One undervalued tool for facilitating difficult conversations is to integrate song.

Remember a time when listened to a song on loop because it helped you feel your emotions and process your feelings? You can use a similar process to bringing songs into your groups.

When I was with a group of Asian-American advocates who were about to talk about power dynamics in their organization, I started by teaching them a song.

“We rise…humbly hearted. Rise…won’t be divided. Rise…with spirits to guide us. Rise. In hope, in prayers, we find ourselves here. In hope, in prayers. We’re right here. In hope, in prayers, we find ourselves here. In hope. In prayers. We’re right here.”

They sang timidly at first, but after we dove into the conversation we would take pauses to sing the song. Each time their singing voices would get louder and they would return to the conversation with a light in their eyes. People were able to share insecurities and speak honestly to the organization's directors.

Song helps people integrate their emotions with their actions.

In this advocacy group, song helped people access their crying, laughter, and honest sharing. And the I taught song turned into an anthem for the staff, who now teach it to new members and sing it during challenging meetings.

You can sing together, sing to the group, or play a recorded song because there’s something in the sound’s vibration that helps us get through hard times. You can increase the depth of a conversation, and the safety in a group, by welcoming in a different mode of communication. This can mean switching languages, or bringing in music.

I suggest you try a song to start. Singing or listening to a song together can help people resonate together - as people all feel the same sound waves.