whatsinthepot 2015

What’s in the Pot?
46th Annual IHLRN Conference
Lake Junaluska, Asheville, NC
ihlrn.org
October 2015
Join us for conference #47
October 16 - 23, 2016
LA QUINTA, CA Join us for our #47 annual conference!
Lois Gold and I did a site visit to the Embassy Suites
at La Quinta, CA, about 30 minutes south of Palm
Springs. We were charmed by it decided our group
would love it there! After several years in cooler
climates, this year it will be warm and sunny and we
can enjoy the pool and southern California sunshine.
Go to our website, IHLRN.org, to get complete
information and download the forms you need for registration. Please think about your friends,
family and colleagues and invite some of them to join us. Word of mouth and invitations from
friends has historically been the best source of IHLRN members.
1
IHLRN Board Members
Women Lois Gold • Nada Feketeova
Sandra Fox • Joanne Kennedy
Linda Leviton • Ann Steiner
Men Rich Dunham • Curtiss Durand
Paul Gelbmann • Harvey Lewis
Ron Nelson• Bill Roller
Bob Whitten
Committees
EXECUTIVE
Joanne Kennedy, Chair
Lois Gold
Linda Leviton
Ron Nelson
M.A. Bjarkman
SITE SELECTION
Lois Gold, Chair
Sondra Fox
Peter Venewitz
Adele Rugg
MEMBERSHIP
Ron Nelson, Chair
Mickey Friedman
Harvey Lewis
Vivian Nelson
Brenda Parmalee
Maria Rosa Reifler
Bill Roller
Ann Steiner
IHLRN ARCHIVAL TEAM
Bill Roller, Chair
Johnny Faulkner, archivist
Michele Baldwin
Richard Kennedy
Ann Steiner
EDITOR - What’s In The
Pot?
M.A.Bjarkman
SCHOLARSHIP
GRAPHIC ARTIST
Janet Bernson
Sondra Fox
Cindy Rosner
COMMUNICATIONS/
MEDIA
Lois Gold, Chair
Michael Terry, Technical
Linda Leviton
Malir
Ron Nelson
Bill Nerin CONFERENCE
COORDINATOR
M.A. Bjarkman
IHLRN Sites over 46 Years!!!
1970!
1971!
1972!
1973!
1974!
1975!
1976!
1977!
1978!
1979!
1980!
1981!
1982!
1983!
1984!
1985!
1986!
1987!
1988!
1989!
1990!
1991!
1992!
Hacienda Vista Hermosa, Morelos, Mexico (1)
Hacienda Vista Hermosa, Morelos, Mexico (2)
Sarasota, Florida (1)
Naples, Florida
Venture Inn, Palm Springs, California
Maui, Hawaii
Ishcia, Italy
Coolfont Conference Center, Berkeley Springs, W.VA
Aspen, CO
Hacienda Vista Hermosa, Morelos, Mexico (3)
Several Hotels in Menton, France
Hacienda Vista Hermosa, Morelos, Mexico (4)
Hacienda Vista Hermosa, Morelos, Mexico (5)
Sheraton-Molokai, Molokai, HI
Esalen Insitute, Big Sur, CA
Hotel Libertas, Sveti Stefan, Yugoslavia
Biltmore Hotel & Resort, Palm Springs, CA (1)
Hacienda Vista Hermosa, Morelos, Mexico (6)
Rarotonga, Cook Islands
Hacienda Vista Hermosa, Morelos, Mexico (7)
Ramada Resort Hotel, Palm Springs, CA (2)
Hotel Dom Joao II, Portimao, Portugal (1)
Hacienda Vista Hermosa, Morelos, Mexico (8)
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1993!
1994!
1995!
1996!
1997!
1998!
1999!
2000!
2001!
2002!
2003!
2004!
2005!
2006!
2007!
2008!
2009!
2010!
2011!
2012!
2013!
2014!
2015 !
