2153 Other courses in Downpatrick delivered Live Online

This half-day workshop delivered face-to-face or online is designed for anyone in your organisation that wants to become a Neurodiversity Champion - someone who wants to educate and change the way that Neurodiversity is viewed in the workplace.

A Samhain ritual to commune with ancestors and to participate with the majestic creativity of shedding and becoming of this season.

Vision Boarding

Polarization, or the “polarized mind,” is a fixation on one view, causing widespread destructiveness. It needs presence and love to address. We aim to explore the lived experiences on irregular perceptions of reality with an open mind. Each Saturday includes: a live dialogue between Prof. Ernesto Spinelli and an International Existential Therapist; a moment to share your thoughts and feelings with the teachers; and a final integration facilitated by Bárbara Godoy. This series of ten dialogues set out to explore the multifaceted dimentions and complexities associated with Existential Therapies. It attempts to engage with various interpretations of insanity through the lens of patients often painful, confounding, and deeply unsettling life experiences. Polarisation - between Prof. Ernesto Spinelli and Prof. Kirk Schneider “I view polarization or that which I call the “polarized mind” as the fixation on a single point of view to the utter exclusion of competing points of view, and I see it as a core dimension of human destructiveness both individually and collectively. Arguably, polarization or the polarized mind is responsible for more devaluation and abuse than any other general psychological dimension, and it crosses cultures, parties, disciplines and so-called diagnosed and undiagnosed populations. In fact it is the undiagnosed populations—polarized cultural, political, and religious leaders and their followers–who have arguably caused the most human destructiveness by far, over those whom we conventionally termed the diagnosed The polarized mind may be partly dispositional but appears to be largely fear-driven and requires abiding presence and love to address it. We are in a race against time to avail people to these “nutrients.” Prof. Kirk Schneider. Prof. Kirk J. Schneider, Ph.D. is a leading spokesperson for contemporary existential-humanistic and existential-integrative psychology. Dr Schneider was a 2022 Candidate for President of the American Psychological Association (APA), a co-founder and current president of the Existential-Humanistic Institute (an award-winning psychotherapy training center), and a two-term Member of the Council of Representatives of the APA. He is also past president (2015-2016) of the Society for Humanistic Psychology (Division 32) of the APA, recent past editor of the Journal of Humanistic Psychology (2005-2012), a founder and frequent presenter/facilitator of the bridge-building dialogue approach the Experiential Democracy Dialogue and a trained moderator for the conflict mediation group Braver Angels. Dr Schneider is also an adjunct faculty member at Saybrook University and Teachers College, Columbia University and an Honorary Member of the Society for Existential Analysis of the UK and the East European Association for Existential Therapy. He received the Rollo May Award for “outstanding and independent contributions” to the field of humanistic psychology from the Society for Humanistic Psychology, APA and is a Fellow of seven Divisions of the APA (5, 9, 32, 42, 12, 29, and 24). His work on existential-integrative psychotherapy has been featured in a special issue of the Journal of Psychotherapy Integration (March 2016), as well as The Wiley World Handbook of Existential Therapy and the APA’s forthcoming Handbook of Psychotherapy. Dr Schneider has published over 200 articles, interviews and chapters and has authored or edited 14 books including The Paradoxical Self, Horror and the Holy, Rediscovery of Awe, Awakening to Awe, The Spirituality of Awe, The Polarized Mind, The Handbook of Humanistic Psychology, Existential-Humanistic therapy, Existential-Integrative Psychotherapy, The Wiley World Handbook of Existential Therapy, The Depolarizing of America: A Guidebook for Social Healing and his latest volume (February, 2023) Life-Enhancing Anxiety: Key to a Sane World. Dr. Schneider’s work has been featured in Scientific American, the New York Times, USA Today, The Guardian, Vanity Fair, Forbes Health, Psychology Today, BBC World News and many other health and psychology outlets. Prof. Ernesto Spinelli was Chair of the Society for Existential Analysis between 1993 and 1999 and is a Life Member of the Society. His writings, lectures and seminars focus on the application of existential phenomenology to the arenas of therapy, supervision, psychology, and executive coaching. He is a Fellow of the British Psychological Society (BPS) as well as an APECS accredited executive coach and coaching supervisor. In 2000, he was the Recipient of BPS Division of Counselling Psychology Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Profession. And in 2019, Ernesto received the BPS Award for Distinguished Contribution to Practice. His most recent book, Practising Existential Therapy: The Relational World 2nd edition (Sage, 2015) has been widely praised as a major contribution to the advancement of existential theory and practice. Living up to the existential dictum that life is absurd, Ernesto is also the author of an on-going series of Private Eye novels. Date and Time: Saturday 12 April from 2 pm to 3 pm – (UK time) Individual Dialogue Fee: £70 Venue: Online Zoom FULL PROGRAMME 2025: 25 January “Knots” with Prof. Ernesto Spinelli and Bárbara Godoy 22 February “Healing” with Dr. Michael Guy Thompson and Prof. Ernesto Spinelli 22 March “Difference” with Prof. Tod DuBose and Prof. Ernesto Spinelli 12 April “Polarisation” with Prof. Kirk Schneider and Prof. Ernesto Spinelli 3 May “Character” with Prof. Robert Romanyshyn and Prof. Ernesto Spinelli 21 June “Opening” with Dr. Yaqui Martinez and Prof. Ernesto Spinelli 19 July “Meaning” with Dr. Jan Resnick and Prof. Ernesto Spinelli 25 October “Invention” with Dr. Betty Cannon and Prof. Ernesto Spinelli 15 November “Hallucination” with Prof. Simon du Plock and Prof. Ernesto Spinelli 13 December “Hysteria” with Bárbara Godoy and Prof. Ernesto Spinelli Read the full programme here > Course Organised by:

