TO explore Potentiality
- I acknowledge my human experience resides in a larger collective human context
- I believe my personal effort of changing my ‘paradigm’ directly affects the collective
Facilitators
Gitta Ridder
I like to consider myself a free spirit, especially now in the 3rd and final act of my life 😉
A thread that has been weaving throughout my life is my strong sense for justice & the desire to reduce the effects of suffering. This led me to involve myself with violence prevention for women and girls since the mid 70’s in various capacities. I saw the overwhelming needs for women’s safety did not stop at any border. I was encouraged by women’s success stories of increased courage in standing up for themselves. In 1980 I began to train instructors in Wendo (personal safety program for women/girls) in West and East Europe, and I have been involved with Wenlido in India since 2001.
As part of the Wenlido instructor trainings I developed and taught a series on Trauma Resilience. My approach is partly informed by my studies with the HeartMath Institute (counter the effects of stress on the nervous system) and Thomas Huebl (generational/collective trauma healing). In the spring of 2023 I became certified to facilitate Thomas Huebl’s Attunement Practice groups. This work is close to my heart and ever evolving.
My studies, research and work on such intimate & personal issues with courageous, grassroots women from different cultures has greatly impacted how I view life and my place in humanity. Increasingly I am at a point though that, when I think now I understand the human condition, I surprise myself realizing that I don’t… really know. 🙁 I may ‘know stuff’, but how that unfolds in the next emerging moment is still never exactly the same, as last time. Realizing that, keeps me staying curious.
I served as an unofficial death doula most of my life, as well as being involved with hospice for decades. I worked as part of a team with Elizabeth Kübler-Ross while living in Hawaii.
What energizes me, is building relational capacity together beyond ‘unresolved’ trauma generated communication/thinking/behaviors. Haven’t we had enough of witnessing re-enacted personal & collective trauma, in the form of repetition compulsion? When we break that particular pattern, we open to the true mystery of living.
The current time of crisis- pandemic, climate change, advancement of Artificial Intelligence, increasing polarization, violence and wars – leaves many of us searching for tools to handle chaos and navigate our anxieties. We yearn to utilize our energy for something else.
I offer this platform to explore three particular areas of our social conditioning, with the intention to begin releasing their traumatic effects on us.
I hope we never loose sight of the absolute preciousness of EACH human LIFE while we are here…
I sincerely value collaboration and exploring holding space and facilitating group process with others. There is room for varied perspectives, life experience and expertise, which bring color and depth to everyone’s experience.
Ich spreche Deutsch. Je parle francais.
In the series Changing the Conversation about Life & Death, LESLIE BEARE will join us for our session on Diagnosis and Treatment Choices as guest facilitator. Leslie has worked as a Registered Nurse in Home Care, with a focus on palliative and end of life care.
Leslie has been intrigued by the mystery of death since early childhood. In her youth she would create beautiful death beds and perform end of life rituals to honour the passing of beloved pets. While studying Nursing she discovered that caring for the dying was where she would devote her energies. For almost 30 years, she has sat at the bedside of many during this most mysterious transition. She provides care and support to patients and their loved ones during the end of life’s journey. Leslie is well versed in bearing witness to the grief that arises when our loved ones die. She considers this work a sacred privilege.
In her spare time, Leslie practices Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy. She loves to be in nature with her precious Labradoodle, no matter what the weather. She also loves to share yummy food with friends and family.
In the series on WENLIDO (personal safety for women/girls ) JULIA CACERES BOOTH joins as a facilitator in training.
At 13, Julia took her first Wenlido course with Gitta at the Women’s Centre in Nelson, BC. Her mom
noticed a change in her confidence right away and this experience awakened in Julia a passion and an
understanding of the profound potential of self-empowerment. Along the wild and winding path of life,
Julia was confronted with a truth of this planet: one in three women and girls have experienced violence
in their lifetimes, this is a conservative estimate, and the numbers are even higher for trans women.
What do we do with this truth? How do we move forward from here and from personal trauma?
Julia believes that Wenlido offers a path forward. Through Wenlido we find solutions, strength, and the
practice of boundary making. As a necessary action to counter a planetary crisis of violence, Wenlido
helps to provide Julia the hope it takes to keep moving forward, it is where white hot rage becomes
positive, steady, concrete action.
Julia’s work with youth groups around body image, sexuality, and topics others are often too
uncomfortable to talk about has led her straight back to the practice of Wenlido. Julia believes the work
that comes with Wenlido training is changing the world and she feels very grateful to get to learn the
practice directly from Gitta. Julia truly believes that when we learn to protect our boundaries, others
learn to respect them and protect their own; our truth opens up space for everyone’s truth.
Julia is also an editor of written work and loves to read and write short stories. She is passionate about
the health of our youth and our community and loves to love life and those in it big and loud.JULIA