Creating support phone bridges and online resources for WPs
In Feb 2008 a small group volunteered to support Tim Atkinson, to guide him in creating a series of teleclasses and online resources to meet the needs of workshop presenters.
The team is Maureen McEvoy, Laura Marshall, Sandy Berry, Tim Higden, Susan McBride, Paula Pile
This page records our discussions, and plans. If you want to add any comments or suggestions, please contact Tim Atkinson
Teleclass plans
| | Marketing with Donna and David Bowman |
| Feb 2008 | Marketing with Bruce and Betsy Bergquist |
| Mar 20th | No meeting |
| April 17 | Workshop Presentation- invited speaker from the faculty (Maya?) - Variations - What "must" be there?, What flexibility do we have? What variations do people use?
- Use of senses - visual, touch etc
- Making best use of powerpoints
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| May 15 | Managing difficult attendees - invited speaker from the faculty (Rick and Maureen?) - How to manage the early wounded couple in the workshop (who take a lot of time) and balancing this couples' needs with the needs of the other couples
- How to draw out the quiet couple
- Hearing about the "worst" situations - and how they were handled
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| June 19 | Follow-up - how to encourage attendees to get the best value by continuing after the workshop
- how to get the most value of evaluations
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| July 17 | Impact of theory and new research - Preliminary results from research into workshop effectiveness - Theresa Beeton?
- Latest theoretical developments and their impact on the workshop - neuroscience, attachment theory - Jette?
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| Aug 14 | Diversity - Same--sex couples - Joe Kort?
- Different cultures - especially those with arranged marriages, or strong male-dominated family traditions - Gene, Jette?
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| Sep 18 | |
| Oct | Conference |
| Nov 20 | |
| Dec | Hoiidays |
Online Resources needed
| Resource needed | Status and plans |
| marketing templates | |
| tips and hints | Already have Bowmans and Berquists - build up after each teleclass |
| information on policies | there is a policies page online - create better links |
Summary of survey of Imago Workshop Presenters
Most respondents wanted a monthly call There was strong interest in hearing about marketing, and presenting the workshop, There was also significant interest in hearing about theory, and specific client issues Another issue of interest was about the issue of attendees who might want to leave their therapist who referred them, and come to the WP as their therapist People asked for online resources
Ideas from the Team
many supporting the idea of a call focusing on each area of the workshop
EAch of the four journeys, Intentional Dialogue, Behavior Change Requests, Reromanticizing, Holding and Sensate Focus, Revisioning the Future, Guided meditations, Workshop followup.
1. Maureen McEvoy
the scholarship program
-what is happening on the research project
- how to manage the early wounded couple in the workshop (who take a lot of time) and balancing this couples' needs with the needs of the other couples
- how much to draw out the very quiet couple, who could also be early wounded or just very private. Especially when you don't have a sense of their process and whether they are "getting it"
- listening to some experienced WP's talk about their worst situations and how they handled it
- what are some of the variations that WPs use. It seems there is some flexibility. For example, we were taught to use the closing imagery but the ImagoShare had a thread a while back about alternative endings. Are there other areas of flexibility? Or put another way, which elements are absolute must haves in the weekend?
-differences in a straight/ mixed / same sex workshops
-differences when working with couples of other cultures/ religions. In Vancouver, for example, we have a large group of Chinese and South Asian people. Drawing them to the workshop seems difficult because "therapy" is often frowned upon in the culture. In addition many come from arranged marriages. One of our participants didn't buy the "because your parents are doing the match there still will be an Imago match" and was somewhat affronted at Imago's claims in this area. Finally something like the holding exercise may be too uncomfortable. so I'd like to hear from others who have presented in other countries and also from WPs who regularly have a diverse group of participants.........
2. Sandra Berry
Imago Workshop Presenters Support
When I think about preparing for a workshop I think about it in 3 contexts: Pre-Workshop, Workshop and Post-Workshop.
Pre-Workshop
¨ Marketing. Templates. Where and what is effective.
¨ Community Presentations: Scripts that work. What do listeners find most interesting or what skill of Imago is the best skill to teach in a presentation.
¨ The goal is closing the sell and getting people interested enough to sign up. What are some effective closing techniques? Using discounts if they sign up right then?
¨ Connecting to interested participants. How to sell the workshop and get them interested. What criteria makes them say yes. In other words, what do they want to hear that convinces them they will benefit.
¨ How much preworkshop contact is enough? How many times can you contact a person without them feeling you are a bother?
¨ Workshop:
¨ How to make a Powerpoint presentation work for you rather than against you.
¨ The use of props and teaching. How to use every type of avenue to teach, i.e., visual, auditory, olfactory, kinesthetic, and taste. Making sure every avenue is reached during the presentation.
¨ Theory Updates: Recent research on the brain and brain mapping, attachment theory and conflict resolution updates.
¨ New Topics that May enhance the workshop: Forgiveness and healing.
Post Workshop:
¨ Follow-up questionnaire when making phone contact to enhance connection and provide the best follow-up care to couples.
¨ How to deal with evaluations after the workshop. What should presenters pay attention to and what is client reactivity.
3. Laura Marshall
One thought I had on topics for the phone classes would be to take the different parts of the workshop one by one and devote a class to each - how to deepen it, common problems, theoretical questions, etc.
Also would love one on helping couples hold on to the material after the workshop is over - it seems so hard for many of them to keep the energy/work going
