Personal Growth & Development Workshops

The following workshops are offered throughout the year for personal, spiritual and professional development:

2009

» Nov 7-8 Feeling better about ME!
» Nov 21-22 & 23-24 Holotropic Breathwork™

2010

» Feb 6-7 & 8-9 Holotropic Breathwork™;
» Mar 13-14 Reflect and Reconnect
» Apr 10-11 Four Steps to Personal Freedom
» Apr 24 Open Day
» May 15-16 Healing relationships
» May 29-30 & 31-Jun 1 Holotropic Breathwork™
» June - Nov : Expanding Your Personal Potential (A 22 day course starting Jun 2010)
» Jun 19-20 Explore your Unconscious
» Jul 26-30 Sandplay & Symbolwork
» Aug 7-8 Inner Wisdom
» Aug 28-29 Holotropic Breathwork™
» Oct 2-3 Family Matters
» Nov 6-7 Care of the Soul
» Nov 27-28 & 29-30 Holotropic Breathwork™
We design programs to suit your needs.
Specialist programs can be developed and conducted for particular groups or organisations on request.
Contact the centre to discuss how we can help.

» General Information for all workshops

Click to enroll in a workshop





Feeling better about ME! - A self Esteem workshop

Are you happy with your self image, self esteem, and self confidence? If not, you are not alone. We can help you. Join us for a wonderful weekend to explore these issues. This workshop will assist in identifying the blocks to valuing yourself so that you can connect more truly with your untapped potential.

Bring: Biro, notebook, food to share.
Dates: Nov 7-8, 2009
Times: Sat 9-5 & Sun 9-4
Registration: Saturday 8:30am
Fees: (Inc GST) $190






Holotropic Breathwork™ as a tool for self exploration

Learn how to breathe in a way that will help you remove energetic and emotional blockages, which could be affecting your health and keeping your potential locked up. This is a powerful tool that, when used under skilled guidance, is particularly effective for self exploration.

This process combines a powerful breathing technique with music to enter into a deep meditative state enabling one to gain access to the unconscious. It can heal past hurts, open up hidden potential and allow your energy to flow freely.

This workshop is not appropriate for pregnant women, or for persons with cardiovascular problems, severe hypertension, severe mental illness, recent surgery or fractures, acute infectious illness, or epilepsy. It is not compatible with the use of illegal drugs.

For those who have not participated in breathwork at our centre, there will be an introductory talk on Friday night at 7.45pm prior to each workshop – this is a pre-requisite for newcomers.

You may enrol for the weekend or for the full 4 days.

Bring: Two towels, tissues, one fitted + one flat sheet (single bed size) for breathwork, art pad, crayons, notebook, loose clothing, Bed linen and doona if living in, byo food to share (lunch & dinner)
Fees: (Inc GST)
  • 4 days: - $380 for 2009, $390 for 2010
  • 2 days: - $190 for 2009, $195 for 2010
    Dates: 2009
  • Nov 21-22 and 23-24

  • Dates: 2010
  • Feb 6-7 and 8-9
  • May 29-30 and May 31-Jun 1
  • Aug 28-29
  • Nov 27-28 and 29-30

  • Times: Sat 9 - 9pm, Sun 8:30 - 5pm, Mon and Tues 8:30 - 4:30pm






    Reflect and Reconnect

    Are you looking for something more? Do you need “time-out” to retreat from the busy-ness of life? This is a weekend for self-nurture where we will use a range of reflective experiences to help you to connect with yourself. Give yourself this opportunity to discover more of the “real you” — coming home to yourself.

    Bring: Notebook, biro. Food to share. Bed linen, doona if living in.
    Dates: Mar 13-14, 2010
    Times: Sat 9-5 & Sun 9-4
    Registration: Saturday 8:30am
    Fees: (Inc GST) $195






    Four Steps to Personal Freedom

    Are you able to do what is important to you? Or is your life dictated by deeply entrenched beliefs and roles? This is an exciting weekend which will help you to gain a deeper sense of personal freedom in the way you live your life.

  • Beliefs, thoughts, feelings and actions govern how you live your life. The workshop will help you discover and examine what they are.
  • Know how they serve or don’t serve you. This awareness enables you to decide which of these no longer serve you in creating what you desire.
  • The Change Point – Living Differently. We then examine ways of making changes in how we live each day.
  • Being supported during change. We also consider the ongoing support required to maintain this new way of being.

