Workshops

1-DAY CRISIS RESPONSE PLANNING WORKSHOP

The increase of critical incidents (suicide, violence, murders, tragedy, etc.) requires schools, communities and organizations to be prepared to respond to these unfortunate events. This training will focus on how to organize effectively and quickly at a time of high stress so that groups are better prepared to respond to the emotional needs of those affected by critical incident.

2-DAY CONFLICT RESOLUTION: THE SOLUTION IS AT HAND WORKSHOP

Conflict in the workplace just seems to be a fact of life. We’ve all seen situations where people with different life and work experiences, beliefs, values, goals and needs have come into conflict, and many times, we’ve seen the often intense personal animosity that can result. The fact that conflict exists, however, is not necessarily a bad thing. As long as it is resolved effectively, it can lead to personal and professional growth. However, if it is not handled well, the results can be damaging. By resolving conflict successfully, you can solve many of the problems that it has brought to the surface, as well as receive benefits that you might not expect, such as:

• Increased understanding
• Increased group cohesion
• Improved self-knowledge

This workshop covers the following topics:

• Goodness Dyad
• Setting the Intent (What is the desired outcome?)
• Defining the conflict.
• What is resolution?
• Deconstructing role plays of various conflicts
• Outer conflict speaks to an inner conflict
• A structural map
• Clear communication – from beginning to end – speaking my truth
• A willingness to put it on the table
• Whose stuff is it?
• Life Journey’s Map: bullying, abuse, self harm and healing
• Policies and Protocols: to give direction to create a healthy, productive work environment
• Putting on the Conflict resolution gloves:
• Left Glove: The necessity of getting the in, out.
• Right Glove: A conflict Resolution Model
• More Communication
• Building a climate of co-operation, clarity, consistency and structure
• What helps?
• Implementing a defined, usable disciplinary process
• The rewards and celebrations

2-DAY TEAM BUILDING WORKSHOP

This two-day interactive workshop will address the many traits that help to build a team such as reliability, constructive communication, active listening, active participation, sharing, flexibility, commitment, problem-solving, respect and support.

This workshop covers the following topics:

• I am more than my work. I am a unique, valuable person”
• I am an important part of the team
• This is a team meeting
• Introduction of self by way of an animal. What animal best represents my strengths,
• Communication – Good Words
• Play Ball! Deconstructing a team (Coach, cheerleaders, opponents-enemy, agreements – rules) Team elements including team meetings, roles and responsibilities, coaches, rules, vision, goals, etc.
• Communication – Ritual Hand Shake (Hug)
• Small Picture ——- Big Picture
• Values exercise – what is truly important in your life? Prioritizing.
• What interferes with the TEAM play?
• More Communication
• Problem solving skills
• Motivation
• Team culture and environment
• Celebrating Accomplishments
• Making my team the best it could be
• Next Steps: choices and changes I will make to help the team.

3-DAY SUPERVISION: BUILDING POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS WORKSHOP

This workshop is for people who are in supervisory roles, helping them to learn more about employee attitudes and productivity; effective ways to communicate; problem solving and decision making; delegation and direction; conflict management.

2-DAY CRITICAL INCIDENT STRESS DEBRIEFING (CISD) WORKSHOP

This two-day workshop prepares participants to facilitate their own Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD) circle. It offers the tools to run a CISD circle.

CISD is a specific therapeutic response within a day or two after a traumatic incident (suicide, violence, murders, tragedy, etc .) in which people’s lives were threatened or in which other people died. The CISD helps people address the incident in a group process so that blocks are not enshrined and healing is not stopped. CISD taps into a natural human healing process to create a pathway for further healing. The particular teaching of this process also respects the protocols of a healing circle: each person brings in his or her own perspective, experience, strengths and gifts; each person is his or her own healer; and, by working together, each person is strengthened and empowered.

This workshop teaches an effective crisis intervention strategy in a holistic context. It addresses pre and post incident crisis education, follow-up support services and referrals, on-scene support services crisis intervention for individuals, and working with different impacted groups: first responders (RCMP, firemen, nurses, doctors, emergency response personnel), traumatic incident witnesses, family members, students and the community as a whole.

The CISM training is open to any person who wishes to know more about crisis intervention techniques such as CISD. Emergency Services and disaster workers, security, safety, corrections, military, industries, school system personnel, human resource personnel, psychologists, social workers, counsellors and others can benefit from the CISM training.

