Diane Robinson Kerr

Email:

Phone: 612-825-7050

Website: dianerobinsonkerr.com

PROFILE:

1975-present, practicing marriage and family counselor and psychotherapist. Diane is also a self motivated facilitator and educator, with many years of experience working with groups representing a wide range of diversity. Brings creativity, ability to see the “whole picture”, sensitivity, strength and organizational talent to the table. Author of the book, Mending the Circle – A Practical Guide to Facilitation.

EXPERIENCE:

1975-presentCOUNSELING PRACTICE

2015-2015 TRAINING FACILITATION FOR TUBMAN CENTER

2008-present TRAVEL, WRITING, MUSIC

2007-2008 URBAN DESIGN LAB

Facilitator for community meetings on the redevelopment options of school buildings closed by MPS. Organized the orientation meetings for facilitators for Urban Design Lab.

2006-2007 KENYAN WOMEN’S GROUPS

Development of three main women’s groups in Maragoli Kenya. Friends Women’s Group, Welcome Women, and Kinazogi Women’s Group.These three groups have an average of 30-50 members and are good models for other Kenyan women toward the development of equality and self sufficiency. Pastor James Migoze is the on site organizer.

2003-2008 BAHA’I PASTORAL CARE PROGRAM

Creation and design of a five branch pastoral care model to serve the needs of the growing Baha’i Community. Once the model was approved by the Baha’i governing body, a series of workshops was developed to train appointed members of each branch.

The Pastoral Care Team handles issues such as poverty, illness, marriage or family problems, individual counseling, conflict resolution, or any other pastoral needs.

2004-2006MENDING THE CIRCLE A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO FACILITATION

Development of the manuscript, preparing for print, design of graphics, publishing, distribution. (copy available on request)

1991-2003 PRIVATE PRACTICE

Workshops, part-time counseling, and writing. Was invited to go to Martinique on behalf of the Universal House of Justice in Israel to do some social development with the Baha’i Community there. This project took approximately three months.

1983-1992INTEGRATIVE THERAPYCENTER

Founder/director of a three staff center focused on mind/body healing. Services included counseling, growth workshops, marriage and family counseling, bodywork, professional massage and other healing modalities.

1981-1983OTHER PROJECTS

Client centered interview training for the staff of Manpower, a Canadian federal employment agency. Training for MontessoriSchool teachers in grief recognition in children. Designed 11 workshops for an international conference on equality of women and men called Two Wings. Trained workshop leaders and monitored workshops.

1976-1981CANADIAN PENITENTIARY SERVICES

Community rep under the supervision of sociologist, Dr. D. Connor. Responsibilities included research of the possible effects of a prison reception center proposal for UxbridgeTownship. Conflict resolution between factions involved, media attended interviews with inmates, prison staff, and neighborhood groups in other provinces where similar prisons were already built. Set up of information workshops throughout the Township.

1973-1975SOCIAL WORKER ON MANAWAN INDIAN RESERVATION

Social Worker on Manawan, a Northern reservation in Quebec. Managed an average of 30 children in foster homes, developed services appropriate to the population, introduced the first on site judge visits for court, was parole officer for at least three youth, developed native resources with the goal of self sufficiency.

1971-1973PASQUA INDIAN RESERVATION AND GROUP HOME

Did community service on the reservation while also working with the He Ye Me Wati Group Home in FortQu’appelle. Responsibilities were to share mentoring and counseling needs with founder, Sister Florence Leduc.

EDUCATION:

2009-2013 Masters degree in Transformational Psychology at the University of Philosophical Research, Los Angeles, California.

1999-Ongoing Study of Psychology of Mind also known as Health Realization.

1986-89 Graduate of the Hakomi Psycho-Therapy Method involving extensive training in the study of the principles, mindfulness, non-violence, theory, technique and practice of the Hakomi method. Completed with certification of Second Level, Intensive Training Stage taught by founder, Dr. Ron Kurtz.

1984-86 Student of the World Institute of Learning and Living, founded by Dr. Ruth Cohn. Intensive training in group dynamics, process, principles of facilitation, client centered groups, balance of content and process, and enlightened group management.

1983-84 Supervision Program. YorkUniversity of Toronto,Marriage and Family Counseling Program. Supervision by director, Dr. E. Challis.

1981-83 Certification in Family Life Studies.SenecaCollege Marriage and Family Program. Three year practicum in marriage and family counseling with the York Regional Family Life Centers.

1969-81 Extensive travel and investigation of many therapy models including Gestalt, Rogerian, Jungian, Adlerian, and Transactional Analysis.

1968-69 GrahamBusinessCollege, typing, shorthand, phone skills, and office

management.

ACHIEVEMENTS:

  • Published author of book on facilitation for professionals and students.
  • Helped to create a bridge between wealthy American women and their poorer sisters in Kenya by organizing fundraisers, taking women to Kenya, and developing a support network for Kenyan women’s groups.
  • Performed workshops in Kenya dealing with equality and group process.
  • Advisor and supporter of the Mendota Tribe in their efforts to protect sacred sites.
  • Supporting a Native American educator from the Omaha tribe in her role as the spiritual bridge maker between her tribe and the Ojibway Tribe.
  • Organizer for the Spirit Run. A group of youth supervised by a medicine man in a traditional runfor peace from WashingtonState to the United Nations. Their visit to MN took three months of preparation and communication with many of the various tribes in the State.
  • Taught classes on Health Realization.
  • Ran an ongoing “healing racism” workshop.
  • Trained a group of youth in facilitation and developed them into a team used to diagnose committees in the Baha’i Community and design solutions to improve consultation skills, work distribution, vision creation and unity.
  • Was the founder and director of the IntegrativeTherapyCenter in Canada.
  • Was honored by the United Nations for significant contribution to International Year of the Child.

ABILITIES:

  • To intuitively understand and communicate effectively with people of diverse backgrounds, age groups, and lifestyles.
  • To successfully resolve conflict and diffuse historical tension in groups.
  • To create appropriate agendas, format and structure as needed.
  • To train/teach facilitation and other life skills.
  • To provide counseling, coaching and mentoring skills.
  • To use organizational abilities such as presentation of reports, creation of necessary documents, meeting of deadlines, creating timelines, managing budgets, and controlling project flow.
  • To use computer skills such as word processing, and data entry.
  • To evaluate systems and design remedial solutions.
  • Bilingual in English and French.

OTHER INTERESTS:

Composer with published music CD, fashion design with three fashion shows accomplished, winner of numerous garden awards by the City of Minneapolis.

AFFILIATIONS AND MEMBERSHIPS:

The RadianceCenter of Maui

International Facilitator’s Network

Minnesota Facilitator’s Network