    Bring: Notebook, biro, food to share. Bed linen and doona if living in.
    Date: Apr 10-11, 2010
    Times: Sat 9-5 & Sun 9-4
    Registration: Saturday 8:30am
    Fees: (Inc GST) $195






    Open Day - Free

    Have you ever wondered what we are up to at the Port? Recent changes in our focus will be explained in detail. We have some exciting new courses – to complement our tried and true programs.

    For those of you who want to know more about how to “Explore Your Personal Potential’, why not come along and find out more about our programs?

    And if you have never been to our centre, please come this time. If you know our centre, you are welcome to revisit and to bring friends and colleagues. We encourage you to be here for the full time – cuppa provided. Please book if you are coming.

    Date: April 24, 2010
    Time: Sunday 10am - 1pm
    Fees: Free






    Healing relationships

    with Judith Dawson and Albert Scherrer PhD

    A workshop using the process of Family Constellations. This technique is a very powerful way of clearing and resolving old relationships so that you can get on with your life. Often we are hurt by parents not living up to our expectations. We may choose to remain close to them physically, but cannot let go of resentment, anger or sadness. Alternately we may cut ourselves off physically and emotionally from our family, in an attempt to protect ourselves from further disappointment or hurt. Through this workshop you can begin to heal yourself and the “soul” of your family.

    Bring: Loose comfy clothing, biro, notebook. Bed linen and doona if living in. Food to share.
    Dates: May 15-16, 2010
    Times: Sat 9-5 & Sun 9-4
    Registration: Saturday 8:30am
    Fees: (Inc GST) $210






    Explore your Unconscious

    With guest presenter Ana Barner — an international staff member of Drs Hal and Sidra Stone, the founders of Voice Dialogue.

    Learn to decipher your dreams and understand the meaning of body symptoms. Find the Awareness centre within your polarities. Touch into your soul with Transpersonal Dialogue. This seminar focuses on the energetic aspects of Voice Dialogue. Newcomers to the process will experience direct access to the unconscious through working with dreams and body symptoms. People with prior experience will also have the opportunity to learn about more advanced facilitation techniques and the Aware Ego Process. Transpersonal Dialogue will be introduced as a tool that allows us to remember the presence of our eternal essence within our personality. Ana will be available for individual sessions on Friday, June 18 and Monday June 21. Cost: $120 for individual sessions (90 minutes).

    Bring: Notebook, biro, food to share. Bed linen and doona if living in.
    Date: June 19-20, 2010, 10am – 5pm
    Cost — $300 (early bird $275 if paid fully by Fri June 4)
    For enrolment please contact Ana Barner for concessions and payment plans:

    For info and booking, contact Ana Barner:
    phone: 02 6684 7158, mobile: 0410 740 420,
    email: anabarner@VoiceDialogue.com.au,
    website: http://www.VoiceDialogue.com.au
    Accommodation o'nite if needed: contact Portiuncula Centre $30 B & B.





    Expanding Your Personal Potential Program

    Are you looking for Profound Change in your life? Would you like to be guided through this Change so you can feel safe and secure?

    This course is the one we recommend for people who are committed to Deep Personal Growth and Development.

    The focus of this 22 day course is to use a range of innovative techniques which will bring about lasting effects and lead to:

  • Self empowerment
  • A happier and more fulfilled life
  • Creating a vision for your own life
  • Improved self image and increased self confidence
  • More rewarding relationships

    This course is designed for two purposes — to facilitate personal growth and also it is a pre-requisite for engaging in our counsellor training course.

    Dates: Commencing June 2010 and concluding November 2010. (for details refer Counsellor Training Courses.)
    Time: Each workshop starts at 8pm on the first date and ends about 4pm on the last date
    Click on the Counsellor Training Courses tab for more information and training dates.





    Sandplay and Symbol Work

    Unlock the world of the unconscious through sandplay and working with symbols. Find deep healing and gain a greater understanding of what is running your life.

    Sandplay is becoming universally accepted as a powerful technique for accessing unconscious factors that affect behaviour.

    This course is suitable for counselors, social workers, psychologists, guidance officers & others who work with adults, teenagers & children. This week includes theoretical and experiential work with sandplay and learning how to facilitate others.

    Bring: Loose comfortable clothing, notebook, biro, art pad, crayons, camera, bed linen & doona if sleeping here
    Dates: Monday July 26 - Friday July 30, 2010
    Times: 9 - 5:30 daily finishing Fri 4pm.
    Registration: Monday 8:30am
    Fees: (Inc GST)
  • $1290 (residential all inclusive - meals & dormitory style accommodation)
  • $1170 (non-residential - includes lunch)


  • Limited places. please book soon.

