Ajatusrinki – Communal philosophy

Ajatusrinki (thinking circle) provides arenas for art based communal philosophy. It fosters creative, communal, critical and caring thinking.

Ajatusrinki brings art, people and questions larger than life together.

Ajatusrinki is a special time dedicated to people in order to enjoy music, literature and visual arts and to learn skills in thinking, dialogue and understanding.

Ajatusrinki provides services for all age groups. Services include philosophical groups, art based events, communal projects in the areas of art and dialogue, service design and therapeutical groups combining methodology of philosophizing with expressive arts therapy.

About Ajatusrinki and the founder of the company:

Elise Liikala has been facilitating art based philosophical discussions beginning from year 2014 in cooperation with various art museums, senior homes, non-profits and community colleges. She has so far facilitated about 200 group meetings. The age of participants varies from 3 to 94 years. She has worked in cooperation for example with:

• Kiasma – contempory art museum located in Helsinki,
• Communal College in Helsinki (in Finnish: Helsingin Työväenopisto),
• Pesäpuu ry (a non-profit developing child care practices),
• Diaconia University of Applied Sciences – Diakonia ammattikorkeakoulu,
• Helsinki Missio – a non-profit fighting against loneliness among elderly etc.,
• Harjulan Setlementti ry (seniour homes, a kindergarten etc.),
• FinFami – Finnish Central Association of Families of People with mental illness

Elise Liikala has studied art and design in various countries including Finland, Austria and USA. She has a master’s degree in art and design (year 2011 – The School of Arts, Design and Architecture – Aalto University). She was an exchange student in Rhode Island School of Design (2011) and in Salzburg University of Applied Sciences (2007). She holds also a masters degree in Theology (2020)– University of Helsinki. Her study areas cover for example empathy, shared emotions, philosophy of religion and ethics. She has studied communication and accomplished creative writing courses both in Finnish and in English. Lately she has done basic studies in Expressive arts therapy (2018-2019) and continues the studies at the moment in order to qualify as a Expressive arts therapy -group facilitator. / InArtes institute.

Besides courses in theoretical philosophy at the University of Helsinki Elise has participated in international seminars and courses to develope her skills in philosophical practise. She has participated in SAPERE’s level 1 course in p4c-method in 2014, and continued with level 2A in December 2018 in Britain. In summer 2018 she took part in a seminar of European Foundation for the Advancement of Doing Philosophy with Children. The seminar was located in Denmark and focusing in children’s literature. 2016 she was arranging art based philosophy session and partaking workshops in 14th International Conference for Philosophical Practice in Switzerland. In May 2019 she took part the 9th Nordic Conference on Philosophical Practice in Helsinki.