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Being Peace: Mind-Body Skills for Social Change Professionals
Tuesday, November 12th,
7:00pm-9:00pm
Metropolitan Building, Room 5183
School for Conflict Analysis & Resolution (S-CAR)
Being able to effect social change is just as much about who we are as it is about what we do. Certain personal qualities - such as tranquility, compassion, focus, and presence - can be cultivated through specific techniques and exercises. Such practices also build resiliency and promote healing for social change agents whose work is high stressful, and sometimes traumatizing.
This workshop will present practical tools and mind-body exercises such as mindfulness and relaxation techniques, as well as an exploration of the challenges for the inner life of social change work in conflict zones.
Presenter Bios
Marc Gopin, Ph.D.
Dr. Gopin is the Director of the Center for World Religions, Diplomacy, and Conflict Resolution as well as tbe James H. Laue Professor at S-CAR. He has trained thousands of people worldwide in peacebuilding strategies for complex conflicts as well as engaging in back channel diplomacy with religious, political and military figures on both sides of conflicts.
Agatha Glowacki, Ph.D., RYT, LMT
Agatha’s interest in the mind-body connection inspired her to become a yoga teacher, massage therapist, and meditation instructor. She has studied multiple meditative traditions, including a summer residency at a Buddhist monastery. Agatha recently received her PhD from S-CAR and her dissertation research explored the transformation of extremists who renounced violence to work for peaceful social change. She has also worked for various US government agencies on issues pertaining to violent extremism. Agatha earned her MA from Jagiellonian University in Poland, and her BA from Harvard.
Alexandra Arbogast, LICSW, RYT, LMT
Alexandra Arbogast is a licensed clinical social worker, yoga and meditation teacher. She currently works as a Mind-Body Therapist and Coordinator of the Mind-Body Medicine Program at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, MD. After experiencing first-hand the transformative effects of a regular meditation and yoga practice, her passion is to share these skills with others.