Power to Change - The Use of Metaphor and Myth in Coaching (Podare)
In July of 2020, 24 coaches experienced a transformational course, demonstrating the power of myth to change lives for their clients. Dr. Kwame Scruggs’ work formed the backdrop to the heralded film documentary “Finding the Gold Within.” He now teaches coaches the same techniques demonstrated in the film to move urban adolescents toward meaningful lives with storytelling and myth.
WHEN
On February 9, 2021
CEs
7
3 Core Competencies,
4 Resource DevelopmentPrice
$420.00
Kwame Scruggs
G. Kwame Scruggs has over 20 years of experience using myth in the development of urban male youth. He holds a Ph.D. and MA in Mythological Studies with an emphasis in Depth Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute. Kwame also holds a MS degree in Technical Education with an emphasis in Guidance and Counseling from the University of Akron where he also completed all the course work for a MS degree in Community Counseling. He has conducted numerous workshops on the use of myth to engage urban youth, presenting at Columbia University’s Teacher College, Clinical Psychology Program, Grand Rounds, Rutgers University School of Social Work Doctoral Program, Pacifica Graduate Institute, C.G. Jung sites of New York, Cleveland, Chicago, Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia and the Dallas Institute of Humanities & Culture. Kwame is the founder and director of Alchemy, a non-profit organization in Akron, Ohio established in 2003. Alchemy uses mythological stories to engage urban adolescent males. In 2012 Alchemy was one of 12 programs to receive the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award by the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities—the nation’s highest honor for after-school and out-of-school programs. Alchemy was also the backdrop for the award-winning, feature-length documentary, “Finding the Gold Within.” Kwame is a recently appointed board member of the Joseph Campbell Foundation and serves on the National Advisory Committee of the Creative Youth Development National Partnership.
Course Details
Scruggs’ first popular coaching sessions for coaches in 2020 focused in on “The City Where People are Mended” myth. It demonstrated how, by immersing clients through the use of myth and metaphor, coaches can help them uncover their inner feelings and concerns while finding creative solutions to their challenges. Most of the first session’s coaches deemed their participation “transformative”.
“Thank you for creating the space for this and to the entire group for holding the space for all of us to feel safe and comfortable sharing!”
Coming up, Kwame and Mentor Agility will guide another group of coaches through a series of sessions, utilizing a different myth, Podare, embracing unique cultural elements but reflecting universal values and truths to demonstrate both the process and the promise of using myth to help clients break through the barriers that keep them from achieving their goals.
Podare explores the premise that everyone has gifts to bestow on others and the world around them, and that finding those gifts is often a lifelong journey, beset with trials and opportunities. In real life, the role of the coach is often to help clients identify that gift and learn how to best utilize it to optimize their own lives and the lives of others.
As in the initial class, this course is designed to have class members participate in the process, as well as observe how the process advances. It is a course designed to both teach and inspire. Accordingly, enrollment in this class is limited to optimize the experience, so we encourage interested coaches to reserve a place in this unique and compelling experience.
Coaches who complete the course will understand how to use myth to draw out emotions and observations, and uncover their clients’ resistance to self exploration and encourage change, often with significant breakthroughs in perspective.
This is an advanced technique, but coaches of varied experience levels can benefit by improved understanding of narrative – specifically metaphor through myth – and its ability to change their clients’ stories and, thus, their lives. Indeed, Mentor Agility’s Raconteur Coaching™ process and certification is steeped in the use of powerful narratives to facilitate change.
Schedules
Four live 105-minute meetings, 2:00 – 3:45 PM MST (Denver)
Dates: February 9, 16, 23, and March 2, 2021.
Objectives
Demonstrate the power of myth as a tool for Raconteur Coaching™ to help coaches guide clients to facilitate breakthroughs in self discovery.
Advance coaches’ understanding of narrative – as practiced in Raconteur Coaching™ – to create significant improvements in client self awareness, creativity and reduced resistance through myth.
Provide coaches who participated in Session One with opportunities to deepen their understanding of applying myth to client challenges.
FAQs
Who should take this class?
This class is designed for coaches who have some experience in advanced techniques for drawing clients out of emotional or attitudinal barriers to improvement.
Where can you find myths to apply to this technique?
Myths have been around for millennia, and exist in widely diverse cultures. There are numerous sources that have myths, both well known and obscure. Mentor Agility also offers Storytelling Methods, a class also led by Kwame Scruggs and Dr. Julie Elledge, that will help you hone your skills and guide you to find relevant myths and help you develop them into coaching tools,
How does the interactive part of the sessions work?
In each session, Kwame selects 5-6 members of the class to participate in the session, responding to questions based on the selected myth the group is reviewing, while other participants observe. At the conclusion of the myth for that session, Kwame discusses the techniques and asks the session’s participants to describe their feelings and self-observations experienced.
What is Raconteur Coaching™ and how does it differ from other types of coaching?
Raconteur Coaching™ is a highly immersive coaching practice that uses metaphor and other techniques to draw out thoughts, feelings and emotions that help improve creativity, uncover hidden barriers to optimal performance by uncovering hidden barriers that may be blocking self improvement.
Additional Information
What Do I Need To Participate?
Enthusiasm, an open mind, a notebook and a pencil! The class will be using Zoom so a high speed (10MB Down) internet connection with a computer is recommended so you will be able to see visuals as well as hear the instructor. This is an interactive class, students will be asked to actively participate and interact with fellow students and the instructor. While not recommended, students may also call in but will not be able to see any visuals.
How Do I Follow Up?
For questions, please send us an email to info@mentoragility.com
Once you sign up for the course you will receive three emails with information:
- Registration confirmation
- PayPal Receipt
- Class login and Zoom meeting information
You may also receive emails just prior to the course with suggested readings and resources.
Cancellation policy
100% 7+ days before class #1
0% inside 7 days