About the Agreements

The originators of Carolina Common Well, the intentional community, met almost weekly for two years to develop a series of Agreements covering everything from pet policies and our interaction with the world around us, to our choices of energy sources and definition of health that would be applied to individuals wishing to join our community. While these Agreements are still in draft form - they will need to be finalized and consensed upon by the founding community - they served as the basis for forming our community and have been incorporated into our founding documents. In their raw form they present an interesting case study in the visioning process that all intentional communities must go through if they are to be successful.

In other words, these Agreements are not etched in stone, they are open for further review and discussion.

Members

1. Membership Criteria:
Tolerance & Appreciation of group process, Deference for the greater good
Valuing & supporting others having their needs met even if its not your need
Value:
Membership Process:

2. We are comfortable having background checks for legal, criminal, credit, identity, work history, substance abuse, and with asking others to do the same.
Mission: In the early stages of development, we are seeking members who are functional contributors to the work of the community.

Membership Disclosures (of anything that would impact functioning in the community).
Medical
Mental Health
Personality
Screen out Sociopathy
Value: Full Disclosure, honesty, transparency, trust, accountability,
Membership process: Application Fees paid by applicant

3. There will be an interviewing process & period of time to ensure a good fit consisting of alignment w/ vision/ mission, work ethic, functioning in a group, etc. This process will also look for these qualities: Emotionally mature , Emotional intelligence, Function in group/ cooperative groups, capacity for Interpersonal Growth.
Vision:
Mission:
Membership Process as is: Simple initial process; Committee; Research other established procedures

4. Power dynamics around membership & categories a person is in. Founders versus new-comers, etc., financial disparities too.
Value: We value the vision/ wisdom/ experience of founders voices in our decision making processes as we strive to fulfill our aspirations.

5. Associate Members: add class to membership category & figure out a flexible policy but that also deals with folks hanging out & what are the expectations, etc.
Membership Process:

6. We want to live in a community with a wide diversity of age, income, class, race, education, spiritual beliefs, sexual orientation, etc. and will support this goal to the extent it does not compromise the unity of the group around sustainability, & the work & functionality of the community.

7. We are strongly committed to developing affordable housing and want our community to be economically accessible. However, we recognize that complete inclusion of all income/ contribution levels may have to come in later stages after our community has developed some stability, resilience, and a pool of resources, while avoiding classist structure in our design.
Value: affordability
Mission: variety of housing choices & price
Value: Committed to continual improvement, re-evaluation, evolution toward our values

8. We do not want to live with racist, nativist, white supremacist, xenophobic, homophobic, sexism, imperialism, classism, ageism, ableism, sadomasochism, etc. attitudes and will screen for them in our membership process. Seeking individuals who are willing to examine inner & outer prejudices, oppressive attitudes & structures, and who are committed to working toward eliminating them.
Membership process: Screening process to include screening instrument/ method to assess self awareness re: above, so the mindfulness of the applicant can be ascertained.

9. We will develop a skills and resources inventory and then recruit for people having the skills and resources we need & or develop means for their acquisition. This living document will be continuously re-evaluated.
Membership criteria:

10. We will develop a confidential pre-qualification questionnaire as part of our membership process.
Membership process

11. We agree that our membership process will seek to identify what positions prospective members have on economic, social & political issues as they pertain to our vision, values & mission. V V M
Membership Process: above as is.
Value: That all life is One & Interconnected & our survival is interdependent, & economics & politics affect our world & hence our community.