2-DAY DEVELOPING WORK PLANS WORKSHOP

This workshop is both instructional and practical, discussing the following key topics:

• Why Have Work Plans
• The Organizational Renewal Cycle
• Principles of Planning
• Types of Planning
• Two Planning Models
• Eight Basic Steps to Planning
• Benefits to Planning
• Dangers In Planning
• Work Planning Assessments
• Developing a Work Plan
• Questions About Program Values
• Questions About the Organization/Program’s Current Situation
• Overall Planning Process
• Implementation Questions
• Anchoring the Plans
• Mid-Year Check-in
• Year-End Outcomes

3-DAY DELIVERING EFFECTIVE PRESENTATIONS WORKSHOP

 Workshop Overview

 This interactive workshop gives practical information and practice to enable participants to feel more confident and present in a professional and effective way. It will cover both verbal and non-verbal communication, control, mechanisms, understanding your audience and the process for delivering an effective presentation. Practical skills in planning, designing, preparing and delivering effective presentations are also included.

Who Should Attend

 The workshop is suitable for the inexperienced and experienced presenters who feel they need to learn, refresh and improve their delivery and motivate their audience.

How You Will Benefit

You will be able to:

• Plan, prepare and deliver an effective presentation
• Be more skilled and confident when presenting
• Manage personal reactions to pressure
• Use your nervousness to your advantage
• Gain verbal and non-verbal skills
• Read the audience
• Develop confidence speaking to a group
• Pace yourself

Key Workshop Highlights

What makes a good/bad presentation?

Purpose of presentations

What image do you portray?

Using voice, tone, and body language?

Planning and structure

Identifying the audience

Equipment, audio-visual aids, other aids, and environment

Using nervousness, fear, to your advantage

Dealing with disruptions

Delivery of presentations

3-DAY ATTITUDES ON THE JOB: ATTITUDES, ETHICS AND PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY IN THE WORKPLACE

This workshop helps a person to be aware of their attitudes on the job, to learn about their values versus the company’s values, attendance and timeliness, time management, willingness to work, accepting orders, getting along with others, following directions, communications, treating customers well, problem solving and decision making, and managing stress.

4-DAY STONES OF GOOD HOPE: HELPING OTHERS TO HEAL FROM LOSS AND GRIEF WORKSHOP

The Stones of Good Hope workshop focuses on helping others to heal from loss and grief. It is primarily for people who are in the professions of helping others and for those who have completed much of their own grief work.

PURPOSE

To train others how to help people who are experiencing loss and grief.

FOCUS

Helping individuals who are experiencing loss and grief;

• Facilitating loss and grief work in a group setting (family meetings, support groups, workshops, debriefings);
• Developing and practicing tools and helpful strategies.

WHO CAN ATTEND THIS WORKSHOP?

• People who are in the professions of helping others (Caregivers, counsellors, respite workers, bereavement workers, community support workers, community health representatives, etc.);
• Grandmothers and Grandfathers, and other caring family members.

PREREQUISITES

• Participants must have dealt with the majority of their own losses; or
• have completed the Life Works Counselling and Training Services’ Healing From Loss and Grief Workshop.

WORKSHOP PRINCIPLES AND SUGGESTED TOPICS (Not all of these topics can be covered in four days. The workshop is adjusted to each particular group):

• The helper first helps himself: “Do your own healing work first.”
• You can only heal yourself. You are your own healer.
• The helper invites the other to heal and help him or herself.
• Safety: finding safety within and establishing it on the outside
• The relationship is unique; therefore dealing with the loss will also be unique.
• Spiritual considerations. “Pray in your own way.”
• Medicine Wheel. “Telling your own story of the relationship.”
• Setting up the helping effort to be successful
• Room blessing and cleansing
• Welcoming words and words of introduction
• Attachment and loss: “There is no loss without first attachment.”
• “Healing is a choice.”
• The healing choice can be supported in many ways.
• Good words, validations and affirmations.
• Truth speaking: acknowledge what is.
• Compassion and love.
• Entering the healing circle.
• Acknowledgement of who is in the circle.
• Naming the losses.
• Creating and acknowledging the helping agreement.
• Establishing the guidelines, protocols, and ethics
• Defining expectations and intent
• Support groups. Naming supports.
• Witnessing another’s pain without interference or projections.
• Breathwork.
• Alcohol and drug use and abuse.
• Attaching and bonding in healthy and unhealthy ways (clinging).
• Healthy touch.
• Food, sleep, exercise and personal hygiene.
• Identifying and removing the blocks and obstacles to the grieving process.
• Any death or loss can lead us back to our own mortality (I too will die).
• Being actively involved in creating and managing change in our own lives.
• Special gifts.
• Moving back and forth from the “Big Picture” (beliefs and truths) to the “little picture” (intimate, specific, individual pain and suffering) context.
• Each person already knows everything he or she needs to know to heal him or herself from grief and loss.
• Expressing emotions in a healthy way.
• Creating an opportunity for action or manifestation of what I know and feel.
• Asking for help.
• The benefits of completing loss and grief work.
• The risks of not completing loss and grief work.
• Relearning the World.
• A Grieving Process Model.
• Communication.
• Trust.
• Intimacy.
• Respecting boundaries: “Whose stuff is it?”
• Abuse.
• Trauma.
• Traumatic loss.
• Strategies and tools for grieving.
• Written work: “A letter to the one I lost.”
• Meditation exercises. Finding peace and calm within.
• Defining self: beliefs, thoughts, feelings, needs. “Who is the one that is grieving?”
• Grief strategy that helps after a traumatic loss: Walking the Medicine Wheel.
• Healing with Music and Literature.
• Ceremonies and rituals in healing.
• A place for forgiveness and apology.
• “Lend a hand” strategy.
• What helps me to heal?
• Values exercise.
• Letting go of the hurt and pain.
• Feedback and evaluating the work done.
• Coming back to a place of balance.
• A time to celebrate life: dance, sing and laugh again!

