adapt peacefully. And the best part is: at Essence you will always meet again!
Once every reflection session ends (also in any other moment), you will have the chance to give us a feedback or comment about the discussion. Tell us, if there was anything great in particular and of course if you faced any problems. In any case, we are glad to sort it out together!
No, your groups personal reflection session is locked, even to the supervisors. Only if the members request it unanimously, a supervisor will be able to join the group.
No, we do not record anything. All the content discussed in a group is exclusive to the members, who will treat any information with the needed discretion.
Essence utilizes the available standard programs, ensuring quality communication for all members. You can access the sessions with your smartphone or computer. We are currently estimating potential plans for creating our own App, in order to facilitate the sessions and unite all the channels that Essence consists of.