12. We agree that our membership process will need three versions:
a. One for the founding phase
b. One for the growing phase
c. One for the established phase
Membership process:

13. Our membership process will include steps and tools such as: Application, (essay, background check, resume, skills inventory, references/ recommendation, resources), Interview, visitation, exploratory, transitional/trial, Membership Committee, 360 degree support, educate & evaluation, Decision.
Membership process as is:
Mission: The Membership process will ensure alignment with our vision, mission, & goals

Location
14. We want a piece of land as large as possible consistent with affordability, opportunities for cost sharing with Land Trusts and the like, and maintaining a reasonable commuting distance for members.
Vision: People live close to food & income sources regardless to income & class status
A world where the value of agricultural land is protected from speculation
Mission: as is

15. It is our intention to find property within a “reasonable commuting distance” (~25 min) to labor & service market centers & in an area that is receptive for the cultural work we are undertaking. RTP, Chapel Hill, Durham are labor centers under consideration. North & West are preferred directions.
Mission:

Physical Attributes
16. We will look for land with these important characteristics (has to do with criteria, not location): Water, fertility, a mix of forest & farmlands, a well, some already usable buildings or basic infrastructure a plus.
Mission

17. We wish to keep as much land as possible open both for farming and for wild area. We feel that intelligent and cooperative design layout will allow us to accommodate varying needs for privacy and clustering.
Vision: value balance between privacy & cooperation
Preservation of farm & wild land
Mission: intelligent community design plan to achieve above/ reduce footprint; Pods & Eating

18. We want all buildings in our community design to be as healthy and affordable as possible. However, we recognize the need to build a bridge between the present (current codes & zoning and our here and now capability) and our ideal. We also need to consider resale value, marketing, and exit strategy. We will base our definitions of healthy building on good science (science based health).
Values: limit our footprint
Mission: Choose building methods that address resource taking, impact on the environment & our physical health

19. Gentrification/ McMansions
Fine tooth comb: Are we creating classist structures around membership, labor, economy, community relations, servant class? Exploiting workers,
Vision: appropriate scale, impact on & contribution to the community & the planet.
Need for Queries & communal self reflection toward VVM

20. Size & numbers needed to make it work financially:
Minimum Size to Purchase: 24
Operational Minimum Target: 36-48
Desirable Size: 50-100
Maximum number in our community: will be determined by the carrying capacity of the land & as this is approached, we will foster the development of similar communities on other parcels.
Mission:

21. We are strongly committed to moving toward energy independence (glossary item). We recognize that we may not be able to produce 100% of our needs immediately, but we are willing to tolerate inconvenience to move toward that goal and will start with reducing energy use before working on direct production.
Value: Energy Independence with renewable, clean, responsible sources,
Energy efficiency
Mission: ditto to be flushed out in community design
Membership: screen for commitment to the values & practice. Give examples that start with, “I would be willing to. . . “

22. We want to live in a transition community in which zero fossil fuel use is the goal being worked toward.
Value: life is one, etc.
Vision: as is
Mission: In our design process, we will consider each of these areas: cars & transport, refrigeration, etc. plowing, etc. fossil fuel slaves.

23. We need to develop standards for maintaining clean, healthy air (burning, forestry practices, mold/ indoor & outdoor air quality).
Value: as is- air is sacred
Vision: as is
Mission: as is

24. We need to develop standards for obtaining and maintaining clean, healthy water (rainwater catchment, gray water recycling etc.).
Value: as is: water is sacred, water conservation
Mission: as is

25. We need to develop standards for reducing our energy consumption & resource utilization, increasing efficiency, with the goal of reducing our overall footprint. We will use means such as vehicle sharing, a pedestrian-oriented site plan, non fossil-based fuels, local trade, replacing plastic, etc.).
Value: as is
Mission: as is

26. We need to develop standards for waste cycling (including reducing packaging waste, composting all biodegradable waste, goal of zero landfill contribution, etc.) We embrace the wisdom of these steps (listed on order of priority): 1. REDUCE, 2. REUSE, 3. RECYCLE
Value:
Mission:

Food
27. Identify survival foods for a balanced diet that can be grown locally & use their soil criteria in our land search, see Doug Jones. Sweet Potato; Corn; Beans
Mission:

28. Sugar, Caffeine, Addictions: Sugar & Caffeine will be handled on a pod by pod basis (Addictions see Mental Health definitions-appended to end of this doc)

