Healing the Personal & Cultural Rifts Between Women & Men Through Gender Reconciliation

May 11-13 OR May 18 – 20, 2018

Co-sponsored by:

Come, Speak Your Truth, Be Heard and Be Honored

You'll learn new ways to reconcile gender issues, increase your empathy and intimacy skills, and leave with renewed energy to improve your relationships

This is a genuine once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create the relationships you've always wanted

A unique aspect of these once-in-a-lifetime weekends is the participation of 14 Ukrainian professionals who have long experience in using group process to resolve gender differences. Our partner organization, The Smokebrush Foundation, is providing funding to help bring this group of Ukrainian men and women to Colorado for two weeks to participate in this first-ever international collaboration.

Ukraine occupies a unique geographic position: it sits on the “corpus callosum” of the world’s brain. During the last 25 years, it has been synthesizing the best of the East and the West. Psychologically, Ukrainians are showing the world how to unify differences and create a more caring and coherent world.

As Americans, we tend to “split” against those with whom we have conflict and view them as bad or wrong. Ukrainians do something very different. If they “split” at all, it's against themselves, and then they work to heal the split internally.

While Ukrainians also struggle with gender issues, they have cultural skills that help them reconcile their differences and restore the web of social connectedness.

Learn from these caring people how to reconcile gender differences, increase empathy & intimacy and you'll approach your relationship with a new perspective.

Event Details:

Each workshop is limited to 42 participants: 28 Americans + 14 Ukrainians.

The first weekend is almost sold out, so reserve your space now.

Early Bird Pricing (Now - April 30th)

$325/Individual
$600/Couple

Regular Pricing (May 1st - May 18th)

$350/Individual
$650/Couple

Click Here to Register

Memorial Hall – City Hall

606 Manitou Ave

Manitou Springs, CO 80829

For more information: (719) 445-0565

Program Details

The Context...

America has a deep rift on gender issues, according to the Pew Research Center. In its recent report, On Gender Differences, No Consensus. Some people reported being more comfortable with traditional masculine and feminine roles and behaviors, while others said they preferred less traditional roles and behaviors around work and marriage. It’s clear that American culture is in transition, and that this rift is active in board rooms, kitchens and bedrooms across the nation. READ MORE>>>
Many people were shocked by the pedophile scandals in the Catholic Church, where priests molested mostly boys and young men. The recent wave of sexual assaults and harassment allegations of women by men in politics and the entertainment industry is another sign of this growing rift between genders. There also continues to be widespread denial about the now well-documented, long-term effects of childhood trauma on the physical and mental health of adults. This unhealed trauma gets reenacted during relationship conflicts between genders, adults and children, and between social and cultural groups.

All of these factors are bringing needed attention to the exploitation of the less powerful by inside dominator social structures. It is critical from a cultural perspective, to recognize dominator principles and a hierarchal power structure as the real problem. All those who are weaker and more vulnerable are and have been at the mercy of this dominator structure for almost 5,000 years.

Rather than blaming each other and becoming even more polarized, we feel it is important for men and women to identify their common wounds. Only then is it possible find the common ground necessary for healing this ancient gender rift that haunts us as a species.

Some Facts About American Men & Women
Whether you are a man or woman, here are a few fast facts to consider:

– The ratio of homeless men to women is about 3:1.
– The suicide ratio of men to women is about 4:1.
– The incarceration ratio of men to women is about 9:1.
– The homicide victim ratio of men to women is about 9:1
– The occupational fatality ratio of men to women is about 9:1.
– The drug addiction ratio of men to women is about 5:2
– Combat death ratio (since the first Gulf War) of men to women is about 33:1.
– Women live on average seven years longer than men.
– The college graduation ratio of women to men is about 4:3.
– Women are a minority in the U. S. Senate and the House.
– Women are more likely to experience domestic violence (4 to 1).
– Women are more likely to be living in poverty (6 in 10 are women).
– Women are more likely to be sexually assaulted. 1 in 5 women report being raped.
– Pay inequality is real. Women make 78 cents to every dollar a man makes.
– Women are more likely to be stalked.1 in 7 women reported being stalked. 1 in 18 men report this.

The Program...

In each of these two separate, experiential, 3-day workshops, women and men will identify their common wounds from growing up in dysfunctional families and patriarchal cultures and explore in-depth the personal impact these wounds have had on them and their relationships. READ MORE>>>
In this safe space, we will focus on understanding and integrating the divine feminine and sacred masculine in both men and women. This process requires that both men and women identify and internalize these under-developed parts of themselves rather than projecting them on the opposite gender.

From this place of inner work, it becomes possible to move beyond old relationship patterns, myths, beliefs and projections, and towards equality and the sharing of power. Through processes of deep listening, taking personal responsibility, offering forgiveness, and accepting opportunities to choose love, participants will work to restore the web of interconnectedness between men and women in ways that move beyond patriarchy. Here we also can seek ways to reconcile other polarized issues that have traditionally separated groups of people: young and old, natives and non-natives, and East and West.

A unique aspect of these two weekends is the participation of 14 Ukrainian professionals who have long experience in using group process to resolve gender differences. Our partner organization, The Smokebrush Foundation, is providing funding to help bring this group of Ukrainian men and women to Colorado for two weeks to participate in this first-ever international collaboration. These two weekends are part of a larger 12-day community celebration, Manitou Chooses Love. Contact Judy Piazza at smokebrushlivingarts@gmail.com for more information on these events.