4-DAY ANGER MANAGEMENT:ANGER IS MY FRIEND WORKSHOP

Anger is an essential human emotion. When it is not managed well, anger can get out of control and turn destructive. It can lead to problems at work, in personal relationships, and in the overall quality of life. It can also make you feel as though you’re at the mercy of an unpredictable and powerful enemy. Anger is a messenger that something is not right and something needs to be done. Often it is a secondary emotion that points to other emotions, thoughts or beliefs that indicate hurt or imbalance. It is important to listen to anger and to what is underneath it in order to determine the best course of action. This interactive workshop will explore the following:

• healthy emotional expression (anger, frustration, joy, and sadness)
• non-violent communication and conflict resolution
• healthy boundaries
• anger triggers
• physical anger responses
• angry thoughts and beliefs
• relationships based on anger
• anger management techniques
• anger as a friend, an enemy, a doorway, a wall, a protector, an abuser, a liar and a truth teller

If you want anger to be a better friend, you are encouraged to take this workshop.

5-DAY PARENTING WORKSHOP

A collaborative parenting workshop that uses the resources (knowledge and experience) of all involved to help all participants improve their parenting.

This workshop covers the following topics:

The Four Different Distinct Contexts, The Four Rivers

The Hierarchy of Needs

Caring For Yourself as a Parent

• Taking Care of Myself, So I Can Take Care of My Children
• Strategies for Preventing, Recognizing, and Coping With Parental Stress
• Developing Awareness of My Uniqueness, Strengths and Weaknesses
• Seek and Share Support
• Relaxation
• Feeling Powerless
• Recognize Signs of Parenting Stress and Burn-out
• My Wellness Shield
• I am a Role Model to my Children: Addictions, Abuse, Violence, and Other Things I Don’t Want to Teach My Children

Parenting in Context

• Traditional vs Modern
• Family System and History
• Five Generation Genogram
• Family Constellation (Blended Family, Single Parenting, Custom Adoption, etc.)

Residential Schools and Institutionalization

• Missing Generations As Parents (No Parental Role Models Or Mentors)
• Repeating Patterns Of Institutionalization (Rules More Important Than Person)
• Disconnection And Loss Of Cultural Context, Teachings, Wisdom And Systems

Nurturance and Stimulation of Infants, Toddlers, Pre-Schoolers

• What Does Nurturance and Stimulation Mean?
• How Can I Nurture and Stimulate My Baby?
• Talking and Singing to My Baby
• Getting Close to My Baby’s Face
• Warm Physical Contact – Good and Bad Touch
• Moving My Baby’s Body Around
• Giving My Baby Interesting Things to Play With
• How Can I Nurture and Stimulate My Toddler?
• Speaking With My Toddler
• Helping My Toddler to Express Feelings
• Reading to My Toddler
• Enjoying My Toddler’s Imagination
• Toilet Training and Self-Care for My Toddler
• Helping My Toddler to Learn About the World around Him/Her
• How Can I Nurture and Stimulate My Pre-Schooler? Good and Bad Touch
• Speaking With My Child Even More Than Before
• Helping My Preschooler with Socialization
• Teaching My Child Sharing, Cooperation and How to Follow the Rules
• Setting Down Respectful Rules for My Child

Understanding School-Age Children

• Developing a Healthy Relationship with My Child
• Valuing Each Other
• Having Fun
• Providing Encouragement
• Communicating
• Showing Love

How My Child Grows

• How My Child’s Body Grows
• How My Child Thinks and Understands
• Self-Esteem, Feelings and Emotions
• Getting Along With Others
• Helping My child “Be a Leader, Not a Follower” (choicemaking, decision-making and walking his/her own path)

Their Behaviour

• Recognizing and Understanding their Behaviour
• Support and Encouragement of Positive Behaviour
• Using Manners and Respecting Self and Others
• Creating a Safe and Supporting Environment for My Child
• Responsibility
• Freedom and Control