29. We are strongly committed to creating an agrarian community that is actively involved in food production.
Value: We envision a world where people have returned to personal involvement in food production & are given a voice in small cooperative groups (around dietary needs & preferences). We value cooperation & efficiency at appropriate scale for sustainability.
Mission: agrarian, pods, cooperative meals/meal plans

30. We are willing to commit personal and community resources toward food self-sufficiency.
Value & Vision:
Mission:
Membership Criteria:

31. Our “local food” goals: For food we can’t produce ourselves, see Food Source Pyramid under Mission.
Value: Local Food, Strengthening local food shed, exchange with other cooperatives/ supporting other cooperatives
Mission: Food Source pyramid:
Other 5%
Regional 15%
Local food shed 20%
Farm 60%
Support local Cooperatives
Membership Process: Commit to pyramid

32. We are omnivores who are comfortable including vegans and vegetarians when the community becomes large enough to support diverging dietary efforts.
Values:
Mission: Pyramid, we plan an omnivorous diet & will raise both crops & livestock
Membership: screen out vegetarian fundamentalists

33. We agree that if we have enough land to provide a home for wild animals, we can selectively and responsibly harvest animals as needed for community food.
Values: We believe that it is possible to procure from the local food ecosystem if it’s responsible, respectful, selectful, balanced.
Mission: Responsible hunting is not a deal breaker
Membership: Screen out folks opposed to hunting in any shape or form.

Social Structures

34. Meals- big deal, community; Value: Connecting Deeply as a Community.
Mission: We will create regular opportunities to foster Deep Connections with one another as a community & will explore what works the best such as: shared meals, celebrations, get togethers, dream groups, small groups, dances, circling up.

35. We understand that because of the ambitious nature of our community goals, we will need to develop work requirements and some kind of tracking system that includes consequences for unmet requirements. We like Gerhard’s idea of members paying in money that is forfeited if work is not performed (indemnification).
Consensus: Yes
Value: Responsible members, accountable, participation, egalitarian,
Mission: we will develop systems, policies, procedures for the above, consequences
Membership Criteria: screen out freeloaders & the unaccountable/ irresponsible
Look for members who are into contributing, look at work history & resumes, & references

36. Education. Value: We broadly value education as a vehicle toward culture change
Mission: Seek opportunities to be educators for culture change toward VVM export such as summer camps, afterschool, programs partnering w/ schools, college & training programs, internships, workshops, etc.

37. We need to guard against the danger that our social structures will gradually evolve away from our VVM, especially in the areas of work and money. For example, a class system could be created by allowing someone with lots of money to pay in a large sum and then be excused from any community work. The same danger exists if we as a community hire out most of the work that needs to be done.
Vision: We will seek to avoid creating class structures in our relationship to work and money.
Mission: We will establish a process and evaluation committee to conduct an annual review of our alignment to VVM.

38. We agree that individuals taking leadership in areas of their strength is a benefit to the group and that such leadership can function as part of an egalitarian decision-making structure that honors everyone’s voice.
Value: Egalitarian decision making, value of leadership, value of natural talents & strength being able to be appreciated & shared. Maiden, Mother, Crone & cycle, different places, still equal.
Mission: Create decision making structures that support effective leadership & ensure egalitarian…

39. We want a community where respectful communication, facilitation, mediation, conflict resolution, and consensus decision-making skills are valued and practiced. We agree that this will require formal training. Lauren presented a “Functional Mental Health” skills list (appended at the end of this document), which we will use to design our membership screening tools. We can also use this list for personal and community self-evaluation.
Value: Respect, tolerance, seeking to understanding, open communication, value processes of conflict resolution, value training & skill acquisition around these skills
Mission: as is
Membership Process: Required orientation & trainings, screen for individuals who are committed to, compatible with, have the skill set to learn & practice the skills, open to continuous improvement,

40. We want our community to have a full range of relationships and exchanges with the larger, surrounding community.
Value: as is
Mission: as is

41. We want our community to be actively engaged in community service and to seek ways to educate & facilitate the larger community toward sustainability. Cooperation versus competition, Paradigm shift toward social justice, Mutualism,
Value: as is
Mission: as is, non-profit education/ community center, host community center events, classes, workshops, opportunities to connect deeply with the earth & one another, eg: farm to school, look for opportunities to forge shifting relationships with the larger community, activism
Membership: members accepting of the above activities being supported by community, examples: dances, solstice celebration, community dinner, hosting training weekend, grey water system tour, interacting w/ public

42. Seeking opportunities for Service to Greater Community & One another, such as meals for the hungry, helping those in crisis, in need, escaping violence, etc.

