Caring Kelly Armatage is helping parents and children cope with the heartache of bullying which can ruin the lives of young people and cause turmoil within families desperately looking for solutions, write Stan Szecowka and Mai Al Khatib-Camille.
The counsellor and coach has revealed that she was bullied herself and is using her own experience and training to help others lead a better life.
“I have no children, but as a cognitive behavioural therapist that does family therapy and also having being bullied as a child myself, I see bullying as an issue that can be prevented, with a few learned techniques,” she said.
“It is through the learning of self-esteem, self-confidence and energy management that the child can manage conflict correctly, without becoming a victim.
“I do not have data and information of bullying examples here specifically. But this is a workshop I have been asked to put together by parents in the community.
“Conflict is an issue not only in schools, but it is an issue that rears itself in many relationships both personally and professionally. By learning core life skills, these children will go forward with a new perspective on conflict, communication and confidence that will help their future paths.”
The Tribal Dynamics (Level 2) - Parental Training to Prevent Bullying - will be teach coaching skills, so parents can support their children with the following: * Conflict resolution – teach your children correct reactions, energy and communication to prevent bullying and conflict. * Communication skills – show your children these communication techniques, to enhance relationships, self-esteem and self-respect. * Confidence – how to increase this in your children to manage goal achievement, anti-bullying and correct interpersonal skills.
In Little Warrior, a workshop to be staged on Saturday from 3pm to 5pm, children from the age of seven and above will learn through role play, instruction and group exercises to master the skills too.
Kelly is the CEO of her own therapy and coaching company based in Mahooz under her own name and set up in 2007. It boasts a team of trained therapists, trainers and coaches qualified specifically ‘to guide individuals and companies to heal their inner programming to be great’.
Popular workshops include self-esteem, parenting, weight loss, career & entrepreneurial, meditation and relationship sessions. “Our intention is to teach people the skills and techniques, to wire in new learned behaviours subconsciously, for a better life,” explained Kelly.
Over the last eight years of coaching people, she invented a therapy method she says ‘rewires the subconscious and can change any issue’ and clients are now being helped from home too.
“It was initially 25 steps, but I brainstormed it down to three simple steps, so the person can use it on themselves, without the need for a therapist,” Kelly said.
“It is along the lines of other therapy methods in the ‘self-help sector’. This project has taken 14 months to complete and we are about to launch it globally, with the vision of helping millions of people to transcend any issue.”
Marketed as ‘a serenity kit’ called A.S.K. Kelly says it can be used for emotional problems, financial stress, weight problems, relationship difficulties, parenting tension, sickness, career stagnation, phobias, addictions, trauma, abuse, in fact, any issue.
“Using A.S.K. will ensure a new path of fresh understanding, a new path of acting in ways that serve you, a new path of serenity,” she said.
A.S.K. – A Serenity Kit – will be launched shortly in Bahrain and sold in bookstores worldwide. It will contain a video tutorial, book, audiobook and worksheets.
There will also be online downloadable, 1:1 sessions (face-to-face and online) with various A.S.K. facilitators, the A.S.K. Diploma for Therapists worldwide to study as a qualification and finally the option to attend A.S.K. seminars, which Kelly will facilitate.
She added: “There are many techniques for people to cope with negative emotions and stress. A.S.K. is obviously one way, which is quick and easy.
“There is a stigma that self development and therapy and coaching is for crazy people and this is rubbish.
“Most of my clients are major entrepreneurs and chief executive officers running global organisations.
“CEOs spend more money on self development than entertainment, because they want to master an amazing life.
“It is only through self awareness and the changing of negative thinking patterns and behaviours, that you can master the correct energy and actions for peak performance – peak performance in your career, your relationships, your health and so on. Development of my mind was one of the best choices I have ever made.”