Longboat Key Hilton, Sarasota, FL (2)
Haven-By-the Sea, Gabriola Island, BC, Canada (1)
Hacienda Vista Hermosa, Morelos, Mexico (9)
Hotel Dom Joao II, Portimao, Portugal (2)
Haven-By-the-Sea, Gabriola Island, BC, Canada (2)
Longboat Key Hilton, Sarasota, FL (3)
Hacienda Vista Hermosa, Morelos, Mexico (10)
Renaissance Antayla Beach resort & Spa, Turkey
Radisson Poco Diablo Resort, Sedona, AZ
Hacienda Vista Hermosa, Morelos, Mexico (11)
Bethel Inn & Country Club, Bethel, ME
Barcelo Maya Beach Resort, Riviera Maya, Mexico
The Dana at Mission Bay, San Diego, CA
The Crossings, Austin, TX
Sueno Azul Resort,, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica
Ashland Springs Hotel, Ashland, OR
Hacienda Vista Hermosa, Morelos, Mexico (12)
Sebasco Harbor Resort, Sebasco, Maine
The Grand Hotel, Tours, France
The Dana, San Diego, CA
Granlibaken, Lake Tahoe, CA
Prague, Czech Republic
Lake Junaluska, Asheville, NC
A letter from our President, Joanne Kennedy
Dear Fellow IHLRNers,
Fall is the most beautifully colorful time of year in the Blue Ridge Mountains, and
we were there to share the experience. We met in October for our 46th annual
conference at Lake Junaluska, North Carolina at the height of fall colors, and
were awed by the beauty surrounding us.
We were joined by several first time IHLRNers, some through our connection
with Virginia Satir Global Network, and were happy to see many other VSGN
members returning to IHLRN. The welcome and growing connection with VSGN is wonderful for both
organizations. Our plenaries and workshops were varied and rich. Linda shared new ideas for
applying Satir’s coping stances, Steve and Mike delighted us with humor and insight to help us better
integrate our learning from Satir’s mandala, we witnessed Bill Nerin’s mastery of the family
reconstruction, Brigitte shared her insights about the labyrinth, and so much more. There were many
choices and I imagine we all missed something. Evening programs included honoring Janet ChristieSeely with VSGN’s Living Treasure award.
Many of us found ways to enjoy the culture, sights and natural beauty of the area. Some of us walked
on the Appalachian Trail or drove the Blue Ridge Parkway. Others took in the beauty of the
Biltmore Estate or the history of Cherokee villages. The culinary and shopping pleasures of Asheville,
and even of nearby Waynesville were shared by many of us. At the Lake Junaluska Conference
Center we could walk around the Lake or relax in rockers on the porch or sit in front of the fireplace. I
particularly appreciated the view from our dining room. Several mornings at breakfast the nearby
hillsides began to glow as the rising sun lit the red, gold and orange leaves. We lined the windows
trying to get photos of the beauty.
I am honored to be your new president and appreciate
the support I am receiving. Our organization is its
people and every year I look forward most to enjoying
the personal connections that we share. This coming
fall we will connect again in California near Palm
Springs at La Quinta Embassy Suites. I hope to see
you there, and send my good wishes for the year.
Joanne Kennedy
President
"
Past President Bob Whitten and Barbara
3
Conference Presentations 2015
Monday
Plenary
Demonstration of Triads
Bill Roller, MA
Bill began the demonstration by sketching the origin of triads in
psychotherapy theory. Freud presented a tripartite structure of
consciousness (ego, id, superego), Eric Berne posited Parent,
Adult, Child ego states and Virginia Satir focused on the family
model of father, mother, and child.
One can also think of an individual having a speaking voice, a part
that listens to that voice, and an external observing part that gives feedback on the interaction. This
demonstration focused on these three parts and what can be learned by assigning these three roles to
three individuals. Cindy Rosner, Lois Gold and Paul Gelbmann volunteered as members of the triad
and alternated in each of the three roles. The speaker talked about him or herself and family of origin;
the listener elicited more information by pertinent questions, and at the close of five minutes; the
observer gave feedback on what he or she noticed about their communication. The rest of the group
divided into triads and proceeded with the exercise as was demonstrated. At the close each
triad gave
feedback to the
larger group. The
group responded
favorably to the
authenticity of
the
demonstration
and felt the
structure helped
them go deeper
in their own triad
formation. 4
The Human Kaleidoscope
Walter Zahnd, PHD.