43. We will thoughtfully design our community to resolve the tension between discomfort of living in a “Fishbowl” and our desire to have the community coming in. The design will consider such aspects as pods, privacy, designing community open/ friendly spaces, dance hall doesn’t wake up people sleeping in, Zones,
Value: We intend to be a demonstration community with an open exchange with the community around us, expecting to invite people in to our community, while respecting the personal lives & privacy of our members.
Mission: Design for zones based upon activity, noise etc. & for public access versus privacy

44. We want individuals in our community to follow their own spiritual path without influence from the group. However, we will welcome opportunities to come together in spiritual celebration/ exploration as created by individual leadings versus mandated by the group or for the group, & that are fully optional
Value: as is
Mission: as is re: opportunities
Membership: screen out folks wanting to export their own brand of spiritual practice to the group

45. Atheists and Agnostics are welcome. We are considering becoming a Quaker community and Quaker principles do not involve a creed. It is not even necessary to believe in a “greater power” to embrace Quaker principles.
Value: People follow their individuals leadings without coercion from a group.

46. We want our community to be tolerant of both believers and secularists.
Value: as is.
Membership process:

47. We embrace these Quaker Tenants:
Diversity/ Truth is evolving & revelation is Ongoing
That of God/ Good in everyone/ (all Life by evolution beyond humans)
Integrity- seek to make our lives a testament to our values & beliefs
Equality * Community * Peace
Practice of sitting in silence & listening within
Idea of leadings
Quaker Decision Making Process…
Values:
Mission: to educate re: above for new members & to practice this too

48. We plan to be multigenerational, to recruit all ages, to foster leadership for community continuity, to provide programming & address the needs of children, youth & young adults, & families, as well as older adults.
Vision: We value the contributions of each generation & believe that all are needed for all.
Mission: We will provide programming & services to address the needs of all ages, to foster leadership for community continuity, to provide programming & address the needs of children, youth & young adults, & families, as well as older adults.
Membership: strategic recruitment

49. We agree that our community will welcome families with children.
Vision & Values:
Membership as is.

50. We recognize that caring for children & the elderly is a demanding & laudable task & we will design systems that support the needs of children, parents, the elderly & families. We embrace the concept that “it takes a village. . .”.
Values:
Mission:

51. We will seek to create a world free from Poverty, Oppression, Discrimination, Violence,
Sexism, Racism, Classism, Ageism, discrimination against the disabled, and any of these attitudes: nativist, white supremacist, xenophobic, homophobic, sexism, imperialism, sadomasochism.
Values:

Lifestyle & Policies

52. We agree on a community policy that substances/ chemicals are evaluated carefully based upon the substance’s impact on humans, animals, the ecosystem, our soil, & the watershed.
Value: Our desire is to avoid creating a toxic environment with any of our activities.
Mission: we will develop guidelines to help us evaluate our actions with chemicals.

53. We agree that animals and pets are not people and that our community will prioritize the working aspects of the community over an animal or pet’s freedom.
Membership Criteria: Pet owners down with limits & boundaries
Value: our relationship w/ working & pleasure animals

54. We recognize that animals & pets can be hard on some environments and are incompatible with others (cats with songbirds, dogs with livestock) and that we will therefore need to limit our pet and animal population, & carefully evaluate pets for suitability for admission to the community.
Mission: Create a committee to develop the extensive policy needed on the volatile subject of pets.
Membership:

55. We intend to create a healthy lifestyle, a concept that includes these items: preventative healthcare; physical activity, good nutrition, and a regular process for discharging negative emotion. We strive for a symbiotic (mutually beneficial) relationship between humans and the earth. Our concept of healthy lifestyle includes emotional/social health.
Value: as is
Mission: everything in moderation including moderation. We are not in the lifestyle police business & don’t want to be controlling or fundamentalist about our healthy lifestyles.

