Teaching workshops for 20yrs.
This last March will be almost the weekend, in March 2005 the first time I held a cpd workshop in my name Sue Bennett, which then became Flexible Healing workshops,
I had an invitation to organize, lead and recruit other teachers to present cpd workshops for members of my professional body at the LCSP register, the LCSP at the time was made up of remedial massage therapists, physiotherapist and osteopaths.
At the time it felt like a huge honor, I did wonder to myself what do I have to offer other therapists do I really have knowledge that is broad and deep to share of any meaning. I do believe there was a little impostor syndrome occurring.
The workshops were and still reflect my own practice they are reflection of my growth as a therapist over the last 20 years.
Over the years the workshops have covered subject matters:
- Muscle energy technique
- positional release
- studying the thoracic spine
- headaches and TMJ
- working with people with chronic pain states
- hip and shoulder dysfunction l!
- Hendrickson Method with Tom Hendrickson in San Francisco bringing the knowledge and technique back to the UK.
However, within the content of whatever subject matter been taught. There has always reflection, how do we teach adults.
Often therapist in my experience, people within my sphere of practice, other colleagues like me have not always had an enjoyable experience of education as a child.
I learnt quite quickly. That sometimes people were visual, audible, or kinaesthetic learners, my delivery would change in style to the group before me. Some people needed to record or film technique being shown, I grew confident creating boundaries and been clear it was okay to record for personal use, not to be shared on ‘social’.
What became clear over the years, that often therapist attending the workshops were often working in isolation. Whist they were there to learn a new technique, we would also end up reviewing patients’ treatment plans, clinical reasoning, how to help those patients stuck in patterns of dysfunction, how to look after ourselves in the face a patients seeking emotional support as well as healing from their injury.
The workshops have evolved over the years, to include NLP skills, to support clearer understanding of ourselves, giving therapist clearer communication skills, setting compassionate boundaries.
The workshops have become, more seminar in nature, over one day, feedback tells me therapist are enjoying the smaller groups, whilst new skills are being developed there is always space for questions, inquiry and self-development.
Watching therapist grow in skills, confidence, knowledge and insight has been an absolute joy over the years of sharing insights and knowledge. There has also been friendships made, laughter, smiles and giggles, sometimes tears wonderful memoirs never to be forgotten.