This workshop presented the evolution of Virginia Satir’s thinking about an
individual’s intra-psychic process for what was once called the Human
Iceberg to the Human Kaleidoscope. The workshop traced the development
of the Iceberg metaphor that was presented in 1983 to her view of a person
as she wrote about it in the “New Peoplemaking” published in 1988. She
wrote when she saw an individual it was like she was looking into a tunnel
and she could see the light even if they could not. She went on to describe
how she nurtured this light within the person. The workshops after her death
then focused on the development of the Human Kaleidoscope. When used in practice it includes
validating the individual’s positive intention and connecting with the sacredness of the individual.
Discussion included the implications for effective therapy and anchoring change.
Rethinking Working Agreements Steve Smith
5
Monday Evening
Satir Living Treasure Award
Janet Christie Seely was named the Living Treasure for 2015 by the
Satir Global Network. The award is given to persons who have made
extraordinary contributions to Satir Global and to the teachings
of Satir. Janet has taught Satir in 16 countries, led 70 family
reconstructions, authored, Working with the Family in Primary Care: A Systems Approach to Health and Illness, and 13 additional scientific
articles.
Tuesday
Plenary
Coping Stances and Communication
Linda Powers Leviton, PHD
Satir Coping Stances was an interactive workshop. Family
Systems Therapy and communication skills were blended into
problem solving with the participants. Participants were assigned
into different family groupings and given challenging
communication problems to overcome.
Learning Objectives:
1) Participants will learn the Coping Stances 2) Participants will learn to model the different stances
3) Participants will gain insight and choices about communication
patterns
The Therapist’s Professional Will:
"
Revisioning Your Professional Identity
Ann Steiner, PHD
Illnesses and other sudden emergencies happen to us all. Now is the time to
think through and design a plan for minor or serious illness, retirement,
relocation and death, including who will contact your group members if you
cannot. This hands-on workshop helps minimize the impact on your clients, your
colleagues and yourself. Laptops welcome. Didactic-sharing of work experienceexperiential-demonstration. Meets the criteria for Law and Ethics CEUs.
Learning Objectives:
• Describe the power and impact on group members when the therapist cancels or is ill.
• Analyze when and whether it is appropriate to be self-disclosing regarding the therapist’s health,
reasons for cancellation of sessions and termination.
• List the essential ingredients of a comprehensive Professional Will.
• Describe the ways that participants plan to minimize the trauma caused by canceling, transferring
of terminating with patients.
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The Positive Intention Model
Steven Young
Steve, a leader in Satir work for decades, has developed many brief clear
concepts about counseling that embody Satir philosophy, use of self, of
therapist and human relationships. Today he introduced the five steps of “The
Positive Intention Model”: Identify behavior that is the issue; .Identify the
POSITIVE intention behind the behavior (which is always there); Acknowledge
the intention; Validate the intention; Change the behavior.
Steve uses this particularly with addicts, panic disorders, relationship issues,
and asthma.
In his demo today he discussed the subtleties of the work, Satir’s values and approaches within as they
became obvious. Most striking was that therapy begins immediately when Steven working this
way BELIEVES in the higher self of his client, their positive intent -which elevates the client’s belief in
themselves (self-esteem). That bond begins immediately, relief begins, and the therapist joins the client
in achieving what their intent is, finding at least three choices of new behaviors, practicing those, and
feeling the results of what their original positive intent was.
The alliance is in action; commitment of both parties is present, belief in the self/other is present,
activation of strengths has begun immediately. What Steve does is Satir in action – not talking about it
but doing it!
The Labyrinth
Brigitte Madeline
Brigitte began by telling us of her deep personal fascination with
labyrinths. She reviewed the ancient history of labyrinths and their many
locations in the world which date back to almost prehistoric times. The most famous labyrinth relates to
Theseus and the minotaur. With her
humor and aliveness, Brigitte told us the
symbolic meaning of the labyrinth which
is a sacred journey inside yourself to
gain personal freedom (as did Theseus).