Understanding Adolescence and Adolescent Children

• Helping Adolescents Learn About the Challenges They May Encounter, Through Open Discussion
• Physical Development – Something Crazy is Happening to the Adolescent Body!
• Morals, Values and Virtues
• Self Esteem
• Conformity: Everybody’s Doing It
• Falling In Love
• Emotions
• About Sex and the Adolescent
• Facts about Drugs and Alcohol

How Relationships Help Develop Identity and Independence

• Friends (Peer group)
• Parents
• Extended Family
• School
• Community

Teaching Respect and Responsibility

• Praying With My Children (Co-parenting with the Creator)
• Role Modelling and Teaching My Child Respect
• Education: Awakening the Innate Knowledge and Wisdom of My Child
• Establishing Limits and Boundaries
• Respecting Boundaries
• Communicating to My Child
• Control without Nagging
• Not Giving My Child Excessive Materialism
• Avoiding Extremes in Control and Love
• Establishing Age-Appropriate Responsibilities and Expectations
• Law of Reinforcement of Positive Behaviour

Discipline

• Inviting Self-Control
• 1-2-3
• Regular Family Meeting Time
• Rewards: a) Immediate b) Material and non-material
• Time-Out
• Removing Privileges
• What Happens When Children Are Not Disciplined?

3-DAY MANAGING STRESS AND ADAPTING TO CHANGE WORKSHOP

“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,

the courage to change the things I can,

and the wisdom to know the difference.” By Reinhold Niebuhr

Managing Stress – the non-stop pressures and demands of your work, family and personal life – is one of the greatest challenges each of us must face, today and in the years ahead.

Stress is the most rapidly growing illness in modern society; the effects are far reaching for individuals, families and large organizations alike.

In the workplace, it leads to increased absenteeism and therefore increases in costs. It reduces performance, lowers morale and therefore productivity.

However stress is neither good nor bad. It’s simply an energy force. It all depends on your awareness, understanding and ability to manage its power and influence in your life.

As the pace and complexity of life continue to increase, it’s critical to effectively manage the pressures you face at work and at home. One of the keys is finding, and taking better control of, your own stress hot spots, such as those specific demands and situations that trigger anxiety, anger, frustration, impatience, sadness – or physical signs, such as shortness of breath, tightness in the chest or throat, yelling, clenched jaw or fists, mental distraction, or feelings of fatigue and of being overwhelmed.

This workshop assists individuals to find within themselves appropriate ways of managing stress and adapting to change.

“Change is inevitable…adapting to change is unavoidable, it’s how you do it that sets you together or apart.” By William Ngwako Maphoto

HOW THE 4-DAY HEALING FROM LOSS AND GRIEF WORKSHOP IS EFFECTIVE WITH PARTICIPANT

The Healing From Loss and Grief Workshop has been very effective with participants in that it is designed so that the participants:

• become more self-aware of their losses and grief;
• become more aware of the various levels of loss;
• become more aware of how they are dealing with, or not dealing with,
• their losses and grief;
• become aware of healthy and unhealthy attachments;
• look at their pain and hurt;
• become aware of their healing and self-care needs;
• open their heart for healing to occur;
• experience healing through letting go of their hurt and pain;
• lighten their load and find relief;
• identify self-care for themselves.

This workshop taps into the natural processes of grieving, with purpose and intent, that is especially effective for people who are stuck in their grieving processes. It’s about self-awareness, letting go, and using specific strategies to grieve.

We operate on the principle that in order to help others you have to help yourself, therefore everyone is invited to do their own grieving work at the workshop.

Here is what one participant wrote about our workshop:

“I wanted to send an email thanking you for putting the Healing From Loss and Grief Workshop together. Also, to thank Terry for being an awesome facilitator. I have participated in many workshops in the North, in the last seven years, and by far, the Life Works one was the best. I walked away feeling great about myself and also with tools that I could possibly use with future clients. Thanks, Elaine and Terry, for all your hard work and dedication.”

4-DAY HEALING FROM THE NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL

This workshop is for people who have experienced the trauma and abuse of Residential Schools; people who are experiencing intergenerational attitudes, behaviours, and emotional patterns and cycles; people who are currently experiencing abuse and violence in their family, organization or community.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND THIS WORKSHOP?

• People who have experienced the trauma and abuse of Residential Schools;
• Individuals, families and communities experiencing intergenerational attitudes, behaviours and emotional patterns and cycles;
• People who are currently experiencing abuse and violence in their family, organization or community;
• People who want to prevent and end abuse and violence in their personal, work or community life;
• People who are want to share and learn more about family, organization and community dynamics;
• People who are interested in ‘building’ healthy communities;
• People providing support to others who are dealing with abuse and violence,(Friends, Parents, Social Workers, Counsellors, Psychologists, Shelter Workers, Health Care Professionals, Clergy, Elders, Foster Parents, Educators, etc…).

