The Awakening Group
Menu

Tag: Brenda Sutherland

  • Radical Honesty

    Radical Honesty

    There is this myth that not being honest supports the security in a relationship. In truth the amygdala perceives silence as a threat then turn cultivating an anxious environment around you whereby a partner knows you are hiding something.

    So what if you cultivated an environment on radical honesty, sharing your ideas, opinions, fantasies, fears, all those hidden things that you perceive as unlovable?

    How do you do this?
    Well it is about ownership. It is not to share in a way that blames the other, but to own; this is what is happening inside me, using “I” messages and staying close to self empathy. The key though is also being able to shift gears and hear how it is received by the other as they digest this new information about you.

    Declarative “I” messages are a great way to start, include your feelings and the fact (not an interpretation). For example:

    • “I really love quiet time in the evenings, sitting with you and doing nothing”.
    • “I enjoy creating things with you and having something to look forward to.”
    • “I am really nervous about going to see your family.”

    Or Positive “I” messages (include your feelings and the effect the other has had on you):

    “I really appreciate all the care that you take with me when we are out in public as it makes be feel safe around you.”

    “I am delighted by that work that has been done as it relieves me of the responsibility and another thing I thought I had to do.”

    Or use a Confrontative “I” message, include facts (what you can actually observe), feelings, and the effect behaviour has on you. The key here is stay close to you and what is happening to you to avoid “YOU” messages. For example:

    • * “I am really confused about what is said and the actions that are taken, as I am trying to match the two and they seem incongruent to me, making me anxious.”
    • “I am saddened by that comment and wondering your thoughts behind it so that I can begin to understand as I am triggered by it at the moment.”

    The Hidden Secret
    The reality is that all the energy that is spent hiding those things that you don’t like about yourself is then used to live, connect as you come alive. Another part of you gets to be embraced.

    In a world where we are often lied to practicing Radical Honesty enlivens your world and the world around you.

  • Healing Rage between Men and Women

    Healing Rage between Men and Women

    Rage has many different layers that contribute to its cause:

    • from the survival response of the sympathetic nervous system when we feel threatened,
    • or the rage caused by heartbreak, grief and devastation,
    • or collective rage that is loyal to our ancestors,
    • rage caused by unquestioned beliefs,
    • the rage that is inadequate for the current situation but is embedded is childhood trauma,
    • or rage caused by the amygdala being hijacked.

    Rage can be protective or destructive, it can be an emotional indulgence or embedded in developmental trauma. Yet despite the rage we can look at rage collectively, let the heartbreak be seen, felt and acknowledged, as isn’t it trying to get a need met in some way?

    This visualisation is an opportunity to meet the rage towards the opposite gender, to feel it openly without indulgence, for it to be seen by ancestors in a way that softens it, integrates it resulting in meeting the opposite gender again with a sense of peace and recognition. It is an opportunity for liberation beyond being owned by rage. 

    This visualisation is inspired by Bertold Ulsamer’s work in Family Constellations.

  • Diploma in Holistic Counselling (2027) Brisbane

    Diploma in Holistic Counselling (2027) Brisbane

    The Diploma of Holistic Counselling course began in 2008 due to demand from students wanting to deepen their learnings gained from the Certificate of Holistic Counselling course.

    For all health practitioners, therapists, counsellors, caring professionals, or persons whose hearts desire is to discover the truth in who we are and support others to do the same. Deepen your own personal practice through honesty, responsibility and compassion. For all health practitioners and therapists, caring professionals, or persons interested in enlightening their experience of life.

    This is a unique opportunity to create in-dependence (self mastery). From this position true healing happens both personally and as a professional. Our holistic approach ensures transformation emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually thus manifesting your vision of life naturally.

    The Advanced Certification course is aimed at transforming practitioner’s personal patterns and experience of Self, enabling deeper insights, understanding and experience of the true nature of healing and Self. This enables practitioners to truly facilitate clients personal transformation from the depth of knowing and experiencing the divinity of themself.

    Starts:

    6 March 2026