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Gender Equity and Reconciliation (GERI)
News from USA, South Africa, Australia
#WeHealTogether
"I can't thank you enough . . . A truly soul stirring and passion
generating experience. I came away from the workshop feeling
inspired to make a difference on what I believe is the
single most important Human Rights issue globally."
~ Male participant in GERI workshop
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HIGHLIGHTS from GERI in United States
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Big Sur, CA
May 27 - June 1
We are pleased to announce a unique, collaborative workshop between GERI senior leaders and psychiatrist Stanislav Grof and colleagues.
This unique 6-day GERI workshop will focus on
Gender Equity and Reconciliation in the mornings, with afternoon sessions of Holotropic Breathwork, a unique breathing practice that has been an important component of the GERI training program for more than 20 years.
Facilitators are William Keepin, Cynthia Brix, Stanislav Grof, Brigitte Grof, and Diane Haug. Support GERI facilitators include: Zanele Khumalo, Julien Devereux, and John Tsungme Guy.
Follow us on
Twitter & Instagram:
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GERI intern facilitator, Scott Van Note
feeling the love!
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Pacific Lutheran University (PLU)
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PLU students in GERI psychodrama activity
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We were delighted to return to Pacific Lutheran University (PLU), Tacoma, WA, Sept. 22-23
for our third consecutive year offering another powerful
GERI workshop for students, faculty, and staff.
Alka Arora
and
Garrett Evans, GERI intern facilitators
co-led the workshop with
California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS)
"I have a better understanding of men
this was the heart of my own growth"
~ Woman participant
"Thank you so much for who you are
and for this work. The experience has literally changed
my life!"
~Male participant
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| CIIS students in playful gender activity |
What a joy to return to the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) in San Francisco, CA to offer an introductory GERI workshop. The depth of personal sharings were deeply heartfelt, and the final honoring ceremonies were incredibly moving.
Laurie
Gaum
, GERI facilitator from South Africa joined us on the team, along with GERI interns,
Alka Arora
, Garrett Evans, and our newly certified GERI facilitator,
Samantha Sinclair
.
(Click here to read more!)
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| Cross-gender honoring ceremony |
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Southwestern College
Santa Fe, New Mexico
"
I feel privileged to have witnessed the men
stand in their vulnerability,"
- Woman participant
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Icebreaking activity at Southwestern College
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Nearly thirty men and women participated in an introductory session at Southwestern College in Santa Fe, New Mexico. GERI interns
Scott Van Note, Francesca
Bottos, and Garrett Evans
co-facilitated the program with
GERI founders,
William Keepin and
Cynthia Brix
.
Stay tuned for a GERI introductory workshop coming soon in Santa Fe!
GERI Introductory Workshop
Seattle, WA
"
I learned so much, and will be carrying forward many memories
from this weekend to help me in virtually every area of my life."
~ Male participant
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Men's honoring ceremony for the women
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In the wake of #MeToo campaign and the ongoing exposure of widespread sexual harassment throughout the country, s
even men and eight women gathered in early December to share the truth of their gendered experience, rediscover mutual empathy and care, and begin to reclaim the beloved community that is the birthright of women and men across the globe.
"I deeply appreciated thow dramatically my capacity to express myself increased with a sense of trust."
~ Woman participant
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A sweet offering of flowers
Men's honoring ceremony to women
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In our time together, we witnessed the mystery and resiliency of the human spirit, the heart's capacity to grieve, and to love. The
courage of everyday women and men who are striving to w
alk with integrity in the challenges of life, brought forward a tremendous sense of care, sensitivity, and a renewed commitment to healing and reconciliation.
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HIGHLIGHTS from GERI in South Africa
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International Organization Development Association (IODA)
A Flourish Pre-conference Institute
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Open circle of GERI workshop at
IODA conference
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A group of inspiring
men and women from five countries, including India, Australia, Pakistan, South Africa and the United States dove deeply into healing the gender divide during a GERI pre-conference institute at the IODA Flourish Conference held at the Sustainability Institute in Stellenbosch, September 4, 2017. GERI facilitators Zanele Khumalo and Jabu Mashinini co-lead the powerful daylong workshop.
(
Read more here!
)
GERI Workshop in Port Elizabeth
"I've learnt to forgive. To understand women and men
and to listen to them with a heart of care".
