WORKSHOP 1: BEING BOSS OF YOUR BRAIN!

with Petrea King, leading wellness educator, well-known cancer survivor, mind-body healing pioneer; CEO & Founder, Quest for Life Foundation 

Workshop Outline
There are two networks in the brain. The Default Mode Network (DMN) and the Task Positive Network (TPN). One keeps us trapped in repeating the past; the other is the bridge to our creativity, insight, compassion and wisdom.
Suffering enlivens our fears, frustrations, judgements, regrets and resentments. These beliefs and judgements are held in the Default Mode Network along with the, “I’ll be happy when….” stories. We can liberate ourselves from all suffering and live a meaningful life by engaging our Task Positive Network, our executive functioning brain. In this workshop we’ll explore the growth and joy that comes by embracing our challenges and harnessing our focused attention.

What you will get out of this workshop:
The brain makes a marvellous servant but a shocker of a master! If you find quietening your brain a challenge, then this workshop will help you understand, harness and manage your brain. Once you are the boss of your brain, you can contribute to life in a way that is unique in the world, and deeply meaningful to you.

WORKSHOP 2: THE SCIENCE AND ART OF FINDING JOY IN EVERYDAY LIFE

with Dr Suzy Green, leader in the fields of Coaching Psychology and Positive Psychology; CEO & Founder, The Positivity Institute

Workshop Outline
“Know that joy is rarer, more difficult, and more beautiful than sadness. Once you make this all-important discovery, you must embrace joy as a moral obligation.” André Gide

This workshop will provide an overview of the science behind the positive emotion of joy including the psychological benefits of consciously cultivating joy, sharing joy in other’s successes and the potential dark side of too much joy. A highly informative and experiential session that will help you spark joy at work and in life.

Content:

• What is joy? Scientifically speaking. Joy as a Positive Emotion - one of Fredrickson’s 10 positive emotions
• Why the conscious cultivation of joy? eg overcoming the negativity bias, creating a healthy mood
• Joy and Mindfulness - A snapshot of savouring & gratitude
• Joy and Others? Sympathetic Joy and Active Constructive Responding - taking joy in others joy/happiness - freudefraude rather than schadenfreude
• The dark and intense side of joy and acedia - the ultimate protection against vulnerability - and joy!
• Sparking Joy - Creating a joy portfolio - reference to “bringing joy into focus” eg joy and photography

WORKSHOP 3: PERENNIAL WISDOM, MEDITATION & HAPPINESS

with Dr Ian Gawler OAM,pioneer in popularising meditation and other mind-body techniques in the Western world; Founder, The Gawler Foundation 

Workshop Outline
These days meditation is often used in a manner somewhat akin to a drug. Many take it short-term, like a medicine, when they have a particular health need; others use it more like a steroid to enhance performance. While there is evidence this works to a degree, traditionally meditation did not exist within a vacuum. It was always an integral component of the spiritual path and was accompanied by wisdom teachings.

In this highly experiential workshop, we will explore the Perennial Wisdom common to all the great traditions, how that wisdom informs the practice of meditation, and how wisdom and meditation combine to build lasting happiness. The workshop will include information sharing, plenty of discussion and interaction, good time for questions and answers and solid meditation practice sessions led by the speaker.

We will examine:

• What helps individuals to develop a satisfying and regular meditation practice?
• Meditation practices relevant and appropriate for those seeking healing, to enhance performance and/or for those on the spiritual path
• What is “Perennial Wisdom”; what is common to all the great traditions and what are some of the key differences?
• How does Perennial Wisdom inform meditation practice, and provide a more realistic view of life?

• Learning the key components of Perennial Wisdom
• Deepening your understanding and experience of meditation
• Understanding how Perennial Wisdom combines with meditation to enhance satisfaction with practice and lead to increased levels of long-term happiness
• Appreciating how and why different meditation techniques are suitable for different purposes

WORKSHOP 4: CREATING HOPE EVEN AS OUR WORLD CHANGES BY USING ACCEPTANCE AND COMMITMENT PRACTICES

with Dr Louise Hayes, clinical psychologist, academic, author and trainer in acceptance, mindfulness and positive therapeutic approaches  

Workshop Outline
We are living with a growing list of challenges, both social (climate, politics, wars, economics etc) and personal (relationships, careers, health etc.). The research on how we change shows that we survive well when we are connected to our deepest sense of meaning and take purposive action. This is called psychological flexibility. Research shows that if we build psychological flexibility, we will maximise our capacity to cope and thrive, and it accounts for a whopping 40% of the variability in behaviour change.  

But how does one learn or teach others to be psychologically flexible? This workshop will introduce you to a cutting-edge framework of DNA-V based on evolution and contextual behavioural sciences, which allows everyone to learn psychological flexibility quickly and use it daily. With this approach, you can use your energy to live with vitality while also having the skills to manage difficult thoughts and feelings. You can build relationships while also learning how your history triggers you.  You can face external challenges such as climate change instead of turning away.  


What you will get out of this workshop:

• Learn the key aspects of psychological flexibility
• Apply these key steps to a wicked problem such as our changing world
• Deepen your understanding of value and vitality
• Learn key steps to build flexible thinking
• Learn key steps to help with emotions