During this 4-day workshop you will learn about:

• Creating safety and protection of self and family, organization or community;
• Identifying the filters through which you view the world;
• Identifying your values, beliefs, perceptions, assumptions, projections, judgments;
• Identifying social masks and roles;
• Evaluating your life: with self and others, job/career, family life, emotional, spiritual, social, physical life;
• Recognizing, acknowledging and releasing intergenerational attitudes, behaviours and emotional patterns and cycles;
• Your positive and negative characteristics and behaviour patterns (ie: emotional patterns/cycles, attitudes);
• Addressing the challenges: jealously, anger, insecurity, powerlessness, trauma;
• Choosing between harming self and others or healing self;
• Regaining responsibility, control, power and management over self;
• Acknowledging and accepting accountability for your life (choosing better so you have better);
• Confronting and understanding your pain and addictions, and finding the addictive payoffs;
• Setting boundaries: teaching people how to treat you, and treating others in the same manner;
• The power in forgiveness (of self and others);
• Good words: identifying goodness in self;
• Your power to choose to liberate yourself and be the manager of your life;
• Taking the path of being accountable, committed, doing what it takes, and having what you want;
• Helpful life strategies and techniques to end abuse and violence and to live well.
• Healing with the medicine wheel;
• Utilizing hands-on exercises and techniques for self-awareness, acknowledgement, growth, spiritual awakening and change.

4-DAY STRATEGIES FOR HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS WORKSHOP

This workshop helps a person to learn about healthy and unhealthy relationships; emotional recognition and management; communications; problem solving and decision-making; defining and respecting boundaries; self-care and personal goal setting strategies and techniques.

4-DAY TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR LIFE! WORKSHOP

BASIC LIFE STRATEGIES TO:

• Take Ownership and Manage Your Life,
• Reconnect With Your Core,
• Release Negative Emotions,
• Walk Without Addictions,
• Heal Your Self and Live Well!

each participant is invited to explore the journey of his or her own life. This will be done in a very interactive group setting, in the context of the Medicine Wheel, which is a traditional symbol of life and healing. It is also a powerful tool for self-awareness, reconnection, growth, spiritual awakening and change. It is the story of each of our lives, and how we can take charge of our lives.

Participants are also invited to examine how each gives power away through fear, anger, addictions, and not valuing self. A Medicine Wheel is created in the workshop using 36 stones. The process of constructing the Medicine Wheel will direct and empower the participants to awaken and act on their innate wisdom, power and life direction.

The Medicine Wheel creates a field of knowing, of safety, and of direction that is unique to the group of participants involved. Therefore, every workshop is different.

The purpose of the Take Charge of Your Life Workshop is to awaken the awareness of power in each person so that they can act on it, take charge of their own lives and use their own power in good, creative ways.

There are many “hands on exercises” that are done in the workshop. These exercises can be “taken home” and immediately used to empower one’s own life on a daily basis.

This is a powerful, life-changing workshop. Once you enter the circle, you will no longer be the same. Young people (12 years and up) and Elders (70’s and 80’s) have participated in this workshop. You will get as much as you put in. You will take home as much as you choose.

4-DAY AFTERMATH OF SUICIDE WORKSHOP

When a family member, a friend or a community member chooses to take his or her own life, we are left to heal a great loss. The Aftermath of Suicide workshop walks people through this loss and grief work.

This workshop looks at suicide directly and participants are invited to talk about it until each is no longer afraid. Each participant is invited to take responsibility for his or her own healing and to let go of that which is not hers or his to carry.

Suicide is a choice, but what influences that choice? Why do so many of us feel guilty and ashamed after someone ends his or her own life? What am I responsible for and what am I not responsible for? What are the signs of someone thinking about suicide? Is there something I could’ve, should’ve, might’ve done so that there would be a different outcome? What are the blocks to my own natural healing process in the aftermath of such a loss?

Understanding the bigger picture of beliefs, values and meaning of life is balanced with the information of each participant’s specific relationship, attachment and loss. Suicide hurts those who are left behind. Healing from the suicide death of a loved one is difficult but necessary work if we are to continue to choose to live life fully.

Concrete exercises and strategies are practiced in the workshop so that a good portion of the healing work is accomplished in this four-day workshop. The workshop also invites participants to compile a healing toolbox, which they take home in order to continue on their healing journey.

This training is open to anyone who has experienced the suicide death of a family member, friend or community member. It is also open to those who have themselves experienced suicidal thoughts or attempts and those who are concerned about family, friends or community members who may be at risk of suicide. Professionals from the fields of emergency services, security, safety, human resources, education, and mental health may all benefit from participating in this workshop.