This time-honored tradition of inner
exploration is often associated with sacred places. The most famous
labyrinth in France is the one in the cathedral in Chartres. The one in
the cathedral in Reims, France is surprisingly not as well known. Our delightful take-away was to make our own basic labyrinth and to
use it as a means of meditation. With her patient guidance, Brigitte
guided us in drawing our labyrinths and “walking” our fingers through
it in a meditative way. In sharing our experiences afterward, we discovered how many of us had profound
experiences. 7
A Look at our Investigations of Religious Fraud
Pete Evans
Attendees viewed a news satire HBO broadcast about the business of
televangelism that Pete and the Trinity Foundation had helped with. This
YouTube video of the broadcast quickly went viral and is
now approaching nine million views (January 2016). The senior
researcher for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver spent some time
visiting the Foundation in order to research a number of TV Preachers
and their “church” operations. After discovering from the Trinity Foundation that the IRS wasn’t
investigating churches anymore, Last Week Tonight created their own
pseudo-church as an example of how easy it was to meet the vague IRS
criteria for church-hood. Pete related experiences and anecdotes about how information is obtained for the investigations
including some many “trash runs”, and one incident when they were chased at night by a man they
knew to be an armed drug dealer who ran part of the televangelist warehouse operation.
Suggestions were made about how to advance public knowledge and continue the battle against
religious fraud and ecclesiastical crime—which, according to one researcher topped $50 billion
worldwide in 2015 (worldwide missions giving was only $45B) and may hit $100 billion during the next
decade. Pete noted that the foundation needed to increase its membership in order to continue its
work (membership as defined by giving $25 or more during a given year). Pete mentioned that they were expanding their investigations internationally. He will take pictures of a
large televangelist’s church operation while in Guatemala (“Cash” Luna) for a few weeks in January/
February, returning in early February.
The Biltmore Estate
8
Practice to Intervention Research – Considering What to
Study
Jean McLendon, LSCW, and Jack Richman, PHD
This was a discussion of their Satir Training Program funded through the
School of Social Work at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. A
grant was received from the Becoming Human Foundation to support
several initiatives regarding furthering the work of Virginia Satir. It was
explained that the specific aims of this funding involve three broad areas:
•Develop curricula and deliver an interdisciplinary graduate level credit
bearing course.
•Develop curricula, market, and implement a week long intensive training
program for professionals spanning the spectrum of mental health (individual, family and group)
clinical practice and human resource and business applications.
•Develop a research agenda to establish the current state of the research literature concerning
Satir’s work and support additional evidence-based research in this area of intervention and
practice.
Jean provided an overview of the outcomes and impact of the first year of this program and presented
the vision for the future and benefits of maintaining this Satir program within a University setting.
Jack continued the discussion with a mini lecture about intervention research and how meaningful
intervention research is best seen as a productive partnership between practitioners and
researchers. Collaborative concepts discussed included: •Good clinical practice and good research are excellent partners.
•When clinical practice is informed by research, outcomes are often improved. •When research is informed by practice, the programs that are developed are likely a better fit for the
intended population and the intended setting.
Further, a model for making evidence-based practice decisions (Haynes, Brian, Devereaux, & Guyatt,
(2002) and the specific steps for implementing intervention research (Fraser, M. W., Richman, J.
M., Galinsky, M. J., & Day, S. H. (2009) were presented and discussed within the context of Satirian
theory and practice.
Jean and Jack led a lively discussion regarding the interface of research and practice and promoting
interest in developing evidence that demonstrates, through intervention research, the validity of
Virginia Satir’s conceptual framework, theories, and practice. 9
Dream Work
Robert McGarey, M.A.
Instead of interpreting a dream, we approached it
as Virginia might have. Bob asked the dreamer
to imagine that she was each of the characters in
her dream, and then had each character talk with
the others as she switched from chair to chair,
with the goal of feeling different about herself and
her life. And the dreamer said, it worked!
Wednesday
Plenary
The Satir Mandala
Steve Buckbee, LMSW &
Michael Dupont, LMSC
10
Identity Crisis
Older people often go to another room to get something
and when they get there, they stand there wondering
what they came for. It is NOT a memory problem, it is
nature's way of making older people do more exercise.
