Community Communications Workshop Critiques

Near the end of our weekend-long workshops we hand out a Completion Form. Ninety-five percent of the participants communicate favorably indicating 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 . . . "
  
  
• Of the two female 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 paired-sharing 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" [The Clearing Process] 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 [a father 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 Kerry 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 of 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 sides (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 a participant had 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 nose picker, 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].