In this practical workshop session we will explore ways of including people who have been labelled as being on the autism spectrum. The session will be values based and practical and will aim to allow the sharing of experiences and good practice as well promoting innovative approaches to inclusion through the design of best practice. Online Course now available via Teachable Platform – Understanding Movement Differences Learn at your own pace… lots of text and video support Course Category Autism and Communication Inclusion Parents and Carers Behaviour and Relationships Description In this practical workshop session we will explore ways of including people who have been labelled as being on the autism spectrum. The session will be values based and practical and will aim to allow the sharing of experiences and good practice as well promoting innovative approaches to inclusion through the design of best practice. Family perspectives and experiences will also be explored. This is not a ‘medical model’ day on autism. Our motto for the day is ‘People do things for a Reason (and the reason isn’t autism).’ We make full use of first hand accounts of the experience of autism – the autobiographies – to deepen participants’ understanding of what it means to be labelled ‘autistic’ “We are all much more simply human than otherwise, be we happy and successful, contented and detached, miserable and disordered, or whatever.”HARRY STACK SULLIVAN Testimonials ‘Very respectful of people on the spectrum.’ ‘Really gave me an idea of how people feel.’ ‘Ways of reaching a person not a condition.’CLAIRE Learning Objectives Increased confidence regarding including autistic people Access to a wider range of practical strategies to impact on communication and behaviour issues Deeper understanding of core values surrounding inclusion New skills and processes to strengthen the inclusion of autistic people Who Is It For? Social Care workers Personal Assistants Early years and school based practitioners Heads and deputies Guidance staff Learning support teams SENCOs Primary and secondary teachers Parents Brothers and sisters Local authority support services Community workers and carers Course Content The course answers the questions : What is autism? How do we go about including autistic people? What does autism have to do with me? Key themes include: Movement differences Strategies for Facilitating Communication Supports and Accommodations for Sensory Sensitivities Developing Friendships and Peer Support School and Family Partnerships Learning to Listen Positive Behavioural Supports