56. Illegal drugs are banned from the community.
Membership: Screen out any attachment to illegal drug use

57. The responsible use of alcohol within reasonable limits is permissible but not to the point of impairment (as defined by a committee) so long as no pressure is applied to others to participate.
Mission: Develop Impairment intervention policy
Membership: Screen for clean & sober lifestyles

58. We agree that some alcoholic beverages within healthy limits such as beer and wine, & fermented foods & beverages can be a positive, especially if we’ve made it ourselves.
Membership:

59. We agree that we are a non-smoking community.
Membership Process: Screen out smokers & addicts

60. We honor the needs of those who are afraid of guns and agree that guns must be stored safely (unloaded and with trigger locks).
Membership screen:

61. We oppose hunting purely for sport, but agree that game hunting can be an important and even ecological source of protein when done respectfully.
Membership Screen:

62. .Noise Pollution Policy to be determined: Getting along with others, quiet hours, music, noise & zone planning, tv/ media, radio policy, sound devices, children, play zones, design consideration, plan library/ mediation quiet area, quiet reflective garden, meeting room, intelligent design, respectful interaction, consideration, etc. Yes: see intelligent design
Mission: we will deal with noise pollution through the combination of intelligent design and personal consideration.

63. As we develop our policies and guidelines, we will deal with their meaning in terms of consequences for deviation. Do we “enforce the rules” and if so, how? We have deferred consideration of this question till later, when we have a larger membership.

64. We agree to put “Do you practice S & M?” on our pre-qualification questionnaire.
Note: the issue of eroticizing violence is mental health definitions (appended at end of this doc).
Membership Screen:

65. We are looking for people who are actively striving toward the functional mental & emotional health needed to support cooperative group functioning.
Mission:
Membership Screen:

66. We agree that the community has the right to intervene if a member becomes disruptive or shows signs of harming self or others. Interventions will be based upon scientific evidence.

67. We will create support committees around health or Life crises to ensure: 1) support for the person & 2) the return to full functionality in the community.
Value: We will support and care for one another.
Mission:

68. Ideals vs. Fundamentalism:
Linda Wrote: The "band aid" for fundamentalism, is that we are an ever evolving people, without creed, that the truth is revealed in the present, it is available to all, and we all can be channels of truth.
I wrote: if we are truly committed to developing cooperative skills & group decision making skills, we will be able to resolve, clarify, evolve, grow as issues arise.
I believe that the more “intelligent structure” we can create in our decision making & communication processes, the better. I think a statement that we seek to walk individual paths supported by cooperative ventures toward expression of agreed upon ideals/ values. That we seek to inspire & support one another toward expression of the vision/ values/ ideals, versus to accomplish this through control of the individual…
Methods are: modeling, cooperative, inspiration, education, supportive structures, accountability, perspiration,
Methods are not: communism, dictatorship, religion
Balance between needs & autonomy of individual vs. group
Value:
Mission: Agree to undertake as a community a yearly/ monthly/ etc. ideals review/ query process?

Finances & Legal Issues

69. Financial Evaluation for members.
Membership Process: develop financial criteria.

70. We agree that each household in our community will have independent finances. We are not income sharing.
Value: While we value cooperative structures & wish to live inspired by common values & agreements, we also value individual freedom to walk individual paths. We see personal economic independence as a means to this end.

71. We agree to look for an ownership model that holds common space in trust and allows members to remove their equity if necessary while maintaining community continuity and entry-level affordability.
Value:
Mission:

72. We agree that while we will facilitate departing members in recovering their equity (when equity exists), we will place a cap on profit-taking so that we can create an affordable legacy. We’ll need to decide what a fair and equitable rate of return is. That will involve a balance between the health of Group versus health of people leaving but allowing people to leave when needed for life changes.
Value: We will balance the financial health of Group & functionality of the community versus Health of People Leaving but allowing people to leave when needed for life circumstance…
Mission: Committee to figure out a Cap.

