Authentic Hangout 2024:
A loosely guided space to meet new people, try new things & simply do what you like
Thursday 7, 14 & 21 November 2024. 18:45 to 22:30. Flexible pricing. Hasenheide/Hermannplatz, Berlin.
★★★★★ “The team created a safe and cozy environment, where it felt natural to be more open and authentic”
★★★★★ “Mette has a calm presence that feels very intuitive, flowy and fun”
★★★★★ “I felt safe to explore and also safe not to”
Do you enjoy the depth and community of guided workshops but sometimes wish for more time to simply hang out? Are you up for exploring new ways of connecting with others, and also for doing things you already love? Would you like to get nurtured by connection as we approach the darker days of the year? If so, Authentic Hangout might be for you.
The concept is simple: we’ll meet on the first three Thursday evenings of November at Wamos—a cozy workshop space filled with pillows and mattresses. Each evening begins with a guided part to help you connect with yourself and the group. From there, we gently transition into an open space that welcomes free-flowing interaction and connection with others. We’ll close the evening by taking time to return to ourselves, as a way to start integrating the experience.
The space is non-sexual, but beyond that, you’re free to engage however you wish. Whether it's playing board games, joining a six-hand massage, meditating, dancing, crafting, cuddling, shibari, play fight, or simply relaxing in a cozy corner with a book, you're encouraged to follow your flow. As long as you stay mindful of how your actions affect the overall safety and vibe, you’re more than invited to do what feels right for you at any given moment.
Self-connection and connecting with others will be supported in various ways. A shared Telegram group allows anyone to suggest ideas beforehand. During the hangouts, we’ll create both verbal and non-verbal meeting points to foster organic connections. Whether it’s a cuddle zone, a space for play fighting, a “just-me” zone, or a circle to voice ideas and match with those who share your desires, the space will nurture connection as well as time for yourself.
The guided portion, led by Mette and possibly some guest facilitators, helps you settle into your body and the group, while also introducing shared tools and language to express desires, emotions, yeses, and no’s. As the weeks progress, the guided part will evolve and possibly shorten, depending on the group’s evolving desires and needs.
Ultimately, the intention is for Authentic Hangout to be a wholesome environment with just enough guidance to foster safe, meaningful connections. It’s a space to balance the excitement of exploring new experiences with the comfort of doing the things you already love. Ideally, we’ll come together as a consistent group over these three weeks, to connect, recharge, and get ready for Berlin winter together.
Registration: sign up now or join the Telegram channel.
(There are still free spots.)
More info
Dates: Thursday 7, 14 & 21 November 2024, 18:45 - 22:30.
Signup is for all dates. Joining single dates may become possible later.
Where: Wamos. Hasenheide 9, 10965, Berlin (Google Maps)
Costs: Flexible. Scroll down to the price & payment box
Group size: up to 35 people.
Language: English
Bring: comfortable, layered clothing, a water bottle, and snacks to share. Also bring whatever sparks joy, creativity, authenticity, or connection. Think board games, shibari ropes, crafting materials, massage oil and a big towel, dress-up clothes, instruments, hula hoops, a ceremonial tea station, or something else entirely.
Preparation: No preparation needed. You'll get free access to the start of Mette's book, which can serve as inspiration for co-creating an authentic space.
Dinner: Feel free to bring your dinner and eat it in the space.
Pets: You can't bring your super cute doggie. I'm sorry.
Nudity/sexuality: Nudity is welcome for purposes like massage or self-expression. The space is non-sexual.
Accessibility: The venue has an elevator, but there are some steps to reach it. We’re happy to help out. Please get in touch if you require any assistance.
Mental health: If you’re unsure if you can hold yourself in this space, for example due to trauma or mental health challenges, please let us know in the form. Mette will reach out, to decide together whether this is the right time to join.
Telegram channel: @mettekoppelaar
Registration: sign up now or join the Telegram channel.
(There are still free spots.)
Price: At time of registration, you pay €45 to cover the running costs for these three evenings. Within a week after the last session, you donate €1 or more for the facilitation, based on your financial situation, what the experience has brought you, and your desire to support Mette's work.
Inclusive pricing: I, Mette, believe that everyone benefits from diversity in the room, and I aim to exclude as little people as possible. I trust that the average donation will make things work for me. So, please, still join if your budget is low. If you can’t afford the initial signup fee, but would like to, message Mette on Telegram or through the contact form. You may be able to join as a helper or get a discount.
Registration: sign up now.
(There are still free spots.)
