Facilitated Personal Development Groups are safe places where groups of people can begin to reflect on who they are, what they do, and how they can support and challenge one another with empathy and respect. This is for all people who want to discover creative ways of working and being. Please note that these groups are not suitable for those wanting to explore deep personal issues, or who may already feel that they are emotionally stretched. One to one counselling might be more appropriate for this.
Andrea Rippon and Jenny Holland will create and facilitate a space that feels safe, where experiences can be shared and heard. There will be Group Work which uses a creative approach to explore aspects of yourself and others.To find out what's behind the area you want to examine.
- To understand how we might judge ourselves and each other.
- To explore what we might not understand about ourselves and each other.
- To look beyond intellect and reconnect with our body's wisdom.
To increase our sensory perspective and consider how we might use these important messages.
PROGRAMME 2011/12
| FOCUSSED PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT GROUPS Jenny and Andrea are looking to develop other Personal Development Groups, using this format, focusing on subjects which might include Isolation, Loss, Authenticity and Choices. Please contact Andrea to register your interest. |
| ENCOUNTER GROUPS Jenny and Andrea are also available to run Encounter Groups. The word 'encounter' is a term from existentialist philosophy, and simply means a real meeting between people, where each treats the other as a full human being. The aim of an encounter group is to make it possible for people to treat each other in that direct and undefended way. It explicitly suggests that the encounter with one's own real self is just as important as the encounter with other people. The simplest form of encounter comes from Carl Rogers, and he calls it "basic encounter". Here people sit in a circle, usually on chairs, and interact almost entirely at a conscious verbal level. The role of the facilitators is simply to facilitate what is going on, to participate as full human beings, and to encourage people to be more honest and more self-disclosing. The facilitators aim to provide an environment of empathy, genuineness and non-possessive warmth (acceptance). Encounter groups are very good for working through interpersonal issues such as shyness, talkativeness, inability to express anger, difficulties in handling closeness, not knowing what to say to people and many other issues to do with relating to others. |
Please see the Open Access Counselling Skills/Theory courses where individuals can explore their personal development within a supportive group environment.