Sustainable Masculinity Program with Robert Birch

Robert Birch will be launching a ten-week class for men called Sustainable Masculinity in January 2010. The project will include topics on father-son relationships, health and healing, communication skills, the value and expression of appropriate anger, personal vision and community service. Call 653-0036 or contact Robert by mail for more information. As an international educator in the field of community development Robert brings over twenty years of experience to the table. Birch says, “This project is an exciting opportunity for a dynamic group of men to gather on a weekly basis to offer one another encouragement, support and inspiration.”

Here are the program details:

Weekly Topics

1. Creating a men’s container: confidentiality, respect, participation, trust building, boundaries & communication
2. Becoming the father you wanted: fathers and sons
3. Time out: friends and play
4. Stepping into the fire: anger and rage
5. Money
6. Sex
7. Passion and purpose
8. The privilege of service 1: defining our rights, roles and responsibilities
9. The privilege of service 2: men supporting men supporting our world
10. Closing night ritual

What are some of the things we’re going to do?

• Check-ins
• Swap stories
• Experiential trust building
• Talking circles
• Body-centred learning
• One–on- one conversations
• Small group activities
• Outdoor activities
• Games
• Some light ritual
• Some weekly preparatory readings and journaling

What participants can hope to get out of their commitment?

• Role relief/stress relief as men in today’s gender-hyped society
• Improve over-all self-confidence
• Develop a stronger, and potentially on-going, support system among island men
• Practice more effective communication skills
• Build emotional intelligence
• Identify, focus and/or re-tool their personal life mission
• Put together pieces of past experiences in a way that serves present and future directions
• Have both deep meaningful experiences -and fun doing it while learning in a safe, cooperative setting

Dates and Times: 10 Tuesday evenings starting January 5, 2010 (Jan. 5 to March 9th)
Cost: is between $230-325 sliding scale (some scholarship is available).

Call 653-0036 or contact Robert by mail for more information.

More About Robert Birch

Robert Birch, M.A., travels throughout North America and around the globe leading group trainings and retreat programs that support and challenge participants to take more healthier and more imaginative risks in their lives and organizations. As a social activist and educator he trains and facilitates a variety of cutting edge cultural-enhancement projects. On a one on one basis, Robert also gently supports individual clients to evolve through self-limiting beliefs and chronic social patterns in order to step more intimately and more radically into the adventure of their own lives.

He feels honoured to serve many diverse populations including men’s groups, chronic health sufferers, youth, coastal native organizations, the LGBT community, women’s organizations, federal prisons, Canada World Youth as well as guiding visionary government, religious, business, youth and educational leaders to follow their visions of making their programs and services more creative, accessible and effective.

Robert received his M.A. from the University of Victoria in the fields of Applied theatre and Educational Psychology; a B.F.A. from Toronto’s Ryerson University and is a graduate of the International School of Playback Theatre in New York, as well as an active member of the Mankind Project. During a rigorous eight-year apprenticeship he researched and developed several highly effective approaches to group communication. Over the past twenty years Robert’s primary areas of interest include personal and social health and well-being; conflict as a creative tool for constructive change; fostering social diversity; tracking personal and cultural mythologies and promoting community mentorship.

He is presently offering a series of community projects over the coming months:  Sustainable Masculinity; exploring men’s social health and well-being; Ritual Studies and Rites of Passage;The Velvet Rage, based on Alan Downs research of how gay men can “overcome the pain of growing up gay in a straight man’s world”; The Artist’s Way, based on the international best seller by Julia Cameron; and with Jamie Capranos, DCH,CCH,RCSHom, Body Intelligence, reclaiming our authority for one’s own personal and family health; Ancestral Healing; and The Elements of Magic.

Robert lives with his partner Mark on an organic heritage seed farm on Saltspring Island, BC. For more information please visit www.playbacktraining.com