Why Seven Circles?

Education about healthy relationships is key to the promotion of a safe, loving, and healthy culture and community.

Our Seven Circles of Content

You will be guided through each of these seven sections of content one date night at a time.

Communication Style

Explore which one of the communication styles most resonate with you and you partner.

Self Reflection & Values

This circle is about considering your personal strengths and learning your partners

Family Insights

Reflect on how you're upbringing impacts who you are as a partner.

Intimacy

Enjoy a game to dig into the sometimes uncomfortable, but important and fun topic of sex and intimacy.

Healthy Conflict

Conflict is inevitable in any relationship. This circle will help you dive into the practice of engaging in healthy conflict through an interactive activity.

The Big 3

Money, Children & Religion. Using an inclusive framework, this circle dives into topics that often becomes difficult for couples over time.

Balancing the Scales

Finding a healthy balance of power in a relationship can be challenging. Learn how to realign with your partner in this circle.

Our Story

Since 1986, SHALVA’s mission has been to support survivors of domestic abuse by providing counseling, supportive services and community education. We work to break the cycle of abuse by giving survivors the support they need and educating the community about intimate partner abuse.

While there is some education about healthy relationships in schools, and services like couples counseling for those who are struggling in their relationship, SHALVA found a gap for those in between:  couples who are in a healthy relationship, especially before marriage (for those who choose marriage). They don’t have the space to gain the skills and knowledge to keep their unique relationship strong and prepare them for the inevitable ups and downs that everyone experiences over time.

Personalized, structured ways to listen, learn, share, and strengthen your relationship with intention is our goal. This inclusive, private, self-guided experience is for you and your partner to deepen your connection with intention, with an eye towards your future, together.

SHALVA is deeply grateful to an SHALVA donor who had the vision and drive to allow this program to be created within our organization.

Why is it called Seven Circles?

This program provides couples with seven unique date nights that touch on the keys to long-term healthy love. Circles have deep meaning; Judaism has a wedding tradition with couples circling seven times to represent the building of a new family and creating a wall of safety for the relationship.Circles are a symbol of equality with every point on the circle being equidistant from the center, and they are a symbol of something that has no beginning or end.There is no timeline, no beginning or end, when considering the ongoing care and attention a relationship needs. Let Seven Circles guide you with readings, tools, and games to set you on a path of a healthy and fulfilling long-term relationship.

Our Vision

Seven Circles couples discover the foundations for a long-term healthy relationship by gaining a deeper understanding of who they are, who their partner is, and how they interact. Through this inclusive and dynamic self-directed process, couples completing the seven circles will gain awareness, skills, and support to feel connected and prepared to enjoy a fulfilling future together.

Since 1986, SHALVA’s mission has been to support survivors of domestic abuse by providing counseling, supportive services and community education. We work to break the cycle of abuse by giving survivors the support they need and educating the community about intimate partner abuse.

While there is some education about healthy relationships in schools, and services like couples counseling for those who are struggling in their relationship, SHALVA found a gap for those in between:  couples who are in a healthy relationship, especially before marriage (for those who choose marriage). They don’t have the space to gain the skills and knowledge to keep their unique relationship strong and prepare them for the inevitable ups and downs that everyone experiences over time.

Personalized, structured ways to listen, learn, share, and strengthen your relationship with intention is our goal. This inclusive, private, self-guided experience is for you and your partner to deepen your connection with intention, with an eye towards your future, together.

SHALVA is deeply grateful to an SHALVA donor who had the vision and drive to allow this program to be created within our organization.

Why is it called Seven Circles?

This program provides couples with seven unique date nights that touch on the keys to long-term healthy love. Circles have deep meaning; Judaism has a wedding tradition with couples circling seven times to represent the building of a new family and creating a wall of safety for the relationship.Circles are a symbol of equality with every point on the circle being equidistant from the center, and they are a symbol of something that has no beginning or end.There is no timeline, no beginning or end, when considering the ongoing care and attention a relationship needs. Let Seven Circles guide you with readings, tools, and games to set you on a path of a healthy and fulfilling long-term relationship.

