Back by popular demand, Homerton Changemakers is delighted to announce that Dr Ashleigh and Hilary McLellan will be delivering two half-day workshops on Compassion and the brain on 6 December 2021, and Self-criticism: Does it help, or get in the way? on 22 March 2022.
You will reap the full benefits if you attend both workshops, but each workshop can also be attended independently. These are both online events.
Compassion and the brain
6th December 2021 - 10am to 1pm
In the first workshop, we will dive into our views of compassion and bring to light whether we may have blocks to it. You will learn about, and have space to reflect upon, what has shaped your brain and how it can be both amazing and infuriating. We will also introduce a model to understand our emotions according to their function and give you the opportunity to map out how your emotions are balanced. At the end of the session, you should have a greater insight into how your brain and emotions work and plan some actions for you and others going forward.
Self-criticism: Does it help, or get in the way?
22 March 2022
In the second workshop we will recap the main points of theory that are important in understanding our brain and emotions before helping us get to know why we may be self-critical. Self-criticism can be incredibly common in high achievers and perfectionists. We will explore how self-criticism can feel necessary but, linking with the models shared, it may not be as helpful as we think. Together we will explore and develop a new way to coach ourselves inside our own mind through using experiential practices to bring this to life. To end we will reflect on where we are within ourselves and what we need to do to move forwards in a way that is helpful for ourselves and others.
Profile of the two presenters:
Hilary McLellan (first photo above) – an Organisational Behaviourist and Exec. Coach and Dr Ashleigh McLellan (second photo above) – a Clinical Psychologist, are not just part of the same family, they have spent the last two years carefully connecting their professional knowledge and experience to bring ‘compassion focused coaching’ to the corporate and executive coaching world.
Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) pioneered by Professor Paul Gilbert is continually being adapted and applied to organisational and business contexts, education and politics. Compassion is defined in this model as a sensitivity to the suffering (problems/pain) in the self and others with a commitment to try and alleviate and prevent it.
Hilary and Ashleigh blend their respective specialities of Emotional Intelligence and CFT and invite delegates to reflect upon their perspectives and behavioural patterns. Using Compassionate Mind Training models and exercises, they make clear that compassion is not an emotion it is a motivation that is rooted in our evolved systems of care-giving and receiving.
In working with individuals and groups we help delegates explore their understanding of compassion and tease out any resistance, blocks or fears they may have to it. Importantly we highlight that compassion is not just for other people, nor is it weak, soft, or ‘fluffy’.