11
Active Hope: How to Face the Mess We’re in Without Going
Crazy
Janet Christie-Seeley , MD
Janet talked about the Elm Dance story-she provided the words in a
handout. The story: The cloud of radioactive fallout from Chernobyl
was headed toward Moscow; to save Moscow, the government
seeded it over a village in Latvia. Many lives were lost. Joanna
Macy visited the village and found they would not tell their children
about the disaster. They pretended it did not happen. She
introduced the Elm Dance which first steps into the past, then
forward, finally into the center (community), where the dancers wave
their hands like the leaves of a tree.
She gave us an exercise to do later on Narrative Therapy where we
can create our own Tree of Life. She showed a video by Joanna Macy on her workshop
(http://www.joannamacy.net/work-thatreconnects-video-workshopseries.html). The spiral of the work to
reconnect involves 4 steps: gratitude
& presence to what is happening in
the world, honoring the pain for the
world, suffering with the world, &
going forth.
We then did an exercise to hold up
objects that touch the pain and
suffering we see in the world. Objects were arrayed on four corners
of a rug and the objects were wood
(anger), a bowl (hopelessness) ,
leaves (sadness), and a rock (fear).
Many identified their feelings around world events that touched them.
She then gave us two examples of the “going forth”. The first was AVAAZ. It is a small internet
group of people unfunded by government or corporations that advocates for sustainable living and
human rights. The second is the Leap Manifesto by Canadian activist Naomi Klein, which had 15
demands for change for the Canadian government.
12
Exploring the Teachings of Virginia Satir: Beliefs and Values in Action
Walter Zahnd, PHD. & Nada Feketeova
The individual beliefs, values and images we hold of ourselves,
parents and others have function in a social context. Each of the
three was be identified, defined, and experienced in the
workshop. They were illustrated by examples and role plays. Selfesteem was defined and the interconnection between the
individual’s self esteem and how the three ingredients of beliefs,
values and images support, maintain and feed the self-esteem of
the individual was discussed. Included were what the differences
need to be between the therapist and client to obtain intra-psychic
transformation in the client.
Virginia Satir’s beliefs, values and images were presented for the
participants to evaluate where they are in these areas and where
they can make the internal changes to enhance their own competence and live life more fully.
Participants can learn:
1) to define and identify beliefs, values and images.
2) to understand their importance in the change process.
NAUGHTY
3) to identify three beliefs of Virginia Satir
NINETIES
4) to articulate how Virginia Satir views a person
I am a Seenager. (Senior teenager)
I have everything that I wanted as a teenager, only 75
years later.
I don’t have to go to school or work.
I get an allowance every month.
I have my own pad.
I don’t have a curfew.
I have a driver’s license and my own car.
I have ID that gets me into bars and the whisky store.
The people I hang around with are not scared of getting
pregnant.
And I don’t have acne.
Life is great.
Also, you will feel much more intelligent after reading this.
Brains of older people are slow because they know so much. People do not decline mentally with age, it
just takes them longer to recall facts because they have more information in their brains, scientists
believe.
Much like a computer struggles as the hard drive gets full, so too, do humans take longer to access
information when their brains are full.
Researchers say this slowing down process is not the same as cognitive decline. The human brain
works slower in old age, said Dr. Michael Ramscar, but only because we have stored more information
over time. The brains of older people do not get weak. On the contrary, they simply know more.
13
Friday
The Evolution of the Parts Party
Janet Christie Seeley
Triads and Family Processes with Virginia, St.
Augustine and Scripture
Sr. Maria Lirio Guillermo, SThD, PhD.
Malir demonstrated how she uses three core triads in her
theological/spiritual system:
•The Holy Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit
•The Holy Family: Joseph, Mary, and Jesus
•St. Augustine’s family: Patricius, Monica and Augustine as a mirror
of the triadic formulation of Virginia Satir (Ma, Pa, and Kid). In this process she used what is familiar to her students (those in
religious formation and university) in order to introduce the unfamiliar (Satir’s primal triad). By this
process, she engages her students in the power and understanding of the triad (iceberg, family map,
and change model) which then in turn leads to progressively deeper levels of the students’ selfreflection and understanding of their own family systems.
