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Guidelines for Radical Healing Study Group Leaders
Thank you for expressing interest in becoming a Radical Healing Study Group Leader. If you have read the book Radical Healing by Rudolph Ballentine, M.D., this experience will help you explore the concepts and ideas introduced in the book with others. Leading a study group will undoubtedly be a transformative experience for you and your study group members. Congratulations on taking the initiative to make this possible for yourself and your friends. We hope the following information will get you off to a great start and address questions that may come up for you as you develop the vision for your group.
How do I start my own study group?
Leading a Radical Healing Study Group starts with your enthusiasm and commitment. An excellent way to prepare is to participate in and complete a Radical Healing Study Group yourself. It is also desirable to have attended a seminar with Rudolph Ballentine, M.D. and/or to have worked with him clinically on your own health. With such a background, you can then form a foundation for your group by contacting those you know who love to learn and who are eager to explore new ways of living and being. Sometimes a few phone calls or an announcement is all it takes. Though we may be able to provide you with names of some potential group members in your area, it is always best to tap those you know personally or through mutual friends. In any event, it will always be your decision of who to invite into your group and into your home.
We recommend 2-8 participants in each group. Most groups meet for six to ten sessions. You may choose a weekly, biweekly or monthly format. Generally group leaders meet at their own homes or those of participants, though sometimes a church or community meeting room is more convenient. Evening seminars work best for most folks and two or three hour sessions seem to create a comfortable format.
What if I don't feel qualified to lead a Study Group?
Don't worry! If you have read Radical Healing, participated in a study group yourself, done clinical work at the Center for Holistic Medicine or attended a seminar with Dr. Ballentine, that background and this study guide will provide you with what you will need. Even if you haven't read the whole book yet (it is very substantial!), a study group may provide you the perfect opportunity to read it chapter by chapter and assimilate what it has to offer during your group discussions. In any case, you will find that you naturally develop your own method of leading the group. You will also learn to coordinate the discussions with increasing ease as you go along. At no time are you expected to know the answers to everyone's questions or all the material in Radical Healing. Remember, part of the thrill of participating in and leading a study group is to explore the concepts in the book further as a group and to share insights and experiences.
Are there fees for Study Group Leaders and Group Participants?
Yes. We do request that you ask a fee of your study group members to ensure their commitment to the group. The price will be determined by you and we suggest it be very reasonable. It is strongly recommended that you collect full payments for the series before the first meeting. This structure helps participants make a clear commitment and prevents payment issues from becoming a distraction later on. Study group leaders have charged between $10 -- $50 per meeting, depending on individual circumstances.
As a study group leader we ask that you to send Dr. Ballentine 10% of collected fees from your group before the first meeting. This fee helps pay for this Guide, for administrative expenses and it registers you with us as an official Study Group Leader to be notified of phone bridge meetings and coaching sessions. We will post a web page newsletter and bulletin board to keep Study Group Leaders connected to Dr. Ballentine and each other... a place to submit questions, problems and share solutions. If there are a lot of study group members and groups in your area, Dr. Ballentine will schedule time to discuss his book with those interested, or to make a personal appearance if that is feasible.
Once I have my group together, how do I begin the first meeting?
We suggest that you start your meeting by telling everyone who you are and why you put together the group. Ask members to introduce themselves one by one and to describe why they are present and how far into the book they have read. Provide background information on Dr. Ballentine, the purpose of the group and how you anticipate it will progress. You may want to discuss the commitment the group is making, especially with reference to attendance. You might ask whether or not they would like a general agreement to keep the personal matters they share in the group confidential (some groups may feel more secure if they do this -- others may not feel a need to do so). Whatever the group decides regarding confidentiality, just having brought it up will create a "safe space," where everyone feels more free to contribute. Proceed by reading and discussing one chapter or section for as long as the group is interested, then move on. Keep the group engaged by introducing questions that fit the participants' interests. You are the Group Leader and you set the pace.
How do I keep the group moving?
Once you have opened the group by
(1) having the members introduce themselves and
(2) dealing with the issue of confidentiality,
you may want to use the rest of the first session to discuss the Introduction to Radical Healing. (If you can arrange to do so, it is helpful to "prime the pump" by having participants read this before the first meeting).
How much of the book do I cover in each session?
You may have the group read chapters 1 -- 3 for the next session -- but it may take two (or even three!) sessions to finish the material. You will probably be able to do all of Section II in one session, but will probably need a full seminar for each of chapters 7,8, and 9.
It may work like this (if you plan eight or more sessions):
Session 1-3 Introduction -- Chapter 3 (Section I)
Session 4 Chapter 4-6 (Section II)
Sessions 5-7 Chapters 7-9 (Section III)
Remaining Sessions (Section IV)
We suggest you start as above for the first couple of sessions and then at the end of the second or third meeting involve the group in making a plan for the rest of the series.
How do I organize the discussion in each session?
You might start each session by allowing each person a brief "check in" (it's very helpful to time these -- one to three minutes maximum, less if your group is more than four or five) to give each member of the group the chance to say where he or she is: "I just started a new job, so I'm feeling excited but a little disoriented" (a couple of sentences is enough).
You may then want to open the discussion by asking for follow up thoughts, experiences related to what was covered last time. Again, it's important to keep this short. You may start by saying "We'll take ten minutes for this discussion." When the time is about up you can say: "After this person finishes, let's start the new material."
One way to move through the chapter(s) is to ask everyone to open their books to the first chart or table. There are over 100 or more such charts and tables and they summarize most of the important material in the book. This may help focus your attention on what was read and trigger comments and questions.
Remember you are not responsible for answering the questions -- only for moderating the group's discussion of the question. You may want to keep a list of especially charged or unanswered questions to bring up at phone bridge meetings or coaching sessions.
After you finish Section I, you might ask, at the beginning of each session, whether anyone used the Self Help Index (pp 503-526) during the week and what results they got.
As a back up, just in case the discussion loses steam, here are some questions you may want to pose for each Section:
Section I.
What's the difference between homeopathic remedies and herbal remedies?
Has anyone used flower essences and if so, what were your experiences?
If not, which of those described can you see a use for (some one you know who might benefit)?
Do you see a cell salt that would work for you?
Section II.
Can you think of a time when you were given a diagnosis?
How did it affect you?
Which of the Ayurvedic constitutions fits you?
Which ones fit a friend or a family member?
Section III.
Chapter 7:
Which of the Five Dietary Principles have you followed?
How did it work for you?
What's your fat/salt/sugar intake?
What would happen if you changed it?
Is your diet right for your Ayurvedic type?
Chapter 8:
What are sources of toxic intake in your life -- physically, mentally, emotionally?
If you were to go on a detoxification plan, what would it be?
How much water do you drink?
Chapter 9:
How much exercise do you get?
What did you learn in this chapter that would change your exercise pattern?
Where in your body do you move from?
Section IV.
Which nostril is open now? Usually?
Can you feel a difference in how you "are" when nostrils shift?
Are you aware of your beauty?
Do you think it is diaphragmatic?
Which of the chakras can you feel?
Is your sexual energy good?
Have you ever coped with depression?
What in this section might be helpful if you deal with depression?
What do you know about your Shadow?
We feel confident that being a Radical Healing Study Group Leader will be an extremely rewarding and life-changing experience for you. If you are interested in starting a Study Group in your area, please email Dr. Ballentine at radicalhlg@aol.com or call 718-549-7610.
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