Bank details
Name: S.R. Koppelaar
IBAN: DE16370190001010516718
BIC: BUNQDE82XXX
Paypal
You have to MANUALLY switch the transfer type from 'Goods and services' to 'Friends and family' RIGHT BEFORE you confirm, or Paypal takes a service fee, which I'll then ask you to pay.
Account: [email protected]
Or click here.
Mette Koppelaar (he/they)
Mette Koppelaar encourages authentic expression in playful and meaningful ways. As a writer and facilitator, he loves helping people explore identity, normalize emotions, expand self-expression, and build deeper connections. Mette enjoys exploring the edges of comfort, revealing our shared humanity as well as what makes us unique. As an everyday human, he likes to do the same. Born in Amsterdam in 1984, Mette is racialized as white, able-bodied, and comes from a middle-class background. He’s gender nonconforming and uses 'he' or 'they' pronouns. While this bio might sound pretty serious—especially when he writes about himself in the third person—he likes to think he hasn’t lost his sense of humor.
Mette is the lead organizer of this event and will join all three weeks. Insta: @koppelaar
Nadine Waser (she/they)
Nadine is a Berlin-based Integrative coach and facilitator. They use a synergy of diverse healing modalities to guide folks back to self-belonging, full authenticity and purpose. Their mission is to create authentic spaces where humans can be humans again, using embodiment and empowerment to move towards a full authentic expression. They offer 1:1 coaching, Internal Family Systems sessions and facilitates workshops in Berlin.
Nadine will join all three weeks. Insta: @thecompassionatespace
Ella Shields (they/them)
Ella is a consent educator, intimacy activist and, well, general activist. They see consent as a decolonial ideology that is the foundational antithesis of capitalist values - turning competition into collaboration, endless burning of resources into rest and checking in with your capacities, and perfectionism into messy humans acting irrationally. Ella mainly engages with conflict and accountability processes and how to turn that into deeper connection and intimacy within your community. They find that so many activist groups tend to fall apart over time because we are unintentionally perpetuating the very systems we're trying to move away from. Their humor allows for playful engagement with heavy topics while always holding space for the depth of emotions.
Ella will join week 1 and 2. Insta: @elladoesworkshops
G ame Passions (g/they/them)
G is an experimental intimacy artist, educator, and performer. G was raised by many generous mentors in the Bay Area, California, and has lifelong practices grounded in capoeira, cognitive science (BSc from Yale University), West African dance, environmental studies (MSc from London SOAS), improvisation theory, and more. G is currently developing an ecology of collective ritual as a ‘dissolution doula,’ assisting the process of coming into life, and moving through or out of it.
G will join week 2 and 3. Insta: @passions.g.ame
Values & Accountability
The following values are the foundation for this event. If these don't resonate with you, then we may not be a match. Of course, these values are always a work in progress. If something about them doesn’t feel right, or if you have ideas for improvement, we would love to hear from you. Message Mette on Telegram or through the contact form. If it ever feels like the facilitator(s) don't live up to these values, we welcome you to tell us.
Authenticity: Everyone's invited to verbally, physically, and emotionally express themselves. We can play with our expression without justifying ourselves, yet we strive to do so in a way that’s considerate of other people.
Inclusivity: We welcome all identities and personal backgrounds. We try to notice the judgments and assumptions we make about others, and question racism, sexism, ageism, ableism, homophobia, transphobia, or other discriminatory beliefs or behavior.
Consent: We respect each other's space, stuff, boundaries and privacy. We share a responsibility to create a safe environment for ourselves as well as for others.
Confidentiality: We don’t share about other people’s experiences. We don’t comment on other people’s experiences without their consent.
Self and group responsibility: We try to be aware of the ways in which we take up space and strive to contribute to the safety of the group. We’re all responsible for our own physical and emotional needs.
No sex or romance with team members: Team members don't share arousal, sexual energy, or romance with participants.
Not all experiences in these kinds of spaces are pleasant – no matter how much we try to do things right.
If you have an unpleasant experience with a team member or fellow participant, we encourage you to contact them directly. Alternatively, you're very welcome to reach out to Mette on Telegram or through the contact form or to any other team member. We may be able to support you and won’t take any action without your consent.
If you have an unpleasant experience with Mette, you may reach out directly, to another team member, or to Mette's accountability partner Anouk Bongers. Anouk won't communicate with Mette unless you consent to it. You can find her contact details here.
One more thing: It may take time to process certain experiences. Sometimes months or years. The offer above remains valid. There’s no such thing as reaching out too late.
You made it to the end. Want to join? Here’s that form once more. To stay in the loop, join the Telegram channel. Want none of that? Here's a random fact that continues to blow my mind.