English
Workshops
Change begins with you - and we start together.
I understand workshops as spaces for careful thought, exchange, inspiration and experience.
All my workshops share some principles, such as the idea of empowerment through self-knowledge. To get there, the body plays a central role in my workshops: as source, tool and destination at the same time. Giving space for personal reflection, we make use of the power and inspiration of group work. And finally, all the workshops are based on a feminist and gender sensitive perspective.
- Objective Self-knowledge
Self-knowledge is the basis for personal sovereignty and empowerment - and consequently for a more responsible, understanding, supportive, and respectful society. Therefore, my workshops are built as an alternative to the taboos, stereotypes and norms that limit and shut down the creative space of (self-) exploration.
- Feminist Perspective
All my workshops and my way of working are based on a feminist and gender sensitive perspective. Questioning the limiting roles, (dis-) privileges and concepts and becoming aware of intrinsic discrimination in both social structures and institutions such as our socially constructed perspectives and concepts is a critical step - both for personal development and liberation and at a social level to become a more open-minded, respectful and healthy society.
- Body Methods
With an experiential, corporal, creative, recreational, pedagogical and therapeutic approach, we break away from the hegemonic educational system, the lack of information and of alternative examples. The workshops are based on experiences that we have stored in our bodies, including the wisdom of such body to resolve tensions and conflicts. Besides, body expression allows dialogue and interaction with others.
- Group Workshops
The shared safe spaces allow us to open to others and to look at ourselves – also, to look at our hurting and tabooed parts. Mutual learning, shared experiences and visions, sorority, personal and inspired reflection, trust and encouragement are the power and constructive force of group work that allows us to take one step beyond our imagination.
Based on these principles my workshops deal with a variety of topics:
- Feminist Self-defense
- Sexuality
- Self-care and Collective Care
- Intergenerational Theater of Encounter
- Finitude
- Postcolonial Awareness
Feminist Self-defense
When thinking about self-defense, the first thing that comes to mind are punches and kicks, as well as techniques developed to help us free ourselves from risky situations. And yes: knowing how to break free and defend yourself in a specific confrontational situation is essential for self-defense. But training is not only useful for this undesirable moment. Coping with situations that scare us is in fact an important step to empower ourselves in many aspects of daily life. Knowing how to defend oneself, one walks the streets more confidently and can show self-confidence to the environment. Consequently, self-defense training is a preventive practice as well as reactive – defensive. The empowerment that results from self-defense training is based on self-knowledge and self-esteem. Accordingly, the workshop opens a guided and safe space to know one’s own strength, explore one’s possibilities and capabilities and reconnect with the spirit of playful fights. Apart from techniques of physical self-defense, liberation techniques, kicks and punches, the process of self-knowledge will be broadened by theatre methods (particularly, Theatre of the Oppressed), voice exercises and psychological aspects.
Sexuality
A personal and collective journey through sexuality. Meetings to deepen self-knowledge
Theory and experience -based gender non-mixed workshop; grouped according to age range
This workshop is built as an alternative to the taboos, stereotypes and norms that limit and shut down the creative space of (self-) exploration. Together we create a safe space where we can share, learn and feel accompanied in the search for the sovereignty of our own body and sexuality. In a pedagogical, playful and therapeutic way, based on experiential methods, we break the sociocultural taboo on (the diversity of pleasures in) sexuality as well as the menstrual cycle. Step by step we build up a healthy, caring, loving, empowered and trusting relationship with our own body, sexuality and pleasure.
# gender and beauty stereotypes # handmade sanitary pads # natural gynecology # sexual autobiography #…
- In Co-facilitation with Maria Abril Alvarez, Menstrual Therapist -
Self-care and Collective Care
Who takes care of caregivers? What space do we give ourselves to reflect on our self-care: our limits, our energy sources...? What is necessary for us to maintain the balance between personal life and work-related daily tasks?
