Community Communications Workshop Critiques
Near the end of each of our weekend-long communication skills workshops we hand out a Completion Form. 95% of the participants have communicated favorably and indicated that they would like to be invited to another workshop.
Here's what a few
participants say:
- "Thank you, thank you, thank you."
- "I believe that the value of this workshop is to see
real, authentic communication happening in real situations."
- "My feelings towards my fiancé are stronger and I love
him more and am closer to him. I especially want to thank Kerry for being
so right on with Shannon (my fiancé) and handling him exactly how he
needed to be handled."
- "This was the most magnificent workshop of the 3 that I
have attended. I came this time to experience more about cause and intent
and responsibility and boy I got whole lot more."
- From a young man dragged to the workshop by his
girl friend and other relatives: "My original feelings about this
workshop was not wanting to be at it. I thought this would be another
"Sigfried and Roy" style of workshop, where you jump through a few hoops,
some experiences, and boom you're out the door. I was wrong, VERY WRONG!.
The love of my lady (Linda), Auntie Donna, Alan and everyone else
involved, made me realize that I'm not the dark, lightness person I
thought I was."
- "The strongest feeling I had about this workshop is
that I ... had been holding on to some anger for months and was able to
let it go."
- From a school principal:
"There is obviously a great need in our community for this."
- "The workshop was transformational for me. By making
the commitment to stay, I created an unnatural experience, that is, an
experience outside my normal safety zone. I then experienced extreme
discomfort, aggravation, & displeasure at having to witness other people
acting out my own personal dramas ... acting out with a kind of "knee
jerk" automatic response... my own defenses. As I witnessed each defense
system being acknowledged, as in the case of several on the first morning,
then those who most courageously followed later, I felt my own personal
defenses starting to melt away. I was then able to see my own deceptions.
By allowing myself to be open to this new model of responsibility I found
for the first time, perhaps in my whole life, an ability to move from
victim...."
- About the two female co-facilitators:
"I love and support women who are strong and doing what they
(you) do."
- "A tremendously valuable experience."
- A therapist's second workshop:
"The "BeWith" (a communication process) was very
valuable for me this time. I know this will greatly improve my
communications with my patients, co-workers and family/friends. The
"Acknowledge time" (a paired sharing communication exercise) was so
wonderful ... this has changed my life ... It was so sweet and peaceful
afterwards."
- "This was the best workshop I've attended. I can
clearly see how much progress I've made since the last Advanced Workshop
... from the feedback I've received from everyone here and on the
outside."
- From an RN nurse who had attended three of our
other workshops: "I experienced a feeling, from the entire group
(70 participants), of love and acceptance ... so much love .... that it
overwhelmed me."
- "This was my second workshop, like the first, I found
the experience invaluable. I consider the last workshop as a definite
landmark in my development, and feel this one already having profound
effects."
- A Hawaii State Department of Public Health RN
nurse: "I was extremely touched by (father's) and (son's)
process, (they stood and shared), it helped to give me clarity in my
feelings towards my father. Thank you very much! Excellent workshop."
- A Licensed Massage Therapist:
"Some very excellent work is being done here."
- A drug rehabilitation counselor:
"Expansive, provoking, moving, allowing, honest, direct, honor, respect,
remembrance, community, precise, fear at times going home to the source,
love, powerful, blessing, ... clarity in communication, balanced."
- A Licensed Massage Therapist's, second
workshop: "I finally got what the (facilitator) has tried to say
to me about my controlling and being right. I feel a new aliveness."
- Regards a comment about possibly shortening the
workshop: ".... it would be a shame to cut us short on an
opportunity to be in such a loving supportive environment."
- "Wonderful! Full of personal insights. This is the most
alive and connecting experience. I have a hunger for this type of relating
and appreciate it deeply."
- "The "Tone" process (a paired sharing communication
exercise in the Advanced Communication Workshop) was extremely difficult
for me and I was unable to get a "Pass" on the emotion Grief. Then later,
during the Movement Process (expressing different emotions through music),
I got totally in touch with some grief I had left for my second wife."
- "The way the (facilitator) has of seeing both side (of
an issue) is beautiful to experience."
- A woman attending with her husband and son:
"I feel the value my family receives is without a doubt the single most
important event to come into my life after marriage and childbirth."
- "...I experienced the most intense feelings I have ever
realized. I was able to admit to, talk about, and totally acknowledge a
blockage that has been with me All of my adult life. A new chance
to live a productive, loving, spiritual life."
- "I am totally overwhelmed by the effectiveness of each
process."
- In reference to an evening conversation with a
loved one at home between Sat and Sun of an all weekend workshop:
" ....it has had a major impact on my relationships outside of this actual
experience Wow! I feel very much empowered & totally effected in all
positive ways. Thank you."
- From a compulsive nosepicker, highly regarded
in the community, after his 37th workshop: "I think this one did
it for me. When I saw the guy who facilitated the workshop picking his
nose during the lunch break, I finally could see that he just mirrored me.
I am transformed!" This one was submitted by one of our board members.
