Upcoming Radio Show Broadcast: Story Listening In The #MeToo Era

Program rescheduled due to storm and power outage conditions.
Check back for new date and time tba.

In this show, to be broadcast Saturday morning, March tba, Anastasia (Me) returns to discuss the importance of "story listening," especially, but not exclusively, by men, in the era of #MeToo.


Broadcast details below.

The show’s discussion will build on Anastasia’s introduction, last Friday evening, of New Horizons’ local #MeToo storytelling, story listening initiative, part of the Beyond Gender Tyranny project, at the Frederick Civil Society Supper Club. 

Listeners are invited to join the discussion. For details on the event, read my Open Letter To The Civil Society Supper Club.

Also check out prior podcasts, including --

Story “Listening” And Storytelling: The Importance Of Weaving Them Together.

And these articles on Anastasia The Storyteller blog site --

• #MeToo Storytelling To Be Featured At “Beyond Gender Tyranny” Forum;
• On Being Invisible And Invisible No More;
• Bridging The Gender Gap.

Story Listening, By Males, Takes Precedence 

In The #MeToo Era

Saturday, March 3, 11:30 a.m.

Listener call ins invited at: 646.564.9608

A Spectacular First Night Out!

An open letter to the Civil Society Supper Club

Dear Civil Society Supper Club,

At your dinner meeting, this past Friday, I presented a platform of perspectives, based on present day personal experiences, projects in motion, now, at New Horizons, the non-profit I head, and throughout our beloved community. I had every anticipation that my having the opportunity to introduce these at one of your weekly dinner events would be the venue to, in essence, publicly launch the next initiative of New Horizons’ Small “Zones of Peace,” the “Beyond Gender Tyranny” Project. 

I also thought your evening event would be a proper setting to openly discuss what is going on with me, personally, behind these efforts.

You did not disappoint me. In fact what I experienced and took away from our dinner discussion exceeded my hopes and dreams.

Mission accomplished!

For me what happened Friday evening in a cozy back room of the Mi Rancho Grande Restaurant in “smallish” Frederick, Maryland was spectacular!  Grande!

From that experience, I came away knowing that my/our next step for the "Beyond Gender Tyranny" project/movement is, definitely, to create and recreate, again and again, exactly what was accomplished that evening; consciousness-raising!

I know I experienced it then and there. And, believe others did too. I have experienced this before at your dinner events, not being the evening’s presenter. It is a testimony to your Civil Society Supper Club that you accomplish this, again and again.

I was so happy even, awed by what we created, with my contribution!

The willingness and the capabilities of each and every person present to take up threads of what I offered on a culturally volatile issue, sexual harassment and abuse, now surfacing from every corner of our society, and handle the topic in a fiery, passionate, yet civil, non-defensive manner was truly inspiring. 

As most of us know, today, these are critically important issues to which to give voice, to explore and seek new and better ways than we presently have. Throughout there are numerous obstacles to finding and implementing these ways.

And while the most “highly refined” applications of the “art of dialogue” still remain for members of this group to develop, at their highest levels, I did witness, every effort – and – the successful realization of the dedication to civil discourse to which this group is committed.

I applaud all of you.  And, thank you, most wholeheartedly for the gift of my being with you – and – having the opportunity to present my platform to you, in a setting that left me truly inspired for what lies ahead for me, as Executive Director of New Horizons, carrying forth our “Beyond Gender Tyranny” project in the fullest, most successful fashion I can.

I look forward to your inviting me back again for more of the same; an evening of dining and dialogue that I believe has every potential to help build what our Beyond Gender Tyranny project stands for – 

Forming safe community spaces that provide opportunities for generating consciousness raising experiences for men and women who want to overcome today’s gender divide based on a heartfelt desire to –

• Mend the broken fences of male-female relationships; 
• Build bridges of compassion and understanding.

To expand on the issues raised on Friday evening, but not yet discussed to their fullest, I wish to invite any one of the following members, one by one, of your Civil Society Supper Club to join me on my online radio show, Anastasia The Storyteller, for further dialogue on the following issues.  

(On Friday evening we were getting a bit into debate, which was a start, but did not yet go  as far as need be on the following critical issues. Each one of them being of an essential nature to be discussed thoroughly on to way to building a better culture for our children and ourselves, supported by our greatest wisdoms  –

• J – A grandfather expressing concern on the subject of how today’s young girls, dressing to show off their bodies, are potentially, dangerously inflaming the lust of men.
• L – A substitute teacher taking up the counter side of J’s issue; how and why today’s young women are intent on granting themselves the freedom to express their fullness as females, without taking responsibility for male lust

• M – seeking clarification on the appropriate “rules of thumb” for conduct for today’s males toward females, from many different angles.

• N – Just because I think she truly “got me” on the issues and obstacles my Ethics Complaint is raising for me.

