Danielle Robay Instagram – For decades, Gloria Steinem has hosted Talking Circles in her living room. She’s always said, “we produce oxytocin when we connect in person. We don’t experience empathy in the same way unless all five senses are engaged.”
She’s right. Our brains are wired for this. When we gather in person…listening, laughing, crying, sharing…oxytocin flows. Trust builds faster. We leave feeling more seen, soothed, and connected than we ever could through a screen.
Oxytocin is sometimes called the “love hormone.” It’s what runs through a woman’s body during birth. It bonds us. My favorite fact is we don’t just feel it when we’re kind…we feel it even when we witness kindness.
I love the internet, but it’s often a place of high communication, low connection. Talking Circles are the opposite—HIGH connection. They remind us that nothing replaces being in a room together, engaging all five senses, and finding real solutions side by side.
This one, on women’s health, felt both ancient and brand new.
Big thanks to my wonderful, passionate, solution oriented cohost @its_alextaylor and the brilliant kind @apbenven for her wonderful words in the @nytimes. | Posted on 17/Sep/2025 03:51:16
