LIVING-LEARNING EXPERIENCE: RESIDENTIAL TRAINING COURSE
Friday 23 – Sunday 25 May 2014
The LLE is a residential training course to help staff develop
reflective practice skills in the context of a structured
programme of activities designed to explore the experience
of being a member of a residential community or mental
health unit. It has been running every year since 1995.
Through a combination of teaching and experience, the
workshop promotes understanding of processes in groups,
and how to harness them to therapeutic benefit. There are
separate formats designed for Therapeutic Community staff
(LLE-TC) and Enabling Environments (LLE-EE), each of which
has a different emphasis.
Each LLE format comprises:
 Community meetings at the start and end of each day
 Formal teaching and structured learning
 Milieu time and activities
 Reflective feedback
 Work on personal resources
 Community catering
 Evaluation before and after the module
The LLE is a unique opportunity to experience belonging,
social learning and personal development
Who is it for?
The November 2013 workshop is an LLE-TC format, and is
suitable for frontline and senior staff working in:
 day or residential mental health care settings
 forensic mental health settings
 therapeutic communities
What will you learn?
 Knowledge and Understanding
 To be able to apply knowledge of one’s own
patterns of behaviour in the formation of
therapeutic and other relationships
 To experience and subsequently understand and
critically evaluate the nature and impact of
intensive group processes
 Intellectual Skills
 To describe the impact of one’s self on others, and
vice-versa
 To apply this knowledge in understanding one’s
own emotional development
 Practical Skills
To understand and work therapeutically with the
power dynamics (“us and them”) common in complex
environments and clinical work
 Transferable Skills and Attributes
To make links between objective and subjective
understanding of relationships
How is quality guaranteed?
The workshops meet specified quality standards and each
one is quantitatively and qualitatively evaluated.
Certificates for CPD are available.
If academic credits are required, two of these workshops
form part of the national ‘Knowledge and Understanding
Framework’ programme, delivered by the Institute of
Mental Health in Nottingham. They form the bulk of the
module called “Responding effectively: making sense of
reactions and relationships”, and offer 40 credits at level 5.
Contact andrea.milligan@nottshc.nhs.uk for details.
Who runs the LLE?
The staff team includes:
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Gian Carlo Decimo, Addictions psychiatrist, Trapani, Sicily
Veronica Dominguez, NHS psychotherapist, Kent
Rex Haigh, Group analyst and NHS psychiatrist, Berkshire
Sandra Kelly, NHS nurse psychotherapist and TC team leader, Leics
Jan Lees, NHS psychotherapist and TC researcher, Notts
Aldo Lombardo, TC psychiatrist, Rome
Sheena Money, NHS psychodramatist, Oxon and Thames Valley
Neil Palmer, Group Analyst and NHS team therapist, Bucks
Steve Pearce, NHS psychiatrist and group analyst, Oxford
Sarah Tucker, Group Analyst, NHS group psychotherapist, London
Where is it?
Bore Place, Commonwork, Chiddingstone, Sevenoaks, Kent:
a study centre based on a working organic farm.
http://www.commonwork.org
What does it cost?
£395 tbc – special deals available for bulk or regular
bookings.
This includes all accommodation, meals, fees and course
materials.
When does it happen?
 A weekend workshop each Spring (Fri lunch – Sun pm)
 A midweek workshop each Autumn (Tues – Thurs)
 Several others as part of established courses
 Bespoke courses by prior arrangement for teams,
organizations, networks or other groups.
How do I register?
To book a place or set up team or network events, contact:
Sue Pauley - email sue@tva2i.net
or phone +44 (0)7815 902049
Some recent evaluation comments from previous participants:
“Greater understanding and empathy. A healthy dose of personal
growth. Insight, renewed belief in the therapeutic process. Assurance
that it’s OK to go out of your comfort zone in to unchartered territory.”
“Increased self awareness. Experiential understanding of group
formation and process. Confidence in the therapeutic value of
community. Awareness of pitfalls and obstacles.”
“Networking with like minded people. A clearer image of myself.”
“As titled – a “living learning experience” - An experience which is
unique. I have learnt more about how I “am” in a group and this in turn
helps me think about how clients may feel in a group.”
“Great journey within myself, allowing myself to stop for a moment and
just reflect. Meeting new people; fact that you can feel mended and
cured, togetherness.”