73. We agree to investigate ownership models (coop, clubhouse, church, etc.) that will allow us maximum freedom to develop a sustainable design for our community. We agree to do research into how fair housing laws apply to each of these ownership structures.
Mission:

74. We need a business plan that will make clear how much debt is safe for us to take on as a community.
We will seek to secure from loss/ foreclosure/ seizure our land base (not necessarily improvements) as a priority through such means as land held in trust; Earthaven shares etc. We’ll consider the fact that Non-profits becoming insolvent must turning assets over to another non-profit

75. We will pursue these ideas for creating economic justice, recognizing that some of these ideas may not be practical until a later stage of development:
o Idea that all labor hours are equal as the equalizer & then having accountability committees.
o Life burden credits for labor/ money
o People who put in labor versus people who contribute dollar equivalent labor hours off land are equal & this doesn’t create a class system because of equal ownership & equal decision making power, rights & privileges.
o There will be a lower threshold to the trading of outside labor dollar exchange for onsite labor. You can work off site in lieu of onsite labor only if your outside wage exceeds an agreed-upon minimum.
o Everyone has to do some onsite labor contributions.
o There will be a sliding scale for the cash dues part, but this will have a floor/ bottom with life burden (single parents, aging & other caregivers)credits (requirements altered). Slackers will be screened out.
Vision, Values:
Mission:
Membership: no slackers

76. We want to figure out a way to get ourselves out of the dollar economy when it comes to community-produced food and as many other necessities as possible.
Value: We support the creation of alternative ways of currency & exchange, (local currency & barter systems) with an eye toward creating environmental & social justice.
Mission: Develop a local currency to reduce dependence on global financial institutions (including the US Dollar).
Membership: see recommended readings, website links

77. It is our intention to integrate active participation as we are able in social net services to enhance our relationship w/ the community around us & enhance our security/ dispel fear, reach out, & serve those in need
Value:
Mission:

Values

78. We agree that we (and all humans) have a responsibility to guard against our human-centrism and instead see ourselves as participants in the natural world. We seek to be an integrated part of a climax eco-system living in mutual symbiosis.
Value: woven into the web of life
Mission:

79. We agree that we (and all humans) have an obligation to remediate the damage that our species has already done to the natural world.
Value:
Mission:

80. Probiotic Value: I want us to be yogurt in the gut of the earth; Mutual symbiosis; to actually be beneficial members of the ecosystem versus harmful, or even “stewards” or “low impact” etc.

APPENDIX

Functional Mental Health

Skills needed to function productively, healthfully, adaptively in relationships & community:
Able to practice self-reflection, & self-awareness & self-actualization
Capable of introspection, self knowledge/ awareness, identification of one’s own thoughts & feelings

Able to Sense/Feel one’s own feelings, acknowledge & Release or Process through normal human emotions such as resentments, anger, fear, sadness, (as opposed to suppression or closing off to feelings, or to not being in touch with them & then having them ‘Leak out’ or inappropriately color/ affect other interactions, or cause dysfunction (such as nonfunctional depression, paralyzing anxiety, etc.)

Able to appropriately express one’s feelings
Expresses feelings without harm to self or others
Expresses feelings without violating boundaries of others
Ability to separate one’s own feelings/ interpretations from the intentions, thoughts, feelings of others (I statements are an example of that, Paranoia is an example of dysfunction with this.)
Able to share feelings, wants, needs, without engaging in personal attacks (ex when you do this, I feel ______ & I am asking for __________)

Able to be aware of & advocate & negotiate for one’s own needs while being able to be responsive to others’ needs
Willing to work toward awareness of & communication of one’s
thoughts, concerns, issues, emotions, needs & desires
Personal Responsibility (the person experiencing a need, desire, concern, issue, is responsible for raising it)
Able to listen actively seeking to understand & respond to the needs/concern of another
Able to engage in problem solving toward mutually satisfactory, do-able, & durable solutions.