3-DAY SUICIDE PREVENTION, INTERVENTION AND POSTVENTION WORKSHOP

Why do people kill themselves? How do I ask someone if they are feeling suicidal? What do I do if they say they ARE suicidal? How do I deal with the strong emotions suicide generates?

This workshop will provide answers for these and other questions many of us have about suicide. It will provide you with basic information about suicide, as well as help you develop practical skills for prevention, intervention and postvention. Small group role plays will allow you to apply the suggested techniques as you learn them.

This training is open to anyone who wishes to learn more about the prevention, intervention and postvention of suicide, including those who have experienced suicidal thoughts and those who are concerned about friends and family members who are at risk of suicide. Professionals from the fields of emergency services, security, safety, human resources, education, and mental health may all benefit in this workshop.

4-DAY TRAUMA RECOVERY WORKSHOP

Trauma Recovery is an intense four-day workshop where participants are invited to add to their own healing toolbox as they recover from trauma. Each participant is acknowledged as his or her own healer. Each participant owns the power to choose his or her own healing path. Bad stuff does happen (accidents, suicides, murder, sexual abuse, violence, war, residential school traumas, cultural and spiritual losses); what makes the difference is how we choose to respond. This life-giving workshop looks at tools, strategies, approaches in addressing trauma and invites participants to take responsibility for their own healing, recovery and life. The future looks good!

20-DAY HEALING JOURNEY WORKSHOP

The Healing Journey Program is a holistic, participant-driven, facilitator managed, healing opportunity. It is designed for self-motivated adults who are choosing to heal and grow. It recognizes that we are each our own healer who can benefit from the support, experience and witness of others in a group process. The authority and onus of responsibility for change and growth is determined by each participant’s choices, willingness and determination to complete the necessary work that will make a difference.

The Healing Journey Program is a positive, present-moment focused, action-based process. It acknowledges that we carry hurt and pain from the past. It also acknowledges that although we may not have been responsible for the original hurt and pain, especially if it occurred when we were children, we are responsible for how we deal with it now. This is true, even if we choose to do nothing. The program invites participants to actively share their stories, experiences and wisdom, make plans, act on their plans (or at least the first steps) and report back to the group to celebrate their successes.

A major aspect of the Healing Journey Program focuses on power, authority and responsibility. It also focuses on ways we give our power, authority and responsibility away, through addictive processes. The program invites participants to acknowledge addictive behaviour, the sources of this behaviour, and the ability to choose to use one’s power effectively. It looks at concrete ways of managing one’s power and addictive tendencies.

4-DAY GIVING VOICE TO BILL C-31 WORKSHOP

Giving Voice to Bill C-31 is a workshop that provides Aboriginal People who have been impacted by Bill C-31, the opportunity to share their stories, address the hurt and pain of gender discrimination, and move towards a healing, a place of re-defining beliefs, identifying self, and renewing self-dignity and responsibility.

This workshop was initially requested by the Skidegate Band Council and Skidegate Health Centre of Haida Gwaii, BC, to assist a healing process for the community of First Nations people who were impacted by Bill C-31. We delivered the workshop in June, 2010. To hear what participants said about the workshop, refer to “Content” on this workshop.

This workshop covers the following topics:

1. Guidelines and Intentions
2. What do I Expect as an Outcome?
3. A Goodness Dyad
4. Summary Overview
5. Let’s Talk About the Bill C-31 Issues. Sharing My Story. (It may be issues, such as: entitlement, exclusion vs inclusion, discrimination and sexual discrimination, systems abuse, etc.) Some of the issues may fall under the following list:
   1. The purpose of Bill C-31
   2. Who is entitled to federal status?
   3. Who is not entitled to federal status?
   4. Who is entitled to band membership?
   5. Discrimination and sexual discrimination ( gender, age, parentage, wrong lineage of First Nations ancestry)
   6. Band control of membership
   7. Protests and appeal mechanisms
   8. Residency rights/opting out
   9. Per capita shares and “payback” mechanisms
   10. Discriminatory provisions deleted
   11. Alcohol control by-laws
   12. Creation of new bands
   13. Absolute immunity clause
   14. Application for status & band membership
6. A Review of the Guidelines and Intentions
7. A Review of What I Expect as an Outcome?
8. Continuation of Let’s Talk About the Bill C-31 Issues
9. Inner Work – How Does Bill C-31 Affect My Personal Core Issues?
   1. Identity
   2. Culture
   3. Beliefs
   4. Values
   5. Power and Control
   6. Judgements
   7. Discrimination
   8. Inequality
   9. Unfairness
   10. Acceptance and Non-acceptance
   11. Injustices
   12. Emotions: Anger, Fears, Sadness, Grief
10. Our Greatest Power Lies in How We Choose to Respond to any Given Situation
11. A continuation of Inner Work – How Does Bill C-31 Affect My Personal Core Issues?
12. Identifying Personal Steps for Moving Forward
    1. Forgiveness Dyad
    2. Acknowledging my losses
    3. Re-examining my beliefs and how I define and identify myself
    4. Embracing a place of dignity and responsibility
    5. The Path to Reconciliation

5-10-DAY FISH, HUNT AND HEAL WORKSHOP

The land heals and provides abundantly.