14
A Creative Application of Narrative Therapy
Betsy Gast
The basic Concepts of Narrative Therapy were reviewed and
experienced in the application of “Altered Books” as a therapeutic
medium.
15
The Rollercoaster of Chronic Illness: How to add Joy to the Ride
Ann Steiner, Ph.D.
Ann Steiner, presented on the clinical assessment, the impact
of and treatment of people with chronic medical illness.
Estimates by the medical community predict that those over 65
will average a chronic medical condition for 1/3 of their
remaining life span. We need our best thinking to understand
and support those with chronic medical illnesses.
This workshop discussed the emotional impact of hidden and
visible chronic medical conditions and limitations on identity
and relationships, the challenges for patients, care-partners
and therapists. People with chronic conditions are often faced
with the possibility of giving up their dreams and the way they had planned and hoped their lives
would evolve. They are faced with retaining their sense of self and the challenge of separating out
their identity from their illness. The emotional and physical pain that is experienced is often not
validated by friends and family. Hurtful language such as psychosomatic are often experienced as
being blaming. Lack of understanding about the actual medical condition, misunderstandings,
clinical mis-attunements about the experiences of the person with chronic pain often create a spiral
of pain not only as a result of the medical illness, but also increasing loss of energy, depression and
isolation. Reaching out for help may be difficult depending on the family messages that were
incorporated during childhood. Techniques and new perspectives that help maximize independence
and freedom and improve communication were presented and discussed.
Advanced Dream Work
Robert McGarey, M.A.
Instead of interpreting a dream so that we could obtain a cognitive meaning, we
approached it as Virginia might have: by letting the dreamer experience it firsthand from a different perspective. In this dream work, the dreamer role-played all
the most significant characters in the dream and interacted among them, as a
way of resolving latent conflicts between them and achieving greater personal
integration. In addition, one class participant volunteered to act as Dream Guide
with Bob's help, and successfully guided the dreamer to a resolution. So what
started out as a simple dream about flying transformed into a chance to learn
about wants, needs, vulnerability and the desire to be believed. The workshop
was at once fun and insightful!
Friends
16
Saturday
Restorative Circles Workshop
Liv Monroe, BA
I shared the uses, reasons, qualities, goals, expectations,
members, format, and wording for conducting Restorative
Circles. Basically a circle is formed by a group wanting healing
after an incident during which at least one party was harmed
(the Recipient) by some behavior of another (the Actor). Other
members in the circle are supporting the Recipient or the Actor
or they are acting as involved Community Members, i.e. themselves. They hold both the caring and
the responsibility of the larger community.
We used an example of a person who was still carrying some pain in regards to a comment made
by another IHLRN member some years before. This was a role play because only the “Recipient”
was there; someone agreed to play the role of the “Actor.” The rest of the group joined in as
members of the community.
The most difficult part of the role play was to follow the simple instruction: Before saying anything
else the listener reflects back what he believes the speaker meant by what she said, then the
listener asks the speaker if he got it right. They continue clarifying and reflecting until the speaker
says, “yes, you got it fully.”
It is so easy to move on to defending, explaining, arguing, apologizing, suggesting solutions or just
saying, “I understand” without verifying that understanding, without truly understanding the other.
When guessing another’s meaning the facilitator can interrupt and model translating the guessed
meaning into a positive intention. In a circle we are looking for ways to see and show to others the
goodness in each person.This is done by expressing common values in positive wording.
Some heart softening happened in the role play and skepticism kept it at bay sometimes. The act
of truly hearing another is transformational. The act of truly expressing self is an act of truly hearing
oneself, which is also transformational.
An Interactive Program of Couples Communication Therapy.
Linda Powers Leviton, PHD
Linda incorporated Satir's communication model into a simple three-step process for discussing
difficult topics. It starts with an awareness of all three elements of congruent communication, self,
other and context, and places it into a formula that is most likely to yield a feeling of being
understood and considered. The formula is:
#1---Other: a statement checking what the other person is feeling on the subject.
