What You Will Learn:

This will be an in-depth exploration of how our unconscious metaphors for moving through life impact who we are and what we’re able to do. Learn not only how to uncover your own metaphors, but how to engage them at a physiological and neurological level—a completely new approach to overcoming stuck states and creating effective movement towards our personal goals.

After working with their own Metaphors of Movement through Andy's model, the experience people generally tend to describe is a sense of being more “awake.” So often we do not pay attention to our own communication, using metaphoric words seemingly at random that are in fact incredibly rich clues into our internal experience and strategies for moving through the world. Through attending to what we are each already saying, and to the underlying metaphoric structure, suddenly the way we maintain our problems is revealed, and we have the choice to change

More About Metaphors of Movement...

People often complain of a lack of movement in their lives, both metaphorically and literally. Common expressions of how a person feels that reflects this lack of movement include:

• I don't feel like I'm going anywhere
• I'm stuck in a rut
• I feel like I'm going around in circles
• I'm not making any progress at all
• I'm not moving forward
• It's like I'm up to my neck in quicksand
  
• I feel like I'm going backwards
• It's like I'm running up against a brick wall
  

In addition to this, many people lack direction:

• I don't know where I'm going
• I don't know which way to turn
  
• I feel lost
• I lack direction in life
• I feel disorientated
• I feel like I'm going the wrong way in life
• I don't know the right way forward

After this training, you'll be able to recognize what these expressions mean about a person's experience, and you'll learn powerful and effective ways to guide yourself and others into discovering new movement and direction in life that will really work.

Who Is This Training For?

Everyone Welcome! No background needed. Come to gain understandings that pave the way to positive change in areas of your own life where you feel stuck, unresolved, or that you’re going in the wrong direction. These are also powerful new tools that Therapists and coaches can use when working with clients as well as themselves.

Because Metaphors of Movement is a fundamental new model, whether you've had years of therapeutic training, or you're coming for your own personal growth, this training will serve everyone. In fact, for everyone to get the most out of the training, we're hoping for roughly a 50-50 split between therapists/coaches, and individuals coming for their own personal development.

Basic Training Structure:

The style of training will involve lots of interactive demonstrations with participant volunteers up at the front of the room. There will also be lively small-group exercises to practice these methods with each other, as well as time for group discussion.

A glimpse of how much you’ll get in this 4-day in-depth training:

Note: Below is Andy's draft outline from the 2012 training. Check Back Later for 2013 Outline, which will include new material and possibly a special focus.

Part 1.  Metaphors of Movement and Motion

• Knowing where you stand – the starting point
• The structure of the personal story
• The 4 primary strategies of metaphorical movement: Which primary strategy do you rely on? What are your other choices?
• Discover your physical/physiological metaphors
• The 4 basic elements necessary for a successful metaphor.
• The use of direct and deliberate content imposition in therapy
• neurology: direct communication with the non-dominant hemisphere
  

Part 2.   Metaphors of Emotion

• Noticing restraint and inhibition to movement
• How to elicit tiny details of a metaphor in order to expand the metaphorical experience
• Weights and measures-recognize if/how you use these in the emotional realm and its impact.
  
• The burden of guilt and self-punishing behaviors
  
• Growing up--how and when is this a useful strategy?
  

Part 3.  Container Metaphors, Emotional Injury and Relationships

• Emotional injuries and healing
  
• Container metaphors and boundaries
  
• Creating the ideal conditions for healing
  
• Status and social positioning.
• Analogical change and Digital change in therapy.
  
• Workplace and family dynamics
• Working with common problems such as anger, anxiety, and panic attacks 

Part 4.  Therapy, symbolism and dreams

• Hypnosis, sleep and dream work
• The role of etymology in metaphor creation
  
• Hypnosis, Ericksonian work, metaphors & story telling
• The structure of the metaphorical journey
• Ritual and enactment of the metaphor
  

Andrew T. Austin is the author of The Rainbow Machine, described by Bill O’Hanlon as “the British Milton Erickson.” He is a neurolinguist and clinical hypnotherapist, and a registered nurse with experience in neurology. Andy is known for his never-ending creativity and sense of humor, along with the precision and range of his work.
"Wow! I have just returned from co-training with Andy Austin in the Advanced Mastery Training. I would have gladly given up my training days to Andy so that I could have learned even more (and I can’t recall saying something like that before—ever.) When I edited Andy’s extraordinary book, The Rainbow Machine, I kept thinking, “How on earth did he know that would work?” Now I know at least some of the answers to that question..." --Steve Andreas
      

Watch an 8-minute video segment of Andy Austin using Metaphors of Movement to achieve weight loss with a client.

From participants at Boulder's 2011 Metaphors of Movement Training... (Note: Participants at last year's training gave it an overwhelmingly positive review. We don't have space for them all, but here is a sampling. Each comment is from a different person. While we didn't ask for names, we've included names where people signed their statement.) “This training has helped me have a completely different view of all the training I’ve had to this point. My view of the world and others has expanded where I can fit so much more into it.” “Andy’s Metaphors of Movement has infused me with new energy and perspective for the work I do. It has also given new life to the tools I already have."  --Mark J. Ryan “This is like a mental “reboot” – returning to the way we learned to think in the first place. It opens up whole new areas of perception. Like recovering sight or hearing.”  “Six direction model is usable on oneself, without a partner… and it works well. Terrific teacher!”  “Incredibly insightful & thought-provoking training. Andrew Austin is extremely entertaining, bold yet covertly compassionate, and skillfully models how to help chronic clients discover where they stand with their problems.”  “This is a simple straightforward way to shift behavior from a congruent, respectful perspective.”  “[What I liked most is] learning and being exposed to this new method—because I think this is really what is needed as far as being able to help people solve their issues. I also appreciate Andy’s approachability and humility very much.” “Andy has a really enjoyable style of presenting very complex material, making it easy and enjoyable to apply.”  --Tom Dotz “Learned how to really hear what clients are saying. The model has fundamentally changed how I practice therapy.” “This training is certainly ‘leading-edge’ information. My money was well spent. I felt the marketing material didn't do the training justice. Those who did not attend missed something very valuable.” --Jessie Milan, Denver, counselor/coach “If you are looking for a very user friendly changework technique, you have found it in Metaphors of Movement.” “An extraordinary opportunity to increase your ability to hear your clients by 100%.” “We all operate largely on the metaphors we carry in our minds, but we are not aware of them. Once Andy exposes you to the world of metaphor, you will never experience the world in the same way again.” “Andy provided 4 days of enlightenment for me to discover how I can take the client’s language as clue(s) to what is needed. I have new tools for understanding metaphors. Even how amazing movement allows those “aha’s” of change. Change in what I see and know. Change in how/what moves the client in life.”  --Zeke Hanford