Cultivating Hardiness Training

Hardy Girls Training Opportunities

If you haven’t yet attended Cultivating Hardiness Zones & Becoming a Muse trainings, don’t miss out! The Hardy Girls Training Institute has been busy creating opportunities to get out the word about strength-based approach. There are two upcoming sets of dates:

March 15th and March 16th, 2010 at the University of New England in Portland, ME & April 27th and 28th, 2010 at Simmons College in Boston, MA

All adults working with girls are encouraged to attend and spend two days learning an effective strength-based approach to working with girls and how to incorporate techniques informed by the latest research on girls' health and development into the work you're already doing. For more information and to register now, visit our Training Web site.

Monday, March 15th Cultivating Hardiness Zones 9:00-4:00 Dr. Lyn Mikel Brown and Dr. Mary Madden developed this training with Hardy Girls for people who are working with or who want to work with girls from a strength-based position, rather than one that focuses on what's wrong with girls. This is not a training that stresses the inner girl or works to improve "self-esteem" (although this will likely happen for girls who experience this approach), but a training that focuses on:

Helping girls connect with others Showing girls how to find the support and resources they need to thrive; and, Tapping into girls' energy and creativity to make the world one which values them for who they are, not how they look. At the heart of creating hardiness zones for girls is a way of being in relationship with women that inspires them, gives them a sense of their own power and control, and challenges them to do their best work. Known as a muse relationship, this connection shifts the focus from a girl's deficits to her inner resources, strengths, and potential.

Through multi-media presentations, small group activities, and discussion, the training will answer the questions:

What is hardiness and why is it important? What are relational hardiness zones? How do we cultivate and sustain hardiness zones with girls? What form can they take in our community/social context? What can they offer that girls in our community need? Topics include: A Look at the Cultural Landscape Girls Psychology and Development Cultivating Relational Hardiness Zones Muse Relationships with Girls Theory in Action Reflection & Evaluation

Tuesday, March 16th Becoming a Muse 9:00-4:00