Restorative Practices

What are restorative practices?

Restorative practices are processes designed to address harm or conflict by focusing on the needs of the person harmed, while honoring the humanity of each participant. At the Holistic Collective, we apply restorative practices through two frameworks: restorative justice (RJ) and transformative justice (TJ).

Restorative justice (RJ) is “a philosophy and set of practices, rooted in Indigenous teachings, that emphasize our interconnection by repairing relationships when harm occurs, while proactively building and maintaining relationships to prevent future harm” (David Ryan Castro-Harris, 2020).

Transformative justice (TJ), in the words of Adrienne Maree Brown, goes even further. It calls for us to go all the way down to the root of the problem and generate solutions and healing there by addressing the systemic factors that create harm.

Humans are inherently social beings, thriving in community with others. When harm occurs, it disrupts those relationships and connections. Rather than turning to traditional, punitive methods, restorative practices offer an alternative—one that centers the experience of those harmed and fosters healing through meaningful responses.

What does the process look like?

Restorative practices are not a one-size-fits-all approach; they are intentionally crafted to meet the needs of the participants. For some, it might involve conflict resolution aimed at preserving a relationship. For others, it could be a survivor-centered dialogue focused on a specific trauma, where accountability and healing are the goals. The beauty of community-based practices is that each process is uniquely tailored to the goals of those involved.

Below, you’ll find a list of services with more details about each process. Services are offered on a sliding scale rate, according to participant and facilitator needs.

Where does RJ/TJ come from?

At the Holistic Collective, we honor the QT-BIPOC origins of restorative and transformative justice practices. These approaches, as we know them today, are the result of the labor of courageous survivors and practitioners advocating for needs-based, trauma-informed approaches to justice and healing.

You can access a resource library for all things transformative and restorative justice here to learn more about the roots and current applications.

Who do you work with?

The Holistic Collective has experience facilitating mediations and restorative practices within many different communities, including:

  • Students and educators

  • Individuals experiencing incarceration

  • Families or multi-group

  • Survivors of sexual harm and individuals who caused harm

Services:

  • Mediation is a facilitated process with the goal of transforming conflict between two parties.

    A trained mediator’s role is to create a neutral and dignified environment which encourages accountability and collaboration. Using nonviolent communication strategies, the dialogue will center around the impact of the harm/conflict and work to address the consequential needs.

    Mediation should leave parties with deeper understanding and a sense of ownership within their collaborative action plan.

    The process includes pre-visits with both parties, one mediation session, and an agreement plan, if applicable.

  • The Circle Process is a transformative method for fostering connection, healing, and in some cases, shared agreements. The circle creates equity and balance by allowing equal opportunity to share and a non-hierarchical space.

    Drawing from indigenous traditions, the circle is grounded in shared values, such as vulnerability and collective responsibility. The process includes the use of a talking piece and different topic rounds.

    Circles can be used to build relationships, facilitate group dialogues or agreements, connect over shared experiences, and address trauma healing.

  • A restorative dialogue is applicable in circumstances of harm or trauma. It should be initiated by the person who experienced the harm and guided by their identified needs.

    If the person who caused the harm is willing to express accountability, the facilitator will meet with both parties over the course of several months preparing for the dialogue. During this time, the facilitator may utilize evidence-based resources and tools to align the dialogue with the needs of the survivor.

    The dialogue itself concludes the process. Each participant has access to debrief sessions with the facilitator following the dialogue.