Connecting through storytelling featuring Chloë Drimal of Yoni Circle
So much healing happens when we work together. That's one of the many positives of Yoni Circle, an app and global community that connects women through intimate, structured, face time experiences called Storytelling Circles.
Members listen to a prompt meditation to find a story of their past, share their story, listen to others, and reflect to grow and learn together.
The app was created by Chloë Drimal, a Yale University graduate and the 14th employee at Snapchat where she created the Our Story product which curated Snaps from a certain location into a multi-perspective, diverse narrative of the event or space.
"After building out a team of 80 and growing the Our Story Product for two years, I was sat down and replaced by three executives as Snapchat headed to IPO."
"I was 25, so this was the end of my world. I became deeply depressed, lost, and defeated. This is when my healing journey began. I tried everything — therapy, mystical healers, shamans, psychedelics, but ultimately what got me out of my funk were the stories of other women, many times strangers. They helped me understand that I was not alone in my experience and inspired me to write my next chapter."
Later she built out the women’s group.
"This led me to create the women’s group for Snapchat and incorporate monthly Storytelling Circles into the curriculum, which were magical. I left Snap with the idea of creating an app that connected women around the world through storytelling, but had no idea what it looked like."
After her departure, she created Yoni Circle. She started to host Storytelling Circles out of her apartment in LA, word of mouth picked up and she began hosting twice a week.
"After a year I understood what the app looked like and began to figure out the pieces on how to build it. We launched the MVP of the app in April 2020 and officially launched in March of 2022."
The core experience is the Storytelling Circle, but users can also passively listen to stories told in Circle that members have chosen to record and make public (Circles are never recorded in full).
Below, Chloë tells us about the story of healing through storytelling.
Q. Why is it important for women to come together?
A. There is a lot of work needed to create true equity in this world for women, and many other marginalized groups of people. When we come together, we understand at a deep level we are not alone — in our experiences, our pain, our emotions, reactions, desires, and joy.
It gives us the confidence we need to move forward together and create positive shifts, first within ourselves and how we show up in the world, but eventually in the world around us.
Q. How is storytelling healing?
A. When we let go of our stories in a safe space we are able to recognize what we need to let go of and what we need to integrate from our past so we can reach our full potential. When we listen to others’ stories the human experience is shared.
We broaden our perspectives, find inspiration and wisdom from others’ stories without anyone telling us what to do or how to think.
Q. What is a typical circle session like?
A. Circles are our long, safe, structured video chat experiences capped at six women. Members introduce themselves, then are led through a prompt meditation, then they share their story (not mandatory), listen to others, and it ends in personal reflections and learnings.
No judgment, advice, or feedback is allowed at any time.
Q. Do you have any advice for someone who is interested in being a part of this, but may feel shy?
A. It’s normal to feel a little nervous for your first Circle! Just know that you never have to tell a story and our community is made up of women focused on being their best version of self and supporting others to do the same. We’re in this together.
You can download the app (currently only available on iOS) and use code ALLISWELL for one month free.