Able to make Cooperative Agreements:
Able to say yes or no, yes means yes & no means no, able to respect yes or no, Able to represent own concerns, & able to negotiate

Able to engage in use of good self-care skills
Able to seek access to the following as needed for functioning:
Human Connection/ Emotional Nurturing
Food & Water
Adequate Sleep & Rest
Recreation, Activity, Exercise

Able to Practice Healthy Boundaries
Appropriate sense of what is one’s own business & purview & what is not
Able to identify when something is not okay with them & articulate their wishes
Able to set limits on behaviors of others but in assertive versus aggressive way
Able to respect boundaries set by others

Assertive versus aggressive- (from Kung Fu/ self defense)
Assertiveness Formula-
Name behavior
State how you feel about it
State what you want re: behavior
Example: “You are standing close to me. It makes me uncomfortable. Back away from me.”
Okay if not heard/ understood or boundary is not respected
Repeat above until heard
Louder
More intense “energy” & delivery”
Cut straight to the boundary
“Back away from me”
Don’t have to say please or explain why, though using courtesy & explaining where you are coming from is preserving of a relationship

Avoid behavior that escalate interactions such as
Touching without permission
Name Calling
Insults or personal attacks
Putting down someone’s family or social group
Throwing things
Initiating violence/ physical fighting
Pointing at someone’s face or upper body
Cursing or using swear words
Threatening someone

I statements & formulas such as
“When you _______, I feel ______, so I am requesting ___________.

Able to manage Emotional Triggers productively in a way that does not hamper problem solving, relationships, negotiations, or cause disrespectful or inappropriate or maladaptive behaviors…
Definition- an emotional trigger is something in the present that triggers residual emotions related to something from the past & with an intensity not matching the present situation. When triggered, individuals tend to respond in an unexamined or even unconscious automatic or reflexive manner based upon the past happenings. These reactions may not be adaptive to, appropriate, or productive responses to the present situation

Able to identify & manage triggers
Able to Trace past issues to past
Able to choose Constructive, respectful behaviors even when triggered, or in response to triggers
Able to Be Respectful to self & others, while advocating for needs/ limits

Able to Practice Non-violence & Non-domination
Chooses to behave in ways that are Not controlling or controlled
Chooses relationships that are not Not controlling or controlled
Does not eroticize dominance/ submission (does not practice sadomasochism)
Does not commit acts of Violence toward others
Does not allow perpetration of acts of Violence toward Self

Able to Respect differences among members in their opinions, styles, & interpretations,& in Spiritual & Religious Differences, & Ethnic, Cultural, Class, Gender, Age, Sexual Orientation & Ability Differences
Respectful Interaction among all members even when disagreeing
Able to listen to the perspectives & needs of others
Able to respect limits & boundaries of others
Practicing and supporting Non-Violence and Non-Domination in interactions

Personal Qualities under Cultivation for functioning in groups
Freedom of addictions
Addictions are a symptom that the above mental health is not functioning or is breaking down in some way & addictions cause breakdown in the above as well.
Commitment-
A willingness to work together toward ideals & toward clear relationships
Openness to new ideas
Accountability-
Able to fulfill agreements & commitments

Ways to facilitate functional community mental health:
Creating a culture & resources that support growth
Tools such as Counseling (peer or professional), Library, Workshops/ Trainings, Small group, & One on One work
Regular honest supportive check in with one another, (one on one, in small groups, & as a community) to facilitate intimacy, personal growth, communication, & awareness & support of one another’s needs and desires
Create processes for Recognizing, Clearing, and Healing Issues/ Conflicts, and Concerns when they arise
Creating a regular forum to discuss both personal and group issues & engage in conflict resolution & problem solving
Creating a variety of different communication techniques upon which people may draw (versus one size fits all) & creating skills in communication processes

Creating an atmosphere that facilitates an open and flowing exchange of ideas and that encourages freely sharing