Ditch traditional icebreakers and increase engagement, build trust and foster deep connections – without making people cringe.
Ditch traditional icebreakers and increase engagement, build trust and foster deep connections – without making people cringe.
Get notified about the next In-Person Facilitation Skills Training near you:
Transform awkward icebreakers from a mere checklist item into a purposeful, impactful practice
And you’ll receive testimonials like these:
“Immediately after completing this course, I facilitated two live, virtual training sessions where I felt confident, relaxed, had so much fun facilitating, and was rewarded with these comments in our feedback survey. Thanks, Jan!”
Winnie Dubois, ADTPTraining and Development Professional
Stop BREAKING the ice 🧊🔨
As the person leading a group, you understand the importance of starting group sessions on the right note.
But let’s face it—the mere mention of “icebreakers” often triggers a wave of discomfort rather than excitement among participants.
The traditional approach to ‘breaking the ice’ often leads to forced interactions, a lack of deep connections, and an overall sense of awkwardness that undermines the session’s goals.
Just think of it:
The very visual of “breaking the ice” evokes images of forceful, jarring actions, resonating with discomfort and potential pain. 😬
Melt the ice instead 🔥
Imagine melting the ice by building a campfire.
It’s a gentle, gradual process that naturally thaws barriers and creates a warm, welcoming atmosphere. This shift helps your group sessions move from awkward to engaging.
When you create this kind of environment, you build trust and psychological safety: The foundation that encourages creativity, innovation, and collaboration.
Mastering the Art of MELTING the Ice goes beyond merely selecting silly games to play with your groups. It’s about making sure every participant feels valued and ready to contribute. So, in your next workshop, training, or meeting, you’ll see curiosity and genuine interest instead of sighs and eye rolls.
Here is what we’ll cover in the Facilitator Training
Join me for an immersive training designed to transform the way you lead and facilitate group sessions.
This hands-on experience will equip you with the skills and knowledge to create engaging, trust-building, and deeply connecting experiences that leave a lasting impact on participants – without making people cringe.
MODULE 1
Understand The Flaws of Traditional Icebreakers: Learn why traditional icebreakers often fail and the negative impact they can have on group dynamics and trust-building.
MODULE 2
Create an Inclusive and Engaging Environment: Gain practical strategies for setting up your sessions to foster a welcoming and psychologically safe environment that encourages participation from everyone, including introverts.
MODULE 3
Design Meaningful Activities: Learn how to design and select activities that align with your session’s goals, cater to participants’ diverse needs, and promote genuine connections without awkwardness.
MODULE 4
Maintain Engagement: Develop skills to keep participants engaged and the session momentum high while also learning how to handle unexpected situations and turn potential disruptions into opportunities.
MODULE 5
Building Lasting Trust and Deep Connections: Discover techniques to cultivate genuine relationships, build trust, and create a sense of belonging in any group setting, leading to enhanced creativity, collaboration, and overall group success.
What’s Included in this Training?
In-Person Training
Immersive, hands-on training in a small group size of 12-24 people, including delicious and healthy snacks and drinks.
Digital Course Access
Lifetime access to the digital companion course, covering the training’s content.
Private Community Access
Stay connected to the other students afterwards in our private online community.
Printed Workbook & Resources
Checklists, exercises and other resources, so you can be fully present in the session without having to write down everything.
Pre-Release Copy of my Ice Melters Book
Be one of the first to get your hands on my upcoming book, which is all about the content of this training.
Certification
Get an official signed certificate of completion so you can promote your new skills!
Meet Your Instructor
Hello, I’m Jan 👋
I’m a recovering shy guy, a people-loving introvert and a deep connector who is passionate about transforming group interactions. Like you, I’ve seen my fair share of cringe-worthy icebreakers that leave participants feeling disengaged and disconnected.
Throughout my career, I’ve come to realize that there is much more to increasing engagement, trust, and connection in groups than simply choosing a random activity to begin your session.
Masterful facilitators recognize that melting the ice requires intentional design, patience, and a commitment to nurturing group engagement over time.
For the last year, I’ve been putting my lessons into my first book, Ice Melters, and sending weekly emails with key insights to a growing community of thousands of facilitators, trainers, and educators.
And now, fueled by the positive response and the success of the initial live cohorts, I am excited about making this training the best resource for anyone who wants to create engaging and inclusive group experiences.
MY WORK HAS BEEN FEATURED ON
Get notified about the next In-Person Facilitation Skills Training near you:
REGULAR TICKET
Essential Training
- In-Person Training
- Private Community Access
- Printed Workbook & Resources
- Digital Copy of my Ice Melters Book
€795 EUR
* plus VAT (if applicable)
VIP TICKET
Get Additional Support
- In-Person Training
- Private Community Access
- Printed Workbook & Resources
- Digital Copy of my Ice Melters Book
- Digital Course (Lifetime Access)
- Paper Copy of my Ice Melters Book
- 60-min 1-on-1 Coaching Zoom Call
€1295 EUR
* plus VAT (if applicable)
* Early Bird Pricing expires August 16, 2024
Upcoming Training Dates
Frequently asked questions
👥 Who is this training ideal for?
If you are a facilitator, instructor, educator, consultant, group coach, experience designer, team leader, or manager, this course is for you—it doesn’t matter if you’re a beginner or already have extensive experience leading groups.
