This workshop will be a hands-on, participant-focused learning about and practice with boundary setting and addressing conflict. As we build skills for boundary setting, we do so understanding boundary-setting and -maintaining can sometimes be particularly challenging for those of us with lived experience of trauma. In pairs and small groups we will assess, understand and make note of where we are each at with different types of boundaries in our lives. We will then practice communicating them. We will also use real-life case examples to explore how to address boundary-crossing conflicts, both when they come up and how we may prevent them. Key workshop techniques practiced will be:
- Understanding & setting different types of boundaries
- Assertive communication paired with active listening
- Calling-In
- De-escalation
Sheila has been engaged in collaborative consulting work with arts organizations since 2014, in the intersecting areas of conflict resolution and equity-focused practice. Topics have particularly included an attention to whiteness and racism. The work has included research, workshop design and delivery, training and policy guide development, and conflict mediation.
She teaches in the Community Engagement, Development and Leadership certificate program at Ryerson University (The Chang School). She is the Subject Matter Expert for the Community Engagement Practices and Capstone courses she has taught since 2013.
She was the staff Equity Officer for a union Local for almost 14 years. She successfully negotiated equity-related contract provisions, and effectively represented union members in human rights focused- grievances and complaints.
Sheila holds a PhD in Adult Education and Community Development from OISE/University of Toronto (2011). She is also the author of Taking responsibility, taking direction: White anti-racism in Canada (Arbeiter Ring, 2005).