In this practical workshop session we will explore ways of including pupils who have been labelled as being on the autism spectrum. The session will be values based and practical and will aim to allow the sharing of experiences and good practice as well promoting innovative approaches to inclusion through the design of best practice. Course Category Autism and Communication Description In this practical workshop session we will explore ways of including pupils who have been labelled as being on the autism spectrum. The session will be values based and practical and will aim to allow the sharing of experiences and good practice as well promoting innovative approaches to inclusion through the design of best practice. Parental perspectives and experiences will also be explored. This is not a ‘medical model’ day on autism. Our motto for the day is ‘People do things for a Reason (and the reason isn’t autism).’ We make full use of first hand accounts of the experience of autism – the autobiographies – to deepen participants’ understanding of what it means to be labeled ‘autistic’ “We are all much more simply human than otherwise, be we happy and successful, contented and detached, miserable and disordered, or whatever.”HARRY STACK SULLIVAN Testimonials ‘A great day – going away buzzing with ideas’?? ‘Thanks for a wonderful day. Useful informative and a real ‘eye opener’. I feel that I am able to understand why some autistic children carry out certain actions’ ‘I have gained a lot of knowledge and understanding and will be able to help support and accommodate children better. Thank you.’ ‘I now know autism is part of us all’ ‘Useful to stand in shoes of autistic people’ ‘I was blessed to be on this day’ ‘I will take all these ideas back to the nursery’ ‘Very respectful of people on the spectrum.’ ‘Ways of reaching a person, not a condition.’ ‘Really gave me an idea of how people feel.’ Learning Objectives Increased confidence regarding autistic pupils and their inclusion in mainstream schools Access to a wider range of practical strategies to impact on communication and behaviour issues Deeper understanding of core values surrounding inclusion New skills and processes to strengthen the inclusion of young Autistic people in all settings Who Is It For ? Early years and school based practitioners Heads and deputies Guidance staff Learning support teams SENCOs Primary and secondary teachers Parents Local authority support services Community workers and carers Course Content The course answers the questions : What is autism? How do we go about including autistic children or young people? What does autism have to do with me? Key themes include: Movement differences Strategies for Facilitating Communication Supports and Accommodations for Sensory Sensitivities Developing Friendships and Peer Support School and Family Partnerships ‘Learning to Listen’ – Positive Behavioural Supports Developing School wide Supports for Teachers and Students

Inclusion Facilitation (IF) is an approach to enhancing the inclusion, in a mainstream community of any child or young person who is experiencing difficulties in the world because of disability, personal crisis or because of their challenging behaviour towards others. The IF approach works by mobilising the young person’s natural supports to provide support and engage with the person in difficulty. Inclusion Facilitation is designed to create a better life for an individual by the provision of an intense input designed to being about social change. This usually entails a series of visits focused on getting the person out and about to increase confidence, social skills and presence in their local community and to pursue goals and dreams. Uniquely, the work is carried out under the close clinical supervision of a practicing psychologist. What is Inclusion Facilitation Work? ‘We do whatever it takes!’ Usually a Person Centred Planning event would be carried out using the PATHor MAP process – majoring on dreams and goal setting leading to precise action planning.  An experienced psychologist alongside the inclusion facilitator would carry out a PATH. A large graphic will be one of the outcomes of the meetings this is a great visual record and a shared memory of the event. This will also inform the priorities for the inclusion facilitation work Optionally following the PATH event a ‘scoping report’ is created outlining what Inclusion Facilitation could offer and highlighting what dreams and goals the individual has. The PATH is also provides a good opportunity for the Facilitator to meet the focus person in a comfortable positive environment. 12 weekly visits from the Inclusion Facilitator followed by 5 monthly visits is our preferred model but we can be flexible with the delivery of this input. This is just a guideline, however we have received good results using this time frame. After this intensive input the Inclusion Facilitator will hand over to the existing family, carers and PA team to carry on where he or she has left off. This transition time is planned from the outset. An experienced psychologist is there to support the facilitator at all times and will guide all work done by the inclusion facilitator.  Is this just Support work? No! This is proactive engagement – doing whatever is required. We are not just passively or reactively providing what is asked for – we are actively pursuing a good life for the individual. Our work is built on careful research around a person’s interests and what opportunities exist locally. We carry out community mapping.  We actively work to tackle an individual’s own resistance and reluctance to engage more socially. We actively engage with people in social settings that the individual attends to build bridges and connections – we are bridge builders. We build circles around a person. We create the conditions in which friendships can flourish. We have direct psychological supervision and support throughout. This work is short term and intense. Enjoy participating in a multimedia workshop that will challenge, entertain and reach for your emotions. Learning Objectives 1.To be able to understand the values and wider context of inclusion. 2.To be able to set up and run an ‘Inclusion Facilitation project to improve the life chances and connections of a child or young person. 3.To understand and be able to maximise the power of the peer group in supporting relationships, achievement and behaviour. Course Content The course answers the questions: What do you do with the child who is isolated by their aggression and anger, through being different, disabled or new to the school or community? Practically how do we go about including high profile children or young people? How can we help some children be friends? We will cover:  Inclusion values underpinning this work The Intentional Building of Relationships –‘Inclusion Facilitation’ work as an example Not doing it alone – The Importance of Teams in developing inclusive practice Practical setting up and running of IF work Lessons learned Stories of IF work

Learn to weave, 'off-loom' with Sarah Ward, via Zoom

Learn to weave, 'off-loom' with Sarah Ward, via Zoom

Learn to weave, 'off-loom' with Sarah Ward, via Zoom