Dealing with Polarization and Trauma in Groups

For 20 years Ann Bradney has been on the ground developing the Radical Aliveness model for working with groups. Starting from her somatic psychotherapy background, this journey and exploration has led to some very specific ways of working cross-culturally, cross-nationally, with polarization, and “trauma”.

In this webinar, Ann will talk about what she has discovered about how to hold a group process that includes bodywork, awareness and relational work to create a powerful and inclusive container where all levels of the human experience can be seen, heard and validated. This requires very specific things from the leader.

To help illustrate the Radical Aliveness Approach to group work, Ann will provide case examples from around the world.

The presentation may draw upon, for example, comments from Radical Aliveness leaders such as Rasha Azoni, Muslim leader who has worked with diverse groups of Muslim women; Marilyn Torres, a Latinx woman working with marginalized groups and prisoners; Sylvia Margiah, a Palestinian leader who works with Arabs and Jews on the conflict in the Middle East; Nitsan Gordan, a Jewish leader in Israel working on the conflict in the middle east; Brent Neuman, Anglican Minister working through a congregation to revitalize their city; Peter Bregman, a Consultant working with CEOs and senior leaders to help them create accountability and inspire collective action; and Nuria Camps-Salat, a Spanish woman working with groups in Costa Rica. Ann may also comment about her five years of work in Nairobi, Kenya with Maryknoll nun Niki Angel to address polarization and trauma training.

When you can learn to engage powerful feelings without the need to control or tame them, that is Radical Aliveness.”
- Ann Bradney, Founder

WHAT IS RADICAL ALIVENESS?

The training programs and retreats of the Radical Aliveness Institute work with the intersection of systemic reality and emotional process, creating a space where hearts can be held with an awareness of world and social realities as well as family-of-origin issues. It is an environment where people from all walks of life, from all positions and roles, have space to be in relationship with each other and understand, feel, heal and transform on all levels of their being.

Offering a rigorous, ground-breaking curriculum for personal transformation and leadership, RAI cultivates leaders worldwide who authentically act from their hearts and from a deep place of knowing and understanding themselves and others. The innovative and unique Radical Aliveness method trains students how to skillfully work with, heal and transform complex personal and social issues. Radical Aliveness is eye opening, awareness growing, conflict resolving, community making. It bridges gaps and promotes understanding, relationship and connection where profound differences have lived, where we have despaired of solutions.