Workshops

In this workshop there will be the opportunity to visit or re-visit some of the important concepts which underpin Individual Psychology. These theoretical building blocks will be explored creatively and experientially, to understand the rich commonsense of Adler's thinking. Whilst essentially sinmple constructs, these basic premises are profound and can be learned and understood at different levels each time we visit them.

Early Recollections were one of Adler's three 'gateways' to Lifestyle. Using early Recollections, we will explore our private logic and lifestyle, finding our creativity, discovering our quirky private logic and gaining encouragement along the way, as we see our strengths revealed.

This workshop is open to anyone interested in using this classical Adlerian technique to gain insight into the unique style of life and private logic of each person. There is no requirement to have an extensive knowledge of Adlerian Psychology. Our work will have an experiential focus with a creative bias, and there will also be plenty of time in the group, to experience the Crucial C's of connecting, feeling capable, counting and feeling courage.

Over 75 years ago Alfred Adler observed that democracy had altered power relationships, that new ways of relating - among adults, between the sexes and between adults and children - were needed and that children are highly sensitive to changes in authority structures. Support for Adlerian ideas comes from many years of developmental and social psychology research, which provides clear messages about what constitutes 'effective' and 'ineffective' parenting in relation to positive and negative outcomes among young people. Case studies from Adlerian Psychology and other counselling and psychotherapeutic approaches provide rich material for exploration.

Using brief presentations, interactive demonstrations, small and large group discussion and experiential exercises, participants will learn most from engaging in the exercises and demonstrations, which will provide opportunities for active participation, 'learning though doing', and exploreing ideas, feelings and how what is learned might be applied in practice.

Under the guide of the facilitator, participants will help each other to make, work with, decorate and adorn their own masks. No previous experience or artistic prowess is needed. Materials will be provided, you only need to bring yourself and your curiosity.

"We transform ourselves by putting on a mask. We open the doors to the realm of our inner life. What comes through may be wonderful or painful, beautiful or strange, recognisable or mysterious, welcome or unwanted. Whatever comes, it is always a gift from that place, the mystery and dignity of the mask's imagination posseses us as we wear it. We are ourselves, and yet something more. We are touched by inspiration, by a spirit of double existence, by something of the mystery of the dreaming God/ess that resides in the mask."

Mindfulness is an ancient personal development technique which has been adopted by various psychotherapeutic approaches in recent years. Generally we are very good at becoming immersed in our thoughts allowing them to take control and run wild! We can talk ourselves into and out of anything, create catastrophies, undermine ourselves, have conflicting opinions and mental confusion and we haven't even left the house! When we immerse our minds in such thoughts the body creates emotions to match them; for example running catastrophic thoughts creates anxiety/stress in the body. Mindfulness is a way of dis-powering our thoughts allowing us to access other intelligence's that we have (ie creativity) and cease creating overwhelming and distressing amounts of emotion. Mindfulness and Adlerian Psychology work symbiotically: pioneering theory and the ability to see our movement within each situation, gaining access to our Private Logic and Lifestyle. Benefits often mentioned by students include: less analysing/worry; feeling calmer; less anxiety/stress; better sleep/relaxation; better problem solving tools; and a lift of depressed feelings.

Whatever our role whether as a supervisor, parent, grandparent, husband, wife, counsellor, teacher, youth worker or trainer, we rarely get the luxury of time to stand back and reflect upon who we are. In order to fulfil any role effectively we need to be centred - to be undiminished by the chaos around us. This power within gives us the courage and strength to endure and overcome inner and outer resisitance and opposition, difficulties and hardships.

We need to rid ouselves of mistaken thoughts and beliefs of who we are and about in the world in which we live. By looking inside ourselves and shedding our illusions we can uncover our true essence, which is always present, but hidden beyond the ego-personality. Thus we can find inner peace; a calm away from the storms of moods and external circumstances. We can develop virtues of patience and tolerance. We can free ourselves to really connect with others in all our relationships. In this workshop we will use our creativity to prompt reflection, to explore our relationships, personal and professional; and to find an understanding of ourselves, as interconnected human beings. I hope it will be useful for anyone who dares to explore themselves and their relationships in a different way. It will be fun, creative, spiritual and reflective as well as being practical with suggestions as to how you can use the methods with yourself, your clients and your supervisees.

Couple counselling can be quite challenging, but all the more is the joy when we can help both partners to resolve a distressed situation and move on with greater understanding and love for each other. In this workshop we will discuss various aspects which have to be considered when we work with couples. This involves guidelines for couple counselling, lifestyle comparisons, understanding a couple in their interaction and tools to improve their communication, resolve conflicts and enrich the partnership.

