What is Transformational Learning?

What is Transformational Learning?

Human beings are hardwired to make meaning of, organise, and repeat experiences. That means, that your brains are designed to keep your life going on the (usually) one known track rather than encouraging you to take an alternative (even better) option. The purpose of this hardwiring is to maintain a sense of balance - and in so doing, it keeps our anxiety levels at a known level.

Even if that known anxiety level is 'high anxiety' - it usually takes quite a considerable push  from something happening in your life for individuals to undertake a change that could be considered transformational. Such is the strength of our hardwiring and desire to maintain our sense of having control over what is 'known'. It is more often than not the case that people come to Transformational Learning when it feels like the things they have always done to keep life keeping on don't seem to be working as effectively as it used to, or when something difficult is happening that they just can't get control over, or there's a fundamental sense of 'is this as good as it gets?'.

It's easy to recognise that we do this. Think of any situation in your life that is presently troubling you, and you will fairly easily and quickly be able to sense having been in a situation that is somewhat similar, if not exactly the same. The problems that you are having in your current relationship, are unlikely to be only ever experienced in that relationship - that is, you've probably had problems like these in your previous relationships, or in your relationships with other people.

Our role as transformational learning facilitators, is to:

• help you understand, bring awareness to, and examine the experiences and organising patterns that underpin your beliefs, attitudes, actions and relationships;
• bring awareness to the consequences or outcomes of those experiences and organising patterns;
• identify and explore alternative experiences and organising patterns;
• make sense with you of the experiences you have had, the new experiences, the difference between having an experience in the foreground and the background, how we organise ourselves, and what is required to re-organise patterns of behaviour and expectancies.

As a participant in Transformational Learning, you will:

• become more self reflective;
• develop greater capacity to reflect upon the dynamics in play in any interaction;
• access greater self analysis and critical thinking;
• develop your capacity for complex thought, and acceptance of multiple realities, including being more open to the perspective of others.
• reduce the need to use defensive strategies in your relationships and interactions, being more able to recognise and have your own needs met appropriately.

And to get started, the best place is with The Turning Point - a foundational course in Transformational Learning.