Self Care for Leaders
Objectives:
Assist leaders in handling environment of high demand, uncertainty and stress; allow participants to pause, reflect and access inherent self awareness and kindness towards self and others; enhance emotional intelligence and leadership skills overall
Typical format:
- Week I (2 one-hour sessions): recognizing consequences of high demand and stress (discomfort, distractibility, speed, sense of overwhelm, etc.)
- Week II (2 one-hour sessions): developing kindness/acceptance towards all aspects of experience
- Week III (2 one-hour sessions): engaging others skillfully, deepening empathy
This group format can also be adapted to a one or two-day format, deepening on client needs; it can also serve as the basis for individually tailored executive coaching programs.
Practices/tools:
- mindfulness, reflection, body/movement practices, Appreciative Inquiry, communication practices;
- framework presented by Kristin Neff;
- short readings, links, videos, simple homework assignments
Environment:
- interactive, exploratory, safe, fun
Participants:
- All leaders/managers from private and public sectors, and not for profits
Business Mind, Beginner’s Mind
Objectives:
Self awareness, self discovery and growing the business, for private sector entrepreneurs, “intrapreneurs” (enterprising people within companies) and social entrepreneurs; deepen understanding that mind profoundly influences business outcomes; introducing enterprise as a path of learning that can be navigated.
Typical format:
- Week I (3 one-hour sessions): ground/basis, discipline, simplicity
- Week II (3 one-hour sessions): innovation, nimbleness, heart
- Week III (3 one-hour sessions): daring, play, authentic presence
This group format can also be adapted to a two-day format, depending on client needs; it can also serve as the basis for individually tailored executive coaching programs.
Practices/tools:
- mindfulness, reflection, body/movement and communication exercises, business case studies drawn from participants, “stories” of enterprise from guest speakers and participants;
- participants will develop and begin to test a new business idea while in the program; at the end, they will present this idea for learning, feedback, etc.;
- frameworks of Eric Ries (The Lean Startup), Paul Hawken (Growing a Business) and Jim Collins (Good to Great);
- short readings, links, videos, simple homework assignments;
Environment:
- interactive, exploratory, safe, provocative, fun
Participants:
- All entrepreneurs, intrapreneurs and social entrepreneurs interested in starting or growing a business and exploring how mind impacts the path of enterprise
Mindfulness Curriculum for Addictions Services Clients and Staff
Objectives:
- Present view and practice of mindfulness for addictions clients and staff; interrupt “autopilot” tendencies and develop new, more healthy habits;
- cultivate appreciation of living and self worth: cut into harsh self judgements and shame; rediscover sense of humour and creativity; mine current research on mindfulness and addiction; train professionals in addictions to present mindfulness authentically
Typical format:
- Week I (3 90-minute sessions): recognizing experience through mindfulness (introducing view and practice of mindfulness; emphasis on body; cultivating curiosity and openness to positive, neutral and negative/uncomfortable experiences; seeing automatic patterns and their role in addictive response; importance of vision, goal-setting and commitment in recovery
- Week II (3 90-minute sessions): cultivating kindness toward self and experience (attitude of tolerance, patience, kindness, acceptance; tapping unconditional, playful, child-like experience; mindful communication; reinforcing commitment to daily practice
- Week III (3 90-minute sessions): courage in working with discomfort (building confidence to ride the waves of uncomfortable, negative thinking, emotion, sensation; discerning one’s limits, learning when to ask for help, or use other coping strategies; purpose, vision, values in the face of challenges; accessing the bravery and strength inherent in mindfulness; reinforce commitment to daily practice
- Week IV (3 90-minute sessions): reviewing key learnings and committing to applications going forward (summarizing learnings; strategies for self care; opportunities going forward for appreciation and generosity towards oneself and others; saying goodbye; reinforcing commitment to daily practice; suggested resources for continued group and individual practice
This 4-week group format can be given with addictions clients, as a train-the-trainer model for staff, or both; it can also serve as the basis for individually tailored work clients or staff.
Practices/tools:
- mindfulness, reflection, movement, yoga, chi gong, artistic expression, sensory exercises, mindful communication, Appreciative Inqiury;
- frameworks of Bowen, Chawla and Marlatt (Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention of Addictive Behaviours), Mate (In the Realm of the Hungry Ghosts), and Kabat-Zinn (Coming to our Senses);
- short readings, links, videos, recorded guides for mindfulness practices, simple homework assignments
Environment:
- interactive, exploratory, safe, compelling, fun
Participants:
- Addictions clients after detox; staff professionals in addictions services