By Linda Adams, President of GTI
For several years, I have had the dream and then the goal of making our programs available in Arabic countries. Now, finally this dream has started to become a reality in Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.
P.E.T. in the United Arab Emirates
The first-ever P.E.T. Instructor Training Workshop in an Arab country was held in late October, 2005 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It was sponsored by our new representative there, Interaction Parenting, an organization headed by Gonan Premfors and Jennifer Hamdan. Their goal is to make P.E.T. widely available in the UAE and perhaps other parts of the Middle East. Kathleen Kelly-Denslow, a GTI Master Trainer with 30 years of experience, conducted the workshop for a group of sixteen enthusiastic participants, many of whom will soon be teaching their first P.E.T. course. Here are some of their comments:
“I have learnt so much more than I expected to. Kathleen made me so comfortable and I feel so excited to be a part of P.E.T. Before this workshop, I was skeptical of my capabilities but having completed the course, I have confidence I never knew I had. I feel so happy to be a part of this amazing new step in Dubai and am looking forward to helping as many parents and children as I possibly can.” — Nina B.
“I learnt an array of new skills and now understand how to fully articulate the true value of P.E.T. I can’t wait to start making an impact on parents’ lives!” — Jennifer H.
“Brilliant. I thoroughly enjoyed the workshop and can’t wait to implement the skills. Kathleen was fantastic. I feel privileged to have been on the course and be part of this wonderful group.” — Emma T.
Resolving Conflicts at School in Egypt
Our Egyptian representative, Dr. Azza Abul-Fadl, recently taught “Resolving Conflicts at School” at the American University in Cairo. Here are comments from some of the students:
Mustafa E. says:
“The workshop made me aware how important Active Listening is in our daily lives. No one gets aware that they are not Active Listeners until they join this helpful workshop. I always thought I was an Active Listener, until I joined this workshop and I got to learn what Active Listening is really about!”
Ibrahim E. reports:
“After training I re-discovered ‘unmined’ areas of myself. I now know more about myself and others. I can now both speak on behalf of me and listen in other’s shoes.”
Sulemana B. comments:
“I am a Ghanian by nationality and a student in AUC (American University in Cairo). It is a great opportunity to have participated in the ‘Effectiveness Training Programs of GTI in Resolving Conflicts’. The workshops have improved my knowledge and skills in problem solving. I like especially ‘I-Messages and No-Lose strategy for solving problems.'”
“These skills will surely be transferred to my family members as well as my colleagues and at my workplace. Some of the skills look difficult to apply in real life, but I think with conscious efforts I can manage to use most, but not all. The resource person used the best methods to get all the participants involved in the discussions. During the workshop I was able to voice out some of the feelings and experiences I have harbored inside of me for a long time. This made me very relaxed and happy.”
And from Ahemed N.:
“The training opened my eyes to several tools that I can use to improve my relationships. It also made me aware of how Egyptians frown upon ‘opening up’ and to talk about their feelings. That’s why I think more training of the same nature should be offered in Egypt, as a good step towards changing perceptions.”