Seven Circles couples discover the foundations for a long-term healthy relationship by gaining a deeper understanding of who they are, who their partner is, and how they interact. Through this inclusive and dynamic self-directed process, couples completing the seven circles will gain awareness, skills, and support to feel connected and prepared to enjoy a fulfilling future together.

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Our Seven Circles Team

Meet the team that will help guide you through your relationship journey.

Jordyn Scorpio, Director of Community Education

Jordyn has been passionately working in the healthy relationship/domestic abuse space for most of her career. Her initial focus post-college was on becoming a marriage counselor, but she quickly pivoted when she learned about the prevalence of domestic abuse, especially among young people. Her first job in the space was at a national organization educating high school and college students on healthy relationships. Upon moving to Chicago from NYC in 2019, the opportunity with SHALVA to create a healthy relationship program for couples was exactly what she hoped to do with her career. At SHALVA, she can continue her community education work alongside others providing direct services for survivors of domestic abuse. Since its launch in 2022, hundreds of people have participated in Seven Circles and Jordyn is eager to continue to expand.

Jordyn felt, and continues to feel, that key to creating a safer, more loving world is talking about healthy relationships and she’s dedicated to being a part of the solution. In 2022, Jordyn was recognized by JUF as a 36 Under 36 honoree and the winner of the Samuel A. Goldsmith Young Professional Award. Born and raised in New Jersey, Jordyn has been loving life in Chicago since she moved here with her partner, Dan, in 2019.

Stephanie Goldfarb, Curriculum Writer
(Contracted 2020 – 2021)

Stephanie is a veteran Jewish community professional specializing in experiential Jewish education. Goldfarb holds Masters Degrees in both Gender Studies and Clinical Social Work from Loyola University, as well as a certificate in Experiential Jewish Education from Yeshiva University. She currently works as the Director of Educational Initiatives at Hillel International. Goldfarb is committed to widening the tent for folks on the margins of Jewish community by building friendly, accessible, culturally competent educational resources such as Seven Circles. Steph was thrilled to work on the Seven Circles content because it intersected all of her loves: Jewish education, clinical social work, and love. She believes strong couples can heal the world together, and she wants to be a part of that healing! Steph lives with her partner, Hunter, and dog, Marvin.

Our Story

Since 1986, SHALVA’s mission has been to support survivors of domestic abuse by providing counseling, supportive services and community education. We work to break the cycle of abuse by giving survivors the support they need and educating the community about intimate partner abuse.

While there is some education about healthy relationships in schools, and services like couples counseling for those who are struggling in their relationship, SHALVA found a gap for those in between:  couples who are in a healthy relationship, especially before marriage (for those who choose marriage). They don’t have the space to gain the skills and knowledge to keep their unique relationship strong and prepare them for the inevitable ups and downs that everyone experiences over time.

Personalized, structured ways to listen, learn, share, and strengthen your relationship with intention is our goal. This inclusive, private, self-guided experience is for you and your partner to deepen your connection with intention, with an eye towards your future, together.

SHALVA is deeply grateful to an SHALVA donor who had the vision and drive to allow this program to be created within our organization.

Why is it called Seven Circles?

This program provides couples with seven unique date nights that touch on the keys to long-term healthy love. Circles have deep meaning; Judaism has a wedding tradition with couples circling seven times to represent the building of a new family and creating a wall of safety for the relationship.Circles are a symbol of equality with every point on the circle being equidistant from the center, and they are a symbol of something that has no beginning or end.There is no timeline, no beginning or end, when considering the ongoing care and attention a relationship needs. Let Seven Circles guide you with readings, tools, and games to set you on a path of a healthy and fulfilling long-term relationship.

Our Vision

Seven Circles couples discover the foundations for a long-term healthy relationship by gaining a deeper understanding of who they are, who their partner is, and how they interact. Through this inclusive and dynamic self-directed process, couples completing the seven circles will gain awareness, skills, and support to feel connected and prepared to enjoy a fulfilling future together.