Training and coaching based on martial arts focussing on communication, personal leadership and team development (Netherlands). Stephan Seegers I started out as an idealist wanting to contribute to the world food problem by studying crop protection and communication at the Wageningen Agricultural University, the Netherlands. It was also during my study time that I started practicing Jiu Jitsu (black belt) and Aikido as a hobby. For the next 12 years I worked in counties on all continents trying to bring together different stakeholders in agriculture and improve their communication in a very cognitive / mental way. This changed quite a bit during and after a three year part-time education on applied psychology. I had new experiences and insights on myself and others at emotional and physical levels by applying psychological theories and particularly bio-energetics (Alexander Lowen). It also brought me in contact with my present colleague Dennis Steussy who introduced me in what he called: The Art of Fighting. This gave me the opportunity to bring together my experience in martial arts, communication trainings, and new gained insights in applied psychology. Still an idealist I now train and coach individuals and groups in developing their communicative skills and personal leadership. Basically I am still trying to get people together and let contact develop into commited relationships. Session Information: Fighting and Emotional Intelligence. Key Concepts: More conscienceness about emotional patterns in conflict situations and making more healthy emotional choices 'A workshop on fighting. Will that really make me emotional wiser? In life and work it is not about fighting, is it? No fighting please. It can only bring loss, pain, hurt, grief. You could hit someone and cause pain. Or somebody else could hurt me. There is nothing to be learned from fighting' This is an understandable reaction to the word fighting...... if you don't know how to fight! If we would look more closer to the way that we are dealing with each other than we would have to acknowledge that we are involved in quite a number of 'battles'. Not with our fists but with words and attitudes. Who does not recognise the irritations and quarrels with family or colleagues about being on time, things that you thought you agreed on. We don't want these conflicts but alas they are part of our lives. And most of us believe that conflicts are negative so we avoid them or end them as soon as possible. Martial Arts look at fights (physical conflicts) as an opportunity for learning and change. That is why we developed a unique working form. You will be placed in physical fights and will experience your own power when in contact with others. A fight is as a mirror to daily life: It becomes very clear in which way and to what extend you take up your personal space. Also when fighting, direct impulses and emotional reactions surface without being censored. You are directly confronted with the themes such as resistance, tension and power. The working form provides a safe way to investigate how these themes work out for you and experiment new strategies to steer situations by alternating physical- emtional experience and reflection upon this experience. The Art of Fighting enables you to optimise your strengths, and develop personal strategies to physically and emotionally manage disharmony in your life. So if you want to be more effective in dealing with conflict, power and tension in your life or work then this experiential workshop can help you to develop more healthy emotional responses to difficult situations. Presenting with Johan Hamstra