Workshops

There are currently three types of workshops offered. Please scroll down the page to find the details of each workshop and the dates.

Series of 4 workshops for Mothers of “different”children

Each series is made up of 4 workshops, which take place on four consecutive Tuesday evenings from 7:30 to 10:00 pm in my consulting office in Geneva.

The goal of this series is to give mothers valuable insights and tools for self-support. We spend time getting to know each other and to build trust for supporting each other. When most workshops are about parenting techniques, about how to treat your children even better, to take charge of them rather than losing control, and to deal with crises, this workshop is about taking care of yourself.

Mothers of “different” children face different challenges of mothers with neurotypical children in that they have to learn about their child’s difference and its implications on health, education and social life. These mothers are observed more carefully and constantly evaluated by professionals and non-professionals.

Themes that we cover include:

Support – what does it mean? How would you define it? What type of support do you prefer? Do I dare to ask for support?

Valuing and making mothers’ work visible – What are all the things that you do to look after your home and the children? Are you a cook, a cleaner, a teacher, a coach, a driver, a nurse, a story-teller, an advocate for your child?

Norms and societal expectations of mothers – Where do the norms for “good mothers” come from? How and by whom were they defined? How are they sustained? How do you position yourself from those that do not suit you?

Your identity as mother – How can you define yourself as a mother amidst the societal expectations? What is your preferred identity? What are your strengths and competencies? What competencies would you like to develop?

Develop your competencies – How can you best develop a competency that you would find really useful? How are you going to go about developing it?

To register, send me an email at drkatelindley(at)gmail.com or call/text me on +41(0) 79 626 15 86.

Next dates

Dates in 2023 coming soon

Rates for the series of 4 workshops

Standard rate: CHF 200.-

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A one-day workshop “Becoming the mother you choose to be”

Becoming a mother was perhaps not quite the experience that you had dreamt it to be. Of course you love your children, but all these societal expectations about how you should be or ought to be can be confusing and/or exhausting.

This one-day workshop will be run on Saturdays from 10:00 am – 4:30 pm in my consulting office in Geneva.

The goal of this workshop is to be able to reflect upon and discuss what is important to you about being a mother with our mothers in a safe space. This is not about parenting skills. This is about you and your experience of motherhood. The aim is to develop your preferred identity by affirming your values and your competencies as a mother so that you grow in resilience and self-confidence.

Themes covered include:

Why can’t we talk about what it is really like? What I like and dislike about being a mother?
Who said I have to be perfect? The “shoulds” and the “oughts” of being a mother?
What’s important to me? What are my values?
Affirming my competencies and my identity

To register, send me an email at drkatelindley(at)gmail.com or call/text me on +41(0) 79 626 15 86.

Rate for the one-day workshop:

Standard rate : CHF 120.-

Time: 10:00 – 16:30

Dates in 2023 coming soon!

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Therapeutic Writing Workshops for Mothers

The act of writing about our experiences is a way of coming to terms with them, giving them meaning and reducing their emotional charge. James W. Pennebaker has shown in his research on the effects of writing that it increases not only our well-being but our health.

Each workshop will focus on a general topic pertaining to motherhood. Participants will be have writing time and then, if they want to, time to share their writing.

The workshop will be held on Thursday evenings from 7:30 – 9:30 pm once a month in my consulting office in Geneva.