June 10th, 2022 Roundhouse Community Arts and Recreation Centre 10:30am - 3:30 pm
Social Pressures, Norms, and the Body
When renowned sociologist, Harold Garfinkel, encouraged his students to stand “the wrong way” in a crowded elevator, facing the back!, or to "shop" from someone else's grocery cart, he wanted them to gain a felt sense of the social norms that are forever constraining and shaping behaviour, even if silent and unseen. This instructional and experiential workshop similarly aims to grant mental health professionals not just knowledge about but a felt, embodied sense of the pervasive power of social pressures, norms, and categories, and of the “us” and “them” world that modern society creates. Participants will leave with more capacity and tools to bring social context into their lives and "into the office."
We will move between presentation, discussion, and practice, examining how social norms and pressures shape every feeling, belief, and behaviour, and uniquely constrain those in marginalized positions. We will offer somatically-oriented exercises that help bring tension release and compassion and, thus, more freedom and forgiveness to everyday life.
This workshop draws from Brett Richardson's PhD work in Social Anthropology, and years working with queer and gender queer folks, as well as Ghinwa Yassine's unique contributions as a somatically-oriented artist and activist, whose work focuses on the experiences of Arab women, trauma, and the expression of resistance.
Who is This Workshop For?
Mental health workers and clinicians, health practitioners, and students in these fields
Social service workers, and students in these fields
Movement coaches and bodyworkers
Human Resource workers
Those interested in somatics, mindfulness, and meditative practices
Anyone whose work intersects those impacted by trauma and marginalization
What do I get out of the workshop?
5 Continuing Education Credits (CECs), for those working as therapists and clinicians
New tools to add to your practice
Experiential exercises and practices that will leave you with a deeper appreciation of the critical importance of equity-oriented practice
A chance to network with other people with shared interests and/or who work in the field
Registration
To register, please send an email, with your name, and anything you'd like us to know about yourself to brichardsoncounselling@gmail.com. Payment can be sent through e-transfer to brichardsoncounselling@gmail.com. Alternatively, you can register through Eventbrite here.
Early bird registration is $120 at midnight on May 30th. After May 20th, the workshop is $200.
Two scholarships will be available. Equity-seeking participants will be prioritized. Please send an email to brichardsoncounselling@gmail.com to inquire.
