Adapting to travel or life abroad can lead to positive transformational change, but it can also lead to stress, culture shock and even increased prejudice. This 2-day seminar helps you understand and successfully manage this powerful process. You learn to distinguish between surface and deep culture learning. You learn about psychological stresses of intercultural adjustment, including culture surprise, culture stress, and culture shock. You learn that psychological resistance is a natural part of the cultural adjustment process. You learn how to encourage the development of deep culture empathy, the ability to look at the world through a new pair of cultural glasses. You will see how intercultural experiences can lead to profound personal growth–intercultural living as an inner journey.

Is this seminar for you?

The seminar is meant for anyone who wants to deepen their understanding of cultural adjustment processes. It is intended for “bridge people” who adapt deeply to foreign cultural communities, have multicultural backgrounds, or frequently cross cultural boundaries. Besides it’s meant for trainers, coaches and HR consultants dealing with cross-cultural challenges at the global workplace.

You will …

  • Learn about the psychological demands of adjusting to a new cultural environment
  • Learn to distinguish between surface and deep cultural learning
  • Learn to identify psychological resistance to cultural adjustment
  • Learn differences between culture surprise, culture stress and culture shock

Seminar content and key questions

  • What are common patterns of adjustment to new cultural environments?
  • How can we encourage deeper forms of cultural learning?
  • What is the difference between culture surprise, culture stress and culture shock?
  • How does cultural adjustment affect identity and sense of self?

Program

Day 1: Cultural Adjustment

  • Resistance – Acceptance – Adaptation
  • Adaptive demands
  • The psychology of culture surprise, culture stress, and culture shock

Day 2: Cultural Journey

  • The psychology of the intercultural self
  • Deep empathy and becoming a cultural bridge person
  • Reflecting on your intercultural journey

Trainers

  • Joseph Shaules (PhD). Professor, Author and Director of the Japan Intercultural Institute
  • Yvonne van der Pol. Sociologist, Author, Intercultural Trainer and Board member of SIETAR Europe

Deep Culture Learning Certificate

Participants who satisfactorily complete the seminar, and demonstrate an understanding of course content (through a written evaluation), will receive the Deep Culture Learning certificate.

Dates and location

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic we haven’t planned any dates yet. Add yourself to our mailing list if you like to be updated.