I.e. I'm guessing you feel _______about ______. Am I right?
Once you get acknowledgment that is what they feel step
#2-- context: A statement about the facts or needs of the situation.
I.e. Right now we need too make a decision about_____ or solve the problem of _______.
#3 Self: a request or statement about what you would like
I.e. I would prefer (I need, want, wish...) ______ or______or______.
#3 should have at least three possibilities you could live with that would more or less equally solve
the problem. Participants then used dyads to practice the process and give feedback on how it felt and worked.
17
Dyads and Triads and Quads, Oh My!
Robert McGarey, M.A.
Since Virginia expanded our attention from couples to families, from two to
more than two, we took a look at the group dynamics that occur in romantic
relationships when they move from two to more than two, with the full
knowledge and consent of all those involved; in other words, the group
dynamics that occur in polyamorous relationships. We were planning on
exploring the differences between the types of relationship interactions that
occur in relationships between two, three and four people as a group.
As it turned out though, several class members had questions about how
polyamory in general works and whether it is possible to have a healthy
multi-partner relationship. That gave us a chance to have a productive exchange of widely-divergent
perspectives which was cordial, respectful and heart-felt, even though sometimes a bit heated. SILENT AUCTION
Dear IHLRN’rs I just wanted to say what a superb conference this was and how generous you all were. We raised
$2,752.50 from the Silent Auction with about 222 items being sold. Since 2007 when the Silent
Auctions started we all have raised a grand total of $26,533.00 that goes and supports the
Scholarships that so many deserving people are able to take advantage of. I cannot wait to see you
all in La Quinta or hopefully somewhere before that time. Thanks to my committee of volunteers and
to all of you who have helped with both your items and donations.
Big Hugs, Wendy Silver
Just
Married!
(Finally 4 years ago)
Carl Fossum
Martina Leonard
18
SATURDAY NIGHT HALLOWEEN PARTY!
19
A Voice From Australia
Yes, we will come soon. Right now I am invited to present in New York, USA at the United NationsCommittee on the Family Conference on the 24th of March; later, as keynote at the ICP Conference in
Japan; and in the Asian Psychological Association Meeting in Bali this October (2016). All
the invitations include Satir Model and relevant techniques.
We will try our best to attend a future IHLRN conference.
My best wishes to all my IHLRN friends; Linda, the Kennedys, John Banman, Mickey Friedman,
Michele and Bud Baldwin, and Sarah Finkelman, who was in my triad.
Yours Sincerely, Dr. Sandra E. Neil, FAPS, Clinical Psychologist and Family Psychologist PhD
(Psychology), MA (Clinical Psychology), BEd (Counseling), BA, FAPS Fellow, The Australian
Psychological Society (APS College of Clinical Psychologists FOND FAREWELLS
Dr. Robert S. Spitzer, an IHLRN star
One of our dear founding members, Bob Spitzer, devoted husband of 64 years
to Becky, peacefully passed from this world on December 17, 2015, surrounded
by his loving family.
Everyone who knew Bob had to love him. He was one of the sweetest and
most sincere people you could know, as well as being a brilliant man---a
seeker, an intellect, a wit, a futurist, publisher of Science & Behavior Books, a
psychiatrist, a liberal activist, an artist and Virginia’s greatest champion and
promoter, until the very end. He leaves a plethora of books, films, projects and
promotions designed to further her teachings and legacy.
Bob will be dearly missed and lovingly remembered as a dynamic and openhearted human being who contributed his all to improve the world. It was an honor and pleasure to
know and love him.
Linda Powers Leviton
Murray Lawsky joined IHLRN with his then wife Jeanie who
was a Jungian therapist 45 years ago. We connected in Maine
in 2003 and fell in love. We married in Costa Rica at the IHLRN
conference and have honeymooned ever since. Murray was a
fine arts printer who enjoyed the arts and the finer things in life.
At this last IHLRN conference Murray had a really fine time
connecting with all his old friends. Six weeks later he
passed away, very gently and quite peacefully! I am so happy
that he had his final IHLRN connection! MA Bjarkman
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