• Aug 4, 2022

May 2022 Workshop

GTLYW workshop 27, 28 and 29 May, 2022
Presenter: Jiselle Saraghi
Assistant: Christine Butera
Venue: Jiselle's home in Palm Beach Queensland

On the last weekend in May, five couples gathered with a mixture of trepidation and excitement to experience for themselves a GTLYW workshop. I also held quite a bit of trepidation as four of the couples were unknown to me. One couple from Canberra had found the workshop via the Airta website, another two after a google search, while another couple had been waiting since precovid to do a workshop. They had been witness to the transformation in their friend’s relationship after they had attended the February 2020 workshop and they were wanting that experience for themselves. Finally the stars aligned and the May workshop happened for them.

Past experience has shown me that anything can happen at a workshop. However, my trepidation and anxiety were soon put to rest as this group of very different people quickly gelled and bonded by their mutual intention to deepen and grow their relationships.

The weekend went by as they always do in a blur. Everyone showing up for themselves and each other in a most incredible way. My home is light and airy and there are enough nooks and crannies for them to find their own space for the practices while the living space could hold them all comfortably for the lectures and demonstrations. I also live near Tallebudgera creek and it is an easy walk along the creek to the beach. So there is a nice environment to escape to in the breaks.

However, by day two, no one was looking to escape and the couples were making plans to head off to have lunch together at the local surf club.

The standouts for me were the willingness of the participants to be so open and vulnerable. I didn't have to do much coaxing to get a volunteer couple for the demonstrations. As always the parent and child dialogue followed by the holding exercise was incredibly moving.

The Sunday is a lighter day and there was much laughter and funny wisecracks being shared. As a group, they were opening up and sharing their stories with each other. I know some of us aren’t so keen on the BCR (Behaviour Change Request) dialogue but if you had been witness to their enthusiasm for it you might change your mind.

There were many aha moments, insights and reflections had by the participants. The biggest of course is the childhood connection piece. Witnessing them join the dots and make their discoveries was such a gratifying experience for me.

The highlight for me is the final dance. The room is dimmed and they are asked to move close together and move in time to Ed Sherran’s ‘Thinking Out Loud”. Some dance, while others just hold each other moving to the music. Tears always fill my eyes, Christine my beautiful assistant was happy to let me have my own slow dance with her. It was time for us to also honour what had passed for us over the course of the workshop.

There was plenty to celebrate, armed with their new tools and skills the couples were sent forth to implement and integrate all they had learned over a very full but exhilarating weekend. The workshop is an amazing experience and I was reminded of the joy of this work and of the great privilege to be part of it.

Next workshop is 12,13 and 14 November.