Working in the social sector or in the field of care work implies being constantly confronted with the inconsistencies of our social system and to relate to people dealing with high vulnerability and risk. In many cases this makes caregivers cross their own limits, forget their own need of care, and lose connection with their sources of energy and vitality. We propose this workshop from a feminist perspective and as a space for reflection on the participants' care work as well as self-care practices, both in the context of their paid work life and in that of their private life. Each group is different in its intersectional context, varying degrees of responsibility and emotional involvement, so each session is planned according to their needs. We integrate in our work diverse techniques and disciplines, that are complementary to one another such as Theatre of Oppressed, Gestalt Therapy, Nonviolent Communication, Peace Studies and Conflicts, among others.
- Co-facilitated by a team of professionals from the field of psychology, art and social education, with professional experience in contexts of social vulnerability -
Intergenerational Theater of Encounter
What does life means to you? How do you see your role in society? How do you deal with memories of moments you regret? What steps do you take to accept those parts of yourself that you don't like? How do you make decisions? What is love? And what is death?
We all carry inside many questions, doubts and issues that move us. The idea of this workshop is to create a space to open up and share our uncertainties and, through that, to create a space for dialogue and exchange, a space for a genuine encounter. Our society tends to dissociate generations and thereby misses the opportunity to be enriched by the diversity, wisdom and variety of lived experiences that we all have inside. The idea of the project is to bring young and old people together to give space for meeting and exchange. Young people can enrich the process with their vitality as much as old people with the magnitude of experiences gathered in a life that has spanned several decades. Based on personal reflection - about one's life trajectory, important moments of our lives, the obstacles in life, etc., each participant will create a personal monologue dealing with a theme or a question of their own. But not only the presentation of the results provides a moment of encounter with those who receive the gift of the monologue. Sharing their stories, their doubts and questions about life and the world allows us to create moments of deep encounter between the participants during the process of creation.
Finitude
Your relationship with finitude and dying - A workshop in collaboration with Somprovisionals
Death is part of life. Our death is inevitably connected with life - though, in our society, we do not give space to our finitude, but invisiblize it. Turned into a taboo and being hidden, death becomes something distant, foreign and we feel lonely when at a given moment we (have to) face it. On the contrary, becoming familiar with death enriches life and allows us to be more present, aware, free and connected. Therefore, we propose to open this secure space to reflect on and share our experiences with death, how we live it, how we relate to it, individually as much as collectively. We believe that caring about death is caring for life.
Postcolonial Awareness
To raise awareness on privileges, discrimination and the narratives that determine both our perspective on the world and our actions thereupon
As young people we are keen on going out into the world and change those aspects of the system that we have identified as unjust. And with good reasons: The socio-political system fails in many aspects and it is important and worthy of support for the youth to feel the need to take an active role in this urgent transformation. However, internal personal work is an essential step that needs to precede the exercise of one‘s good will. To analyse and deeply understand the world system as a colonial relic along with a critical reflection of one's role in the world: one’s own privileges, identity, norms, as well as socialised and internalised concepts. Postcolonial awareness workshops are particularly useful to volunteers who are planning to carry out social work abroad. Taking this space for reflection both on one’s own concepts and narratives and on the motivation for volunteering can prevent the mistake of reproducing the colonial paradigm of the "White Savior" and facilitate an encounter of mutual respect.
Contact
Caren Frederica Niemann
La Floresta
08198 Sant Cugat del Vallès
Barcelona
niemanncaren[at]gmail.com
Tel +34 605133172
Whatsapp +49 1704744744
Bio
Psychology -BA-
Peace and Conflict Studies -MA-
Facilitator of group processes with methods of the Theater of the Oppressed
Accompaniment of palliative care patients
Self-defense coach for women
Active member of Som Provisionals
Languages
German
English
Spanish
Arabic (dialect of Syria, Jordan, Palestine)
French
Catalan (basic)
German Sign Language
Media