Utilizing the internal resources of the participants and the external resources of nature, this workshop provides an opportunity to practice balance, awareness, gratitude and choice making in healing and in life.

The two major purposes of this workshop are to fish and to heal.

In regards to fishing, participants are invited to come prepared with their fishing equipment (rods, reels, tackle, filleting knives, etc), their fishing stories (the best and worse fishing experiences, the biggest fish that got away, funny things that happened while fishing, etc.), and skills (not only how they effectively catch fish with rod & reel, net, or fish weir, but also how to cook them, smoke them, preserve them, fillet them, etc.) With each participant open to sharing what they know, then all participants will gain from each other.

Fishing is also a natural meditation and an opportunity to quietly share stories with other individuals without any need to fill the empty spaces.

“Going out on the land and water to fish” puts the participants in the embrace of nature. Nature has much to share about balance, life and healing. The water, animals, rocks, air, snow, rain, sunshine, and plants all have something to say when we choose to listen to them. They can become messengers and guides in our healing journey.

Being away from the community (“getting away from it all”) helps to rejuvenate the participants. It also helps participants to look at life with new perspectives.

Being held by nature’s embrace provides a wonderful opportunity to safely look at oneself and address personal issues.

The group sets the parameters of workshop by agreeing to a schedule, defining the guidelines, protocols, and ethics, setting up and maintaining camp, acknowledging intent and goals and choosing healing topics.

This workshop can be held for “men only”, “women only” or for families with male and female elders, youth, and adults all working together.

Ideally the host organization will provide or organize the camping equipment and transportation for the participants to sleep out on the land, away from the community. As well as fishing equipment for those who don’t have any.

8-DAY ADDICTIONS, RELATIONSHIPS AND THE GOOD LIFE WORKSHOP

This workshop covers the following topics:

• I am my own healer;
• Setting one’s intent;
• Guidelines;
• Safety: finding safety within and establishing it on the outside
• Commitment to healing, sobriety and this workshop;
• Communication – Permission to talk about it: the good and the bad;
• Definition of addictions: “giving my power away in an unhealthy, unbalanced, non-reciprocal way”;
• Types of addictions:
  • Signs and Relationships: Co-dependence (give, give, give) roles, obsessive love (jealousy, neediness), addiction to the bad relationships (repeating an unhealthy pattern to have some control or mastery over it) Avoiding self (not wanting to face oneself), drama, religion
  • Behaviours: sex, work, compulsions, gambling, internet addictions (on-line relationships, porn, gambling, video games, social networks), TV, music (i-pods), shopping
  • Substances: alcohol, drugs, sugar, food (over eating, under-eating), solvents, tobacco
  • Emotions: “the high”, avoiding boring, stress, feeling inadequate, unworthy and not good enough;
• Signs and symptoms: What does the addiction look like?
• The great motivators:
  • Seeking pleasure
  • Chasing the high
  • Belonging
  • Excitement
• Avoiding pain:
  • Running and hiding – What are you running from?
  • What is feeding the addiction?
  • Lying
  • Distractions
  • Losses, abuse, powerlessness, traumas, PTSD
  • Becoming somebody I’m not
• The Cost of the Addiction:
  • Crime
  • Pain
  • Loss
  • Neglect
  • Broken promises
  • Being stuck: caught in the web, missed opportunities, not able to grow;
• Power and control (or lack of);
• Lying (denial, self delusion) and honesty “I am an alcoholic”;
• Beliefs – those that help, those that hinder;
• Responsibility, Accountability, Integrity;
• Opening Doors. Closing Doors;
• Boundaries: whose stuff is it?
• Sabotaging;
• Secrets;
• The System: supports or denies, enables or challenges;
• The ultimate choice belongs to the individual – How am I choosing to respond?
• Enabling – setting things up to encourage the addict to continue to use;
• Addiction as a pattern, habit, compulsion, dependence, need, obsession, and/or craving;
• Freedom, from the addiction, of choice, freedom to continue down an unhealthy road or a healthy road;
• Balance, imbalance, and regaining balance;
• The emotions and states: all powerful, powerless, shame, guilt, fear, anxiety, depression, anger, frustration, confusion, impatience, intolerance, pitiful, flat emotionally, not caring, giving up, etc.;
• Untangling the addiction complex;
• Addictions and how it affects relationships (those I love);
• Love – a higher form (caring that makes a difference);
• The probability game: risk, insurance, opportunity;
• Family systems and dynamics (intergenerational impacts):
  • Partners of an addict
  • Children
  • Parents
  • Siblings
  • Other relatives
  • Friends and community members;
• Healing from addictions:
  • Safety plans
  • High risks areas
  • Replacement strategies
  • Recovery
  • Relapse
  • Treatment options
  • Discipline
  • Honesty
  • Choosing to do something about it before it gets to powerful
  • Asking for help (support groups)
  • Community responses

4-DAY MAKING LOVE SACRED: A WORKSHOP FOR COUPLES WORKSHOP

This workshop is designed for couples who want to deepen passion and intimacy in their lives, and who want to explore the full potential of themselves through their committed relationship in a safe, fun-filled and guided environment.

