How well did the facilitator lead the group and create a safe space? Please explain and give examples.
With co-facilitator Trini, Kathe helped create a safe space for the participants by reminding everyone of the potential for "triggering" and to remember tracking, resourcing, and grounding helps (Skill 1). ~CB
Good going to group for definition of Extended Compassion, which communicates that participant feedback is important and contributes to a sense of safety. ~RK
How well did the facilitator explain this Skill using the PowerPoint presentation? Please give examples.
Kathe did a good job of explaining Skill 8 by using the slides applicable to her sections of the skill facilitated with Trini – extending compassion beyond the in-group (slide 7), and explaining compassion is not a "weakness," a thinking trap many fall into in the general public (slide 8), just to cite a few examples. ~CB
Excellent overview of Compassion as Strength.
Good review of Empathic Concern/Distress. ~RK
How well did the facilitator explain and lead the activities in this Skill? Please explain and give specific examples.
N/A. It would have been good for her to have led either one of the Skill's activities, the RW and MD, or Contemplative Practice. ~CB
How well did the facilitator lead the Mindful Dialogues and Reflective Writing Exercises in this Skill? Please explain and give specific examples.
N/A. See above. ~CB
What aspects of this Skill did you think the facilitator did exceptionally well? Please give examples.
Kathe did an exceptional job with slides 15-16: Sense of Agency and giving a personal, powerful testimony about her incarcerated brother. She did it in a way that was instructive of that component of compassion, without the focus being on her, but the example. In retrospect, I am sorry I did not fully support her use of several additional slides she had around agency and the holocaust. ~CB
Good use of a personal story about leaving a family member in jail as the best thing for them under the circumstances (as an example of the “tough love” for which compassion requires strength). Also described the acts of compassion (visiting, phone calls, etc.) that were aspect of “tender love” within “tough love.”
Did good work with pulling in previous participant input in debrief/slide wrap-ups. ~RK
How well did the facilitator lead the Contemplative Practice in this Skill? Please explain and give specific examples.
N/A. See above.
What aspects of this Skill could the facilitator improve? Please give examples.
Noted she read the notes for some of the slides she covered, but not surprised. We all do that sometimes, even the more seasoned facilitators.
Overall excellent job. KUDOS. ~CB
For the Compassion as Strength slide, it would have been more powerful to go to the group first for their thoughts on the societal biases around compassion as weakness. Got a bit “teach-y” with this slide as well as the Empathic Concern/Distress review, which is inconsistent with CIT as a facilitative rather than instructional format.
Went a bit long a few times without allowing participant feedback or input, which diminishes their sense of safety and comfort.
Sharing of Jewish couple slide content was too “read-y.” ~RK