Posted by dave on 4/10/2011, 2:22 pm

I wanted to use the forum both to thank the organisers of the workshop last weekend for the thoughtful and professional job they did of running the workshop, and to encourage anyone considering the workshop to go ahead and do it. Like many people, I had personally put off doing a workshop for several years since becoming aware of them. There was always something else in the diary and an excuse not to do it. In the week leading up to the workshop and on the day I was incredibly nervous - much more nervous than I'd expected to be. I was very relieved upon arival to see just how normal everyone was - from all walks of life from plumbers to solicitors and IT consultants, from students to university lecturers. And everyone else was clearly feeling just as nervous. But within the first few hours of being there we were quickly put at our ease and the organisers were professional and sensitive towards how we were feeling and what our individual needs and expectations were. In terms of what the workshop did for me - well it was pretty life changing really. I went from a life where I'd avoid urinals whenever someone else was present to being able to pee in a urinal in a busy pub with three other people in the tiny toilet peeing right beside me, washing their hands behind me and waiting to use the urinal. I know that I need to carry on working at this to hardwire this new way of being in my brain, and I by no means totally cured of this problem, but the effect of the workshop has been to totally change my understanding and experience of AP and to give me a practical plan to move forward with and build a new life where I no longer need to worry about whether or not I can go finshing on a boat with no toilet for the day, or whether I'll be able to pee in a comfort break from a meeting at work at the same time as everyone else - and a whole host of other situations that used to seriously negatively impact on my quality of life. Finally, I'd like to thank my fellow participants on the course - they were all so friendly and understanding and with their support I've come out the other side of the weekend a new man. I'll always be very grateful for the gift of that workshop and sincerely encourage others to face your fear and go through with a workshop yourselves - you'll never regret it.

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