In this workshop, you will learn about:

Approaches to love, intimacy and sexuality that is based on self-acceptance, communication and deep relaxation;

• Energy, touch, communication and expression exercises, light tantric practices, healing rituals and meditations;
• Being fully at home in your own body, connected in your heart and in tune with your inner being;
• Taking a look at what keeps us from making love sacred;
• Taking new steps or leaps on your journey toward a sacred and fulfilling relationship;
• Sexuality as a sacred journey and a path of spiritual awakening.

This workshop provides a safe, respectful, informative and joyful learning space where you can discover new openings in the realms of love, intimacy and sexuality.

2-DAY SYSTEMS CONSTELLATION

Systems Constellation is individual work within a group process. A circle of participants (8 or more) create a safe forum in which each individual can choose to explore his or her own issues in order to experience insight and understanding.

This unique approach acknowledges, clarifies, and clears dynamics or patterns that are no longer helpful. It also offers a new picture, insight or perspective to life’s challenges. It offers a bigger picture or framework to deal with specific issues.

Constellation work is an experiential, participatory, active-healing, awareness-building modality that invites healthy, holistic change and growth for all those involved.

In the past, participates have chosen to focus on a variety of areas including: relationships (struggles in a current relationship, difficulty to relate to parents or children), not understanding certain behaviour (violence, abuse, gossip, secrets, alcoholism), emotional management (anger, jealousy, fear, etc) difficulty in making choices (prioritizing options, seeing alternatives), resolving historical traumas (at birth, residential school, accidents, incest, war) and loss (suicide, abandonment, and separation).

Terry Garchinski facilitates Systems Constellations work. Systems Constellation work can be delivered for one, two or two and one half days and is complimentary to other workshops offered by Life Works Counselling and Training Services Inc.

With the Level I and II attunements, you will have the ability to transmit Reiki, using it on yourself and others, for the rest of your life, no matter how often you use it.

Learn about Reiki and its application in daily life. Learn the three Usui symbols and their teachings. After receiving your attunements and symbols, you will have extensive hands-on practice, giving you the skills and confidence to do Reiki on yourself and others. You will also learn distant healing, mental, emotional, and spiritual healing processes.

This two-day intensive includes understanding the chakra system, using meditation to help strengthen the mind and expand consciousness, using crystals with Reiki, and using essential oils with Reiki.

This two day intensive includes training on the nine Reiki techniques, which Dr. Usui taught to his students. These Japanese techniques are: the Gassho mediation, Reiji-ho, CHiryo, Kenyoku, Koki-ho, Gyoshi-ho, Bysoen, Jacki-Kiri Joka-ho, and Enkaku Chiryo. They are considered to be a necessary part of Usui Reiki. A certificate and a manual is included.

Perequisite: Must have Reiki Level I and II.

MTAA approved: 6.5 Secondary Continuing Education Credits

This course represents a quantum leap in personal growth, and a significant enhancement of your abilities as a practitioner. It includes the complete Reiki III Usui/Tibetan Master attunement, instruction on how to pass all Reiki Attunements, and includes learning the Hui Yin exercise. You will practice passing attunements, and will learn additional symbols. This class is intended to have you confidently teach Reiki, if you so desire. A certificate and a manual is included.

Prerequisite: Must have Levels I and II and Advanced Reiki Training.

MTAA approved: 11.0 Secondary Continuing Education Credits

Karuna Reiki was developed by William Rand, founder of The International Center for Reiki Training, located in Michigan, US.

Karuna is a Sanskrit word translated to mean any action that is taken to diminish the suffering of others. It can also be translated as “compassionate action”. Karuna Reiki energy is different than Usui Reiki and most students feel it is more powerful.

This course is an all inclusive Master/teacher Course introducing all Karuna symbols and thier use. A certificate and a 45-page manual are included with in-depth descriptions of each symbol and each attunement process. Participants will also be offered the opportunity to become a “Registered Karuna Reiki Master” with the International Center for Reiki Training, using the manuals and providing student certificates from the Center.

Pre-requisite: Must have Reiki Master Level

Workshop Fee: $1,200 plus GST = $1,284.00