Of Connection and Co-learning

Hello, dear readers.

Over the years, I have honed my ability to connect with people individually and in groups. I am an avid reader, conversationalist, and listener. Committed to lifelong learning, I always acknowledge that when I am working with people, they, too, are on a lifelong journey of discovery.

My Approach

I combine arts-based approaches that include fluidity and structure to facilitate workshops and give keynotes. These approaches, which involve respectful anti-oppressive practices and non-interventionist engagement with self and others, afford me a means of meeting people where they are.

Recent Engagements

In the past week, I had two opportunities to engage with groups of people.

Catholic Board of Education

One happened on Wednesday last week with the Catholic Board of Education in South Africa, where I was the guest speaker. I used Kahlil Gibran’s approach in “The Prophet” to stay engaged with the group. The participants randomly presented an invitation to speak on something relating to the topic of suicide. We explored suicide from the bio-medical, psychological, theological, and social-ecological models of explanation. As we say in the performing arts, the performance will likely stay connected and meaningful if the lead performer is connected. I experienced the ninety-minute session as connected and meaningful.

Holy Spirit Primary School

The second opportunity was with the Holy Spirit Primary School staff in Tzaneen, South Africa. Together, we explored psychological safety and child safeguarding. We engaged with our sense of safety to appreciate child safeguarding as a principle and a practice. We delved into the wounds each of us carries throughout our lives. The psychodynamic influences in the expressive arts approaches worked well. It helped that we spent the first evening setting the parameters of our engagement for the two days. Psychological safety was modelled during the workshop. I like the invitation to show and only tell sometimes.

If staff feel safe in their organisation, and space is held for them to contain and heal their wounds, they will likely cultivate a safe space for others, especially the children for whom an organisation like a school is centred. At the end of the weekend, I felt nourished by the encounter with the Holy Spirit Primary School staff. I am confident that they have an appreciation of inner knowing and application of why psychological safety for everyone in the school is the foundation for child safeguarding.

Connect with Me

Suppose you have an event looking for new ideas and approaches or a facilitator for specific topics such as change processing, diversity, equity and justice, psychological safety, mental health and (child) safeguarding, you will find my embodied approach exciting and impactful. Please send me an email at [email protected] or call me at +27634461193.

I am looking forward to connecting with you all. Stay safe, and keep learning!