Managing, acknowledging and sustaining change

November 9, 2020

MANAGING, ACKNOWLEDGING, AND SUSTAINING CHANGE

By Sally Denham-Vaughan & Marie-Anne Chidiac

If you have participated in any of our Relational Organisational Gestalt events (either introductory workshops or full trainings) then both parts of this newsletter are invitations to you!

And if you haven’t experienced ROG yet, feel free to skip to the second part about our online gathering on Wednesday 25 November!

THE ROG CREATIVE PROJECT

We started creating Relational Organisational Gestalt (ROG) in 2005 and the program has existed as a Certificate, Post Graduate Diploma, and Masters Degree (MSc). Our aim was to find a new way of bringing relational gestalt to a full range of OD professionals and organisational leaders. To achieve this, we created new forms of presenting existing gestalt material, as well as developing other frameworks from scratch.

We were particularly keen to create a methodology and way of working with large systems, groups, communities and teams where, in our experience, the task and relational contract were very different from that existing in the therapeutic dyad.

Individual needs are not (and should not be) the primary organising principle in larger systems. Instead, individuals have organised themselves into larger groupings to achieve tasks that are very frequently in service of over-arching values and purpose. Indeed, when an individual’s needs do organise a larger group of people this can frequently reflect issues of power and/or privilege, as outlined in our recent work on 'Ethical Presence'.

Today we are very aware that many amazing professionals working in organisational development around the world have participated in our ROG trainings. We have the privilege of knowing that the approach is being applied in creative, innovative, and vitally important ways to support a range of organisations and communities globally.

We hope to publish a range of short papers (or poems, blogs, vlogs) in our next newsletter, which will give a sense of the reach of ROG and its impact. We are working with RC Associates Ann Shuptrine and Maggie Marriott (see their bios here) to produce this, and would love to receive your contributions.

Whether you work as a consultant, coach, facilitator, manager, leader, trainer, or any combination of these, we are keen to highlight how ROG has impacted your organisationally focused work. You are warmly encouraged to contribute in the form of a short article, personal reflection, poem, opinion piece or dialogue that identifies a change in your practice.

We are curious to hear how this change affected any or all of the Self-Other-Situation dimensions of your practice - for example, how ROG changed you and how you work; how it changed who you work with or how you work with others; or how it changed where you work or changed the outcome with your client.

Guidelines

A maximum of 1000 words, in English please, and not published or submitted elsewhere. Shorter pieces are very welcome too.
References are not necessary, but if included must be documented in full at the end of your submission.
Please note that any references to clients must be anonymised and disguised.
We reserve the right to refuse to publish any submissions that we view as defamatory or damaging to persons/reputations, even if that person is the author.
Include a short biography (50-100 words) and an email address for further contact.
We can provide up to 30-minutes of free support with your article/project if needed.
Deadline for all submissions is December 18, 2020.
Please submit by email to maggie@maggiemarriott.com.
If you have any questions, please email those to Maggie too.

THE GATHERING 2020: AN INVITATION TO ALL

As we begin the second period of nationwide lockdown in England, there is no doubt that the COVID pandemic has taken its toll on each one of us. Public health measures such as social distancing, although necessary, have restricted ways in which we gain support and regulate our stress levels. Research has shown the obvious: anxiety and depression symptoms as well as psychological distress have gone up with the ongoing coronavirus situation. And it is still not over. So what can we do to manage and sustain ourselves in this context?

In our annual gathering, we warmly invite you to a moment of pause, a moment of reflection and presence. A moment in which together we look back on what this time has meant for each one of us, and how has it changed our assumptions or beliefs about ourselves, others or the world we live in. Each moment of crisis is a moment of dysregulation, but also an opportunity for pausing and taking stock – with a possible opening to something new.

Has this time changed your ideas of what change and support is about? Has it challenged your sense of what is ethical? Has it invited you to reconsider what you assumed were key aspects of how you practise, and what is most important in what you offer as a leader, coach, consultant or therapist?

Please join us on 25th November via Zoom for this international day of inquiry and much needed connection! You'll find all details, including how to book your ticket, here.

SUPERVISION: A RELATIONAL CHANGE PROCESS

Starts January 2021 | ONLINE

CERTIFICATE/DIPLOMA PROGRAMME
Tutors: Lynda Osborne, Sally Denham-Vaughan & Marie-Anne Chidiac

SOME PLACES STILL AVAILABLE!

This ten day course spread over 9 months is UKCP (HIPC) recognised, meets BACP standards and is suitable for psychotherapists, counsellors and organisational practitioners with at least 2 years experience, wishing to be accredited to supervise others. UKCP members who complete the diploma can go straight onto the HIPC supervisors directory.

SUPERVISION OF TRAUMA

In response to demand, we are planning to run a specialist module in 2021 for supervisors who would like to build on their skills and knowledge in working with trauma. For more info and to register your interest, please email Miriam Taylor.