~ Male GERI participant
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Helenvale community GERI sharing circle
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"
We shared our life stories and what was bothering us and what we bottled in our hearts. When we shared in both small and big groups the feeling of support and understanding helped me to see that I am not going through my pain alone as I can relate to other people's experiences and life journey. The healing was overwhelming.
"
~ GERI workshop participant
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Port Elizabeth participants sharing
t
heir gender stories
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Gender Equity and Reconciliation International held its
inaugural workshop in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, 15-16 Septemb
er 2017 with a group of 18 women and men from Helenvale community. This community of leaders, activists and Alternative to Violence Project (AVP) facilitators experienced the depth of healing, forgiveness and liberation that came with sharing their stories with courage and compassion.
The safe forum of the Gender Equity and Reconciliation process was a transformative space, much needed in the Helenvale community. GERI facilitators Lesley Thomas and Zanele Khumalo co-led this workshop.
"We need more of these workshops because we are a broken community. We are prisoners of our own selves. If more people could heal from the inside we would be a better community."
~ Woman participant
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Men offering a poem (see below) they wrote to honor the women during the Port Elizabeth GERI workshop
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You're strong
I did you wrong
Instead of protect
I did reject!!!
Your tears
Were my fears
Your fears
Were my hidden tears
I give my man
To you women
Never again
Shall I blame
For my pain
Bonteheuwel, Cape Town Follow-Up SOUL Group
"Thanks for an excellent, motivational, reconciliation session.
It gave me rejuvenated spiritual and physical energy to
continue serving humanity."
Participants from the community workshop in Bonteheuwel, Cape Town, gathered together to reconnect and share how the workshop two months earlier had impacted their lives. In this GERI follow-up session called, SOUL (Self Organising Ubuntu Learning) group, these inspiring individuals spoke of the depth of authentic connection with themselves since the workshop.
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GERI participants in follow-up SOUL group |
"Today we realised the importance of this healing process as our community, society, our country, our leaders and the entire world is in turmoil."
~ GERI participant
Bonteheuwel, along with other communities in the Cape Flats have high incidents of gang violence, youth unemployment, drug and alcohol abuse. The SOUL groups are a vital touchstone for participants of past Gender Equity and Reconciliation workshops to cultivate communities of practise in healing the gender divide and transforming the patriarchal oppression that is rife in our communities and our institutions.
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An enthusiastic welcome to new staff Desireé English
Desireé English
is an Operations Officer for GenderWorks* and has spent most of her 25-year career creating and holding spaces for learning and development for individuals and groups including local government, corporates and NGOs. As an Integrative Trauma Healing Practitioner and independent learning and development consultant, Desireé is strongly grounded in her purpose of facilitating healing and empowerment within communities, especially working with women and youth. She loves being a mom to her daughter. Desireé is on track towards certification as a GERI facilitator.
* GenderWorks is a South Africa non-profit organization that is an affiliate of GERI, co-founded by several South African certified GERI facilitators to implement Gender Equity and Reconciliation programs in South Africa.
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Gender Equity and Reconciliation Australia
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Upcoming
2018 Australia Workshops
For more information, please contact GERI - Australia
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Congratulations to Esther
& William Diplock, GERI facilitators as they prepare to launch a new GERI affiliate branch -
Gender Equity and Recon
ciliation
Australia (GERA).
William Diplock, M Soc Sc (Couns)
and
Esther Diplock, M Couns
are GERI f
acilitators and program coordinators for GERI, in Brisbane, Australia. William is a counselor in private practice, with a background in individual, couples and family therapy and clinical supervision. He is also a teaching elder in Men's Rites of Passage. Esther is an individual & couples' therapist in private practice, and an educator and supervisor, with a specialization in Body Psychotherapy and trauma informed practice. William received his M Soc Sc in Counselling from Queensland University of Technology and Esther holds a B Occ Thy in Occupational Therapy from University of Queensland, and an M Couns from Christian Heritage College.
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Gender Equity and Reconciliation International
For more information visit:
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Gender Equity and Reconciliation International (GERI) is a program of the Satyana Institute, a non-profit educational organization. Satyana Institute relies upon
the support of individuals and sponsoring organizations. Donations are gratefully received.
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