Ukraine occupies a unique geographic position: it sits on the “corpus callosum” of the world’s brain. During the last 25 years, it has been synthesizing the best of the East and the West. Psychologically, Ukrainians are showing the world how to unify differences and create a more caring and coherent world. While Ukrainians are also struggling with gender issues, they have cultural skills that help them reconcile their differences and restore the web of social connectedness.  Americans tend to “split” against those with whom they have conflict and view them as bad or wrong.  Ukrainians do something very different. If they “split” at all, it is against themselves, and then they work to heal the split internally.

What Each Participant Will Learn To:
– Better understand their internal struggles men & women face between their inner masculine and inner feminine aspects.
– Find their voice to express their truth and be heard in a safe and sacred container.
– Identify the core gender issues that contribute to the rifts between adult men and women.
– Heal any underlying childhood traumas that contribute to the conflicts in adult relationships.
– Experience heart-centered approaches to resolving gender-based conflicts.
– Negotiate to get their needs met in healthy and productive ways.
– Identify and reclaim projections that cause splits against self or other.
– Discover and change personal beliefs that support a dominator worldview.
– Have multiple opportunities to Choose Love while reconciling gender issues.
– Work to reconcile other polarizing issues that separate native & and non-native people, youth & elders, and East & West.
– Have opportunities for follow-up groups where participants can continue the gender-based dialogues begun during the workshop.

The Format:
The format will be experiential, with circles of men with men, women with women, and men and women together to explore the long-term impact of their core wounding. They will share ways their wounding has created recurring cycles of trauma and conflict in their adult lives and relationships. Together they will explore effective ways to heal these gender-related issues. These workshops are designed to help both men and women find their voices, be heard, and be honored.

More Information...

Transportation, Housing, Etc...
Note:
We recommend that participants for the first weekend arrive by May 9 in order to participate in a Welcoming Celebration for the Ukrainians on May 9 and a We Choose Love concert by award-winning singer, song-writer, Shawn Gallaway on May 10. See www.weinholds@org/events for more information.

For more Information on Housing, Transportation, etc. or any questions:
Call us at (719) 445-0565 or email us at cicrcl@bellsouth.net. Upon request, we will provide a list of motels, AB&B and B&B near the venue. We urge you to go to Hotels.com or other online booking sites to get the best available price for these housing locations. We look forward to seeing you in May in Manitou Springs, CO (Just west of Colorado Springs)

Travel Information:
The COS airport is served by direct flights from various U. S. locations on Delta, United, American, Alaska Air, Allegiant, and Frontier Airlines. Manitou Springs is about 30 minutes from the airport and ground transportation is available.

Facilitator Bios

Barry Weinhold

Dr. Barry K. Weinhold is Professor Emeritus from UCCS where he founded the Counseling & Human Services Program in 1971 and retired after 30 years. He currently co-directs the Colorado Institute for Conflict Resolution & Creative Leadership and the Colorado Professional Development Center, and serves as Core Faculty at the Intercultural Open University Foundation’s doctoral program in Developmental Trauma Psychology. Barry is the author or coauthor of 60+ books in developmental psychology, counseling and personal growth.

Janae Weinhold

Dr. Janae B. Weinhold is a former Adjunct Professor at UCCS, where she taught for 15 years. She currently co-directs the Colorado Institute for Conflict Resolution & Creative Leadership and the Colorado Professional Development Center, and serves as Dean and Core Faculty at the Intercultural Open University Foundation’s doctoral program in Developmental Trauma Psychology. Janae has also been providing training, consultation and supervision services for mental health professionals in Ukraine for more than 25 years, and is the author of more than 15 books in developmental psychology, counseling and personal growth.

Inna Didkovsksa

Inna Didkovsksa is the Founder and Director of the Kiev Gestalt University in Kiev, Ukraine, which is accredited by the European Gestalt Therapy Association and the European Association of Psychotherapy. Here she has been training, mentoring and supervising psychotherapists for more than 25 years. Inna regularly leads retreats for women in India and Spain on sexuality, intimacy, relationships, and gender issues.

Shawn Gallaway

Shawn Gallaway (first weekend only) is an award-winning singer/songwriter, musician, visual artist, author, ceremonial healer, workshop leader, and a facilitator of Men’s Circles. He travels throughout the world sharing his message of Healing Through the Arts, and his Transformational Music designed to awaken the heart of humanity to Love! He facilitates workshops with men and women on Gender Reconciliation around the US and in Australia.

George Smolin

George Smolin (second weekend only), one of the co-founders of Kiev Gestalt University, Kiev, Ukraine serves as the Director of Methodology and is a long-time Senior Trainer and Supervisor in Gestalt Therapy. He is an experienced cross-cultural psychotherapist with a deep interest in developmental psychology. He also serves as a multilingual translator in French, Ukrainian, English and Russian languages. He has translated numerous books as well as countless seminars and workshops. George’s current area of specialization is working with gender and sex issues using a Gestalt approach.

Yura Kravchenko

Yura Kravchenko (second weekend only) is the Certified Psychotherapist (EAP, European Association of Psychotherapy), master-trainer in Positive cross-cultural psychotherapy (Wiesbaden Academy of Psychotherapy, Germany), Existential Consultant (GLE Society for Logotherapy and Existential Analysis in Vienna, Austria). He also is the Director of the School of Organizational & Existential Coaching (Kiev, Ukraine) and the Co-founder of Ukrainian Institute of Positive cross-cultural psychotherapy and management. Yura specializes in working with men and men’s issues, and leading retreats for men, couples and families.

Click Here to Register