FACILITATION SKILLS AND GROUP WORK
Facilitator: Karen John
Adler focussed on the 'iron-logic of communal life' - that we humans are born into and live and work in groups. Our experience of groups can be encouraging and generative or the opposite - discouraging and destructive. Understanding individual and group needs, and ensuring that these needs are attended to, can greatly increase our effectiveness as group facilitators.

The objects of this workshop are to:
1) Explore group work theory and practice
2) Examine dynamics present in groups
3) Increase confidence in and practice in group facilitation, whether learning, work or therapeutic groups.

Using brief presentations, interactive demonstrations, small and large group discussion and experiential exercises,participants will learn most from engaging in the exercises and demonstrations, which will provide opportunities for active participation, 'learning through doing', and exploring ideas, feelings and how what is learned might be applied in practice.

BEREAVEMENT & LOSS IN FAMILIES

This course is suitable for anyone who wishes to understand more about bereavement in their professional world or to explore their own losses and bereavement. The processes of grief and other factors influencing them will be described and explored. We will also examine how the Adlerian concepts of lifestyle and private logic influence how we cope with bereavement and loss. The group will work experientially and creatively using our own rituals to facilitate grief in a safe and encouraging environment.

This is a workshop where you can creatively explore, discuss and come to understand how dreams reveal our lifestyle. We will look at how our perceived position in the family, our perception of family values, mottos, myths, atmosphere and gender guiding lines are revealed within our dreams.

We will also discuss how dreams can be useful in working therapeutically with families, addressing Adlerian concepts such as the extent to which we are embedded in the social, the unique way in which we see life, the purpose of thoughts, emotions and behaviour, and the way that we are holistically self-determining individuals.

Existentialism offers a way of looking at being human and at our being in the world. We'll consider the existential realities of Death; Freedom & Responsibility; Isolation & Relationship; and Meaning & Meaninglessness, the so-called Givens of Existence. However existentialism isn't as dark or as heavy as these concepts imply, but encourages us to live life as it really is. Experiential exercises on the meaning of our own experiences and beliefs will be coupled with theory to explore both existential anxiety and the means to live life more positively and fully. We'll draw upon three current and widely acclaimed existential therapists: Irvin Yalom, Emmy Van Deuzen and Ernesto Spinelli.

This module should interest therapists and anyone wanting to know what life is all about. We'll see parallels and contrasts between existential psychology and the group members own orientations, whether Adlerian or otherwise. We might enquire how does Isolation and Meaninglessness relate to Social Interest; how awareness of mortality might arise in Early Recollections; and how World View refelcts Private Logic.

In this workshop you will be guided in ceremony to craft a hand held Plains Indian style drum. Using the finest horse rawhide taken only from those animals who have died a natural death. You will also make and decorate a beater with which to play your drum. No musical experience is required for this as you will learn to play the music of your soul - connecting with Mother Earth's heartbeat and that of your own. The drums can be used for healing - space clearing - journeying but also to have some fun with! (an additional charge of £50 will be made to cover the cost of materials)

Adler believed that the family is the most important formative influence on children. Parenting has a huge impact on children, while at the same time, being one of the most difficult jobs to perform. Both Adler and Dreikers felt that pampering was as damaging as neglect, in terms of sending unhelpful messages.

This workshop on parenting will be an opportunity to explore parenting styles, to become aware of children's needs and how to understand and manage challenging behaviour. It will also look at logical discipline and how all these things can contribute to a positive plan for parenting with an Adlerian focus.

Ideas from self-help and the 'family disease' concept will also be looked at from an Adlerian perspective. Other topics such as myths - morals - legal issues - definitions - the classification of alcoholics - dual disorders - referral as an art form - screening techniques and the initial diagnostic interview - the use of humour - other addictions - how to become an alcoholic in 4 easy stages. The course is usually fun and works at a pretty relaxed pace, bringing together a lot of what we know piecemeal in a unified working whole.

Join us on this journey to discover what being a woman really is to you, enrich your soul, listen to your intuition, learn and understand what you value and now choose to believe about the loving, fun, beautiful, sexy, enriched woman within, come on - let your inner wisdom shine!

The Book of Thresholds provides inspiration for resolving the times in our lives when we are stuck at the threshold of our own truth. Inspiration for when our potential to be that which we can be is forgotten, when the voice of our heart is unheard or overpowered, when our life is de-railed, shipwrecked, invaded, balancing on the edge.

Elemental Balance - using Mother Earth's rhythms in the beautiful trees and grasslands of Green Park together with meditation, dance and song we will address the balance of the elements within ourselves to bring about a greater peace and harmony in our lives. Honouring our own innate creativity we will craft a medicine wheel to remind us of the experience throughout the year. A healing workshop under the magnificent weeping beech - the place to 'be' at the end of the day.