Marijke Boessenkool

From my studies in social geography I am interested in environments of contrasts: rich and poor, rural and urban, western and non-western. When I arrive in a different environment, the first thing that strikes me are the differences. A different language, different smells and colours, different ways of living. Differences are a good starting point for reflection. Why do I do things the way I do them? What do I think is important and how do I shape it? But the search for common ground also helps: what do I recognize myself in the other? It reminds me of the lyrics of a song I used to know:
 
"We are not that different from each other. We just want somebody to discover who we really are when we drop our guard."
 
For me, that is the essence of making contact, drop our guard, daring to be real. It doesn't just happen like that. Real contact requires a safe space in which you dare to be yourself, in which exciting questions can be asked. But also a space where fun and pleasure are experienced.
 
For me, the crux of working with groups is therefore in attention and energy. How do participants really feel heard, do they come up with new insights and (re)find the energy to work with what they have learned?