    Deposit of $50 to register. Full payment by 8th July, 2010. If cancelled after this date, an administration fee of $50 will apply. If cancelled after 16 July, there will be no refund of fees.





    Finding Inner Wisdom

    This workshop is about finding ways to tap into and to interpret guidance that comes from within. Two very powerful techniques we will use are journaling and dream exploration. Dreams often hold hidden messages for us about our lives. Come and learn techniques for uncovering what your dreams reveal about you. If you recall any dreams from the past, please bring them with you. Similarly, you are able to gain new insight into yourself through writing. Discover your unique gifts and find new confidence by attending this workshop – you will be surprised how easy it is to find your own answers.

    Bring: Loose comfy clothing, biro, notebook. Bed linen and doona if living in. Food to share
    Date: Aug 7-8, 2010
    Times: Sat 9 - 5, Sun 9 - 4
    Registration: Saturday 8:30am
    Fees: (Inc GST) $195






    Family Matters

    with Judith Dawson and Albert Scherrer PhD

    Change is possible! By viewing family situations in the context of a larger whole, we can gain insights into the deeper reasons why things occur in a family: why individuals are pushed out, denied a place or not spoken of; and why behavioral patterns appear to repeat, often unconsciously, over generations. This workshop will give you an opportunity to gain insight into the deeper energies within the family, and a soul-level healing can begin to take place.

    Bring: Loose comfy clothing, biro, notebook. Bed linen and doona if living in. Prepared food to share.
    Dates:October 2-3, 2010
    Times: Saturday 9am–5pm, Sunday 9am–4pm
    Registration: Saturday 8:30am
    Fees: (Inc GST) $210






    Care of the Soul

    A weekend for graduates of the Port
    with Judith Dawson and Albert Scherrer PhD

    This workshop for graduates of The Portiuncula will help support your ongoing personal, professional and spiritual journey. It was offered successfully in Oct 2009. It provided a great opportunity for people to share their journey with others. You don’t have to be a TERC practitioner to attend this workshop. It is for anyone who is striving for inner growth and wanting to find ways of using their TERC training as leaders in their world. Participants need to have completed Level 2 training.

    Testimonials from workshop participants. “A good experience to reconnect. An experiential way to update/stay in touch with emerging trends in deep inner work. A great way to do some of your own work with experienced people”.

    “It’s like pulling in at a fuel stop to continue with the journeying – time to be real, to name it, to realize the collective nature and impact of what we do”.


    Put this date in your diary. We love to reconnect with all who have journeyed with us.

    Bring: Loose comfy clothing, biro, notebook. Bed linen and doona if living in. Prepared food to share for lunch. Sat dinner provided.
    Dates: Nov 6-7, 2010
    Times: Sat 9-8 & Sun 9am-4pm
    Registration: Saturday 8:30am
    Fees: (Inc GST) $230 - includes complimentary Sat Dinner






    General Information for all Workshops

    Fees: All fees include GST.

    Workshop Times: Please come early to complete enrolment before commencement of workshop - we like to begin on time.

    Food at Workshops: Unless indicated otherwise, we ask that you bring food for lunch and dinner. If you have a special diet, bring your own individual meals or bring food to share, eg for lunch— salad, cold cooked meat, cheese; for evening meal— barbecue chicken, veggies, pizza, casserole, lasagna.

    Accommodation: Dormitory style accommodation is available - $30 / night bed and breakfast. Bring bed linen, doona & towel.

    Enrolment and Deposit: Enrolment may be made at any time up to 2 weeks before a workshop date. Book early to be sure of a place. You can presume that your enrolment is accepted unless you are notified to the contrary. There will be a $50 deposit with each enrolment. (non refundable if cancellation within a week of commencement of the workshop)

    Directions to "The Portiuncula": As you come into Toowoomba from Brisbane, at the top of the Great Dividing Range veer left and continue to travel west on James Street (also called the Warrego Highway). After crossing over Anzac Avenue (Clifford Gardens shopping centre is on the right) go another 100m and turn left into Karrool Street, then right into Glenvale Road. The centre is about 1.5km west along Glenvale Road, just past Greenwattle Street. Look for number 173 — the first house on the right, after Silky Oak Drive.