exercise · all tools

One Time…

Depth · what it can open●●○○2 — reflective
Holding · facilitation1 — host
Trust · group readinessany
Disclosure · what is sharedoptional

True stories one sentence long, each beginning 'One time…', going round the group and then popcorn-style — with the rule that you tell the story that comes after the last person finishes, not the one you thought of while they spoke. A vulnerability warm-up the manual plays at bars and offsites with people wary of going deep.

Practical

Time
5-20 min
Group
28 · pairs, small-group
Settings
in-person, online
Mechanisms
narrative-identity, dialogic-encounter
Change scope
state → skill · repeatable

Instructions

Where
authrev.org/ar-games-manual Authentic Relating Games Manual, paid
Availability
In the source document — the instructions live inside the material linked, on its terms
Licence
CC BY-SA 4.0 (Authentic Relating Games Manual)

Source link checked 31 Aug 2026 — unchanged since we recorded it on 29 Aug 2026

This directory describes and points home; the instructions stay with the people who made them.

Origin

Formalised by Mike Blas (Texas Authentic communities), who credits Chip Hankey, a Berkeley hypnotist — Authentic Relating (Authentic Relating Games Manual, 2025 edition)

In this directory via Authentic Relating Games Manual

Variation in the manual: One Time I Noticed…, adding a Noticing round after each story.

status: checked · added 2026-08-31