“Facilitators of the GERI work cannot stand firmly outside the process they invite participants into, but must learn to immerse themselves into the alchemy of the gender healing process, while also remaining centered and present as facilitators to the full group and their needs”.
(Excerpt from: Gender Equity and Reconciliation – Thirty Years of Healing the Most Ancient Wound in the Human Family – Chapter 25: Training the Next Generation of Leaders)
The GERI Professional Immersion and Facilitator Training program is a one-of-its-kind learning experience. The groundwork and foundation are embedded in a methodology that invites each participant to personally immerse into a journey of self-discovery, truthful expression, experiential learning and mindful practice. With a special emphasis on spirituality and sexuality, facilitation skills are honed and expanded to different and new depths. A deeply transformative experience, on many levels.
The need for more of the GERI programs to be implemented and spread more widely across the globe has been growing increasingly and the time to respond to this need was due. To achieve this, more trained facilitators are needed to support this expansion and growth of the GERI work.
This year started with the very clear intention to host a Global GERI Facilitator Training program with participants from the regions of North America (United States & Canada), India, Kenya and East Africa, South Africa, Latin America and Spain. The initial plan was to offer this training program in a hybrid format of in-person and online sessions. The intricate development process highlighted the needs within the various regions which resulted in an exciting, adapted implementation strategy. Instead of 1 integrated global training program, what evolved was a simultaneous implementation of training programs, uniquely suited to each geographic region and needs. The 2023 facilitator training program took shape with the plan to implement regional programs as follows:
- Online facilitator training program for Latin America and Spain, structured over 7 months. This is the first-ever GERI training program to be offered fully in Spanish.
- In-person training programs, structured as 4 modules over a year in each of thre regions: North America (United States & Canada), India, and Kenya / East Africa.
- An in-person training program for the Southern Africa region, planned for implementation in 2024.
The implementation strategy and plan included a meticulous process of creating awareness and inviting qualified trainees on the various continents through personal contacts from earlier GERI programs, plus targeted online information sessions, to present the overall training program, including its structure, methodology, and overview of the content areas. This provided the opportunity for individuals interested to meet and engage with some of the GERI Trainers, and to ask questions to make an informed decision about signing up for the training program. This outreach met with great interest and enthusiasm, and the applications increased quickly in all regions. The applications were then carefully reviewed by the training team and candidates were selected for each region.
Our online training for Spanish speakers ran May 27 to October 21, 2023, and included 13 trainees from Argentina, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Spain, and Mexico. These remarkable individuals devoted their Saturdays over six months to successfully complete the first level of the online GERI Training. Meanwhile in India, our group of 18 trainees completed Modules 1 and 2 of the training June 6 – 11 and October 2 – 7. Our Kenyan and East African cohort of 34 trainees completed Module 1 July 11 – 16, and Module 2 December 17 – 22. Finally, our North American of nearly 20 trainees completed Modules 1 August 2 – 7 and Module 2 November 28 – December 3.
Beyond these intensive and immersive training modules themselves, GERI trainers from around the world have been holding regular connection calls with the various cohorts of trainees, who are continued to build and maintain the connection and learning between modules. Further, in addition to the 80+ new trainees in this process, we have a further 10 certified GERI Facilitators who are in training to become GERI Trainers.
The 83 trainees engaged in the training programs have stepped onto this journey with courage and openness to immerse themselves in their learning and development. It has been a heartfelt and humbling experience to witness each of them meeting themselves, and others in new ways. Navigating the diversity and intersectionality of culture, language, gender expression and identity, religious-, faith- and spiritual paths and practices, this program is setting deep roots and foundation for the next generation of GERI leaders. A sentiment shared by the trainees is the sense of belonging, community, safety and connection in each training cohort. There is great excitement for the continued immersion, practice and learning towards the completion of this training program.
In one example of the depth of courage and authenticity brought forth by these trainees, GERI Director of Training Desireé English shares this short vignette from our cohort in India:
Breaking through the Indian cultural and systemic barriers of silence and secrets, it was deeply moving to witness a 22-year-old young woman take the courage to speak of the sexual violation she experienced at the hands of a 45-year-old man. She stepped into the truth-telling circle of women, took hold of the stick of anger, sat down on the floor, and began softly speaking of her experience. With her eyes closed she recounted the details of the incident, and the subsequent reactions of others close to her. Those whom she took into confidence did not believe her, and then blamed her. Her despair, sadness and loneliness were palpable, and she collapsed into a heap of heart-wrenching sobs. She settled down after about a minute, took a deep breath and continued speaking. With strength in her hands, she grabbed the stick firmly and smashed it into the ground a few times and allowed the energy of her anger to release through the power of her voice. She lifted her head higher, tilted her chin and looked into the eyes of the women surrounding her. Drawing strength and support from the circle she claimed back her power, and stance of being witness to her own experience, and not remain a victim. There was not a dry eye in the circle. It was inspiring to witness the process of this young woman reclaiming herself, and releasing what has been stuck in her being for a long time. When she felt complete, she gently got up and with a smile on her face she thanked everyone and went back to her seat. She was seen and heard. That was the alchemy of the healing process.
From that moment onwards, over the rest of the training days, her voice was noticeably louder and clearer, her smile brighter, and to the delight of everyone, she claimed a lead role as narrator in the honouring ceremony that the women prepared for the men. This encounter affirmed for her that she is in the right place in this training program, and she expressed the desire to create and introduce this level of safety for others, women and men.
Other trainees have shared similar insights of their deepened growth and personal learning through the training process. As one young man from Kenya reflected,
My world has undergone a dramatic change. The way I used to view women in society. The actions and words that I do and say may have long-term effects/impacts on women. Behind every smile, there may be a painful story that someone was subjected to. I will have a different view of handling and dealing with women, from a point of love and caring.
Another young women from India shared,
I now recognise the transformative impact of including men in the reconciliation process, particularly in dismantling patriarchy and rape culture. This was significant for me because it highlights the initial difficulty I had in including men in discussions around gender equity and the recognition of the potential positive impact when men are involved in the reconciliation process.
We are deeply enthused to continue in the training journeys with each of these training groups into 2024, knowing that these trainings will significantly expand GERI’s capacity to deliver our programs in these multiple regions, with expanded teams of interns and facilitators able to deliver the work both online and in-person. For more details on each of these training programs see our regional reports here: India, Latin America and Spain, Kenya and East Africa, North America
The year-long training programs in each of the regions will continue as scheduled, with completion of all four trainings by August/September 2024. This will culminate in the graduation of the trainees who have completed all the required training modules. They will then have the opportunity to move into an internship process to more actively engage in practice facilitation in GERI activities and workshops. This is supported by a one-on-one mentorship process as well as the support of experienced and skilled certified and experienced senior facilitators.
In South Africa, the need has grown for another in-person GERI facilitator training. Following various recent GERI workshops, both online and in-person, several participants have already made inquiries and completed the registration form for the facilitator training.