For beginners wondering why their icebreakers aren’t hitting the mark, this training provides foundational knowledge and practical tools to start facilitating with confidence.
Advanced facilitators will gain deeper insights and advanced techniques to enhance their existing skills.
Do you want your group to feel genuinely connected, engaged, and ready to tackle anything together? If you’re nodding yes, let’s embark on this journey together.
🙋 Can you train my entire team?
Yes, I do offer custom trainings (in person and also virtually) for organizations. Start here to review what I offer, or get in touch to learn more.
📆 Can you share more about what the day will look like?
Here is a rough outline (subject to change):
Day 1 Outline
8:30 | Unofficial Start
9:00 | Welcome + Check-in + Intro
10:00 | Fuel for Connection
10:45 | 15-min Break
11:00 | The First Spark
12:30 | Lunch
13:30 | Building the Campfire
15:30 | 30-min Break
16:00 | Nurture the Flames
17:30 | Closing
18:00 | That’s a Wrap!
🗺️ Where will the training be? Is the venue accessible?
The venue is in the West End of Toronto, just a 5-minute walk from Lansdowne Station. You’ll get the exact location upon registration.
Accessibility: Unfortunately, the venue is not wheelchair accessible. However, I am committed to making this training inclusive and accommodating. If you require assistance or have specific accessibility needs, please get in touch with me and we’ll do our best to find a suitable solution to ensure you can participate fully in our training.
📼 How do I access the digital course?
After completing the in-person training, you will get access to the Art of MELTING the Ice Online Course (VIP TIcket holders only). All of the lessons are hosted on Mighty Networks inside my Deep Connectors Community, which you can access via your browser or their mobile app.
If you prefer to just take the online course, you can purchase that separately here: The Art of MELTING the Ice Online Course
🔐 Do you have a guarantee / offer refunds?
We strive to provide the best training experience possible and understand that plans can change. Our refund policy is designed to be fair and transparent:
- If you buy a ticket and later realize you can no longer attend the training, you can get a full refund if you let us know at least 30 days before the training begins
- And a 50% refund if you let us know at least 14 days before the training begins.
Cancellation requests that happen less than 14-days before the training do not qualify for a refund.
If the event needs to be cancelled by us because of unforeseen circumstances, we’ll issue you a full refund.
By registering for our training, you acknowledge and agree to these terms. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please contact me.
🧾 Will I get a tax invoice for my purchase?
Yes. Once you check out with your credit card you will be sent an invoice for your payment via email automatically.
♻️ Can I get reimbursed for this course by my organization?
Yes. Please get in touch and we’ll send you a template you can use.
👐 Are there any scholarships available?
I am committed to building a diverse community in my workshops and trainings, and I want to make this training more accessible, inviting and inclusive for participants from all backgrounds. It’s important to me that this training is available to anyone who wants to learn, no matter their financial situation.
Preference will be given to anyone in the Black, Indigenous, People of Colour, LGBTQ+, Trans and other marginalized communities.
🤔 I am not ready to join this time, how else can I learn from you?
If you’re not ready to join the course this time, I highly recommend subscribing to my weekly email about creating engagement, trust and connection in groups (and hold me accountable to finish writing my book about icemelters): https://www.icemeltersbook.com
And then, check out my From Crickets to Connected Mini-Course: Learn how to engage your participants even if they suffer from Zoom Fatigue, get close to 100% of attendees to turn ON their video (without begging) and blow up your chat with “OMG!”, “This was epic!” and other raving testimonials in this Mini Course.
Or, enroll in the Digital Course of The Art of MELTING the Ice you can get immediate access to here.
🙋♀️ What if I have another question?
Submit them here to get a personalized video reply within a day or reply to this email
🤷 Still undecided?
The way I see it, you have 3 choices:
- Keep avoiding icebreakers, icemelters and connection activities altogether, jump straight into the content and miss out on the results and magic it could create with your groups.
- Continue testing out what works and what doesn’t. If you feel confident in your abilities to facilitate groups – that’s a great choice, and I am sure you’ll do great! Just promise me you’ll join me in making “ice melting” less cringe and awkward.
- Or join this course and learn how to create the perfect activity every time, how to introduce it so nobody feels excluded and how to make the results of your workshop, training or meeting more successful.
The great news is that at this moment, you get to choose which path you’ll continue. And if it’s the 3rd option, I’d love to have you join me today!
Ready to say goodbye to ineffective icebreakers and hello to sessions filled with genuine connection and engagement? Join “The Art of Melting the Ice” today and start your journey towards becoming a facilitator who makes every session count.
🙌 I'm in! How do I sign up?
Do you want your group to feel genuinely connected, engaged, and ready to tackle anything together? Perfect!
Let’s embark on this journey together!
- Check out on this page and then add your billing details.
- You’ll receive a welcome email with your invitation to our community.
- There, you will also find how to access bonuses.
- And I’ll make sure to reach out and welcome you officially to the course 🙌🎉
So, will you join me in mastering the art of meaningful group engagement?
- Shift the paradigm by redefining icebreakers and craft sessions where ice melts naturally and unnoticed.
- Create a space where no one feels left out, especially the quiet, shy, and introverted folks.
- Nurture an environment of psychological bravery, empowering each member to share ideas, collaborate, and engage openly
Join our community of forward-thinking facilitators.