• I – Because she is a multi-faceted woman of wisdom that I would love to talk with further, by way of  encouraging her express her perspectives to my listening audience. 

Each one of the above issues are perking inside my mind. Each one of these individuals brought me something indelible to consider. As potential topics for my forthcoming radio shows, I would like to give each an airing, in the true style of authentic dialogue, rather than debate fashion, each issue deserves, along with inviting call ins from listeners.

On Friday evening we were just beginning to get below the surface on these gender related issues in a fashion that is so much what-we-don’t-talk-about-when-we-talk-about-#Metoo.

Also, on Friday evening, at your dinner event, I participated in an experience that I considered the “almost” best of what a civil society is capable.

Thank you so much for inviting me to be your evening's "table talker."

Sincerely,

Anastasia Rosen-Jones

Executive Director

New Horizons Small "Zones of Peace" Project

Civil Society Super Club Of Frederick To Host Anastasia’s Introduction Of Local #MeToo Storytelling, Story Listening Initiative, The Beyond Gender Tyranny Project

This coming Friday evening, the Civil Society Super Club Of Frederick will host Anastasia’s Introduction Of – 

New Horizons Small “Zones of Peace” #MeToo Storytelling, Story Listening Initiative, The Beyond Gender Tyranny Project.

Anastasia will speak on the topic of –

“The Harvey Weinstein/Hollywood Effect On Frederick and Beyond: The Impact On Local Lives"

Friday, February 23, 2018
7:00 p.m.

Mi Rancho Grande Restaurant
193 Thomas Johnson Drive
Frederick, Maryland 

RSVP: Mike Corrigan Cell: 301.695.8295 or email: 

Ethics Complaint Update: Lines Of Communication Are Opening

Lines of communication are opening, with dialogue being established between the International Transactional Analysis Association (ITAA) and myself!

What a turn of events, just when I had almost totally relinquished hope!

Still, even with progress being made, it’s been a bit taxing on my end, this past week, as I sat down to move more deeply into filing my formal Ethics Complaint for sexual harassment and power abuse, with my singularly, most important professional association, the International Transactional Analysis Association.

At this point, much to my delight, I do believe, however, that officials of the ITAA, represented by the current international president, are intending to work with me in such a way as to find doable options for managing the healing I need from making the Ethics Complaint I set out to file, the reconciliation needed and the amends due from the sordid situation.

In other words, a positive outcome is looking more and more assured!

Wouldn’t that be nice in this day and age of horrendous misdeeds and negligent, even criminal mishandling of situations of this nature?

I would be so proud of my organization, ITAA, should this all pan out!  And, myself, too!

My complaint, as you may recall, will be regarding my being sexually harassed by a trainer/supervisor,  as well as being severely victimized as the revenge consequences of my rebuff of the aggressor. The result of that horrific episode, in addition to the emotional distress, is that it resulted in major disruption and harm to my professional credentials and revenue.

From where I sit now, it is difficult to know whether the actual sexual harassment was the most distressing or the punishment it garnered.

Nonetheless, today, rather than upset as I was a few weeks back, I am now beginning to feel hopeful that a resolve will be achieved, along with the caring, concern and respect due me.

Right now, I am just trying to come to terms, for myself, with what this whole episode; the finding of the buried documents, opening my mind to what actually happened originally, how and why I suppressed it all for so long, even concealing it from myself, let alone from others, means for me.

Then the initial, informal complaint making back in December, the being ignored for so long, relative to the seriousness of the situation and now experiencing the door opening to resolve and feeling an important new chapter of my life unfolding.

This article has a decent synopsis of what my charges are about, including the ones about my not being responded to by the Ethics Committee.

Oh my! Oh my! I can barely keep up with myself.

I will provide further details and updates as I get myself sorted out.

Ethics Complaint: Formal Process Now In Motion!

Wouldn’t it be lovely if....?

If there would be a happy ending to this saga?

If you, my supporters and readers, would have opportunity to hear about a sexual harassment/abuse ethics complaint being handled with caring and respect, even with a few bumps in the road?

Copy of text, this morning, to my close inner circle of supporters.

Have now received and downloaded "formal ITAA Ethics Complaint form and have begun organizing for response.

The process of completing the form might take as long as a month or better. 

Am now on my way, heading for whatever "gold" lies ahead. 

Yippee!!!!

I am almost overjoyed! And relieved! 

Liberation lies ahead!

Thank you for your kind and generous support. 

Please keep it coming. Long road ahead with hopefully a happy ending.

Happy day, Anastasia

A Tale Of Two Sexual Harassers/Abusers

Twenty-five years ago I was being abused/harassed in sexually-related situations by two men, concurrently.

In 1996 I married one of these men! I am with him still today, more or less.

And, now, I have a professional ethics complaint pending, regarding the other.

How could that possibly come about? 

This is the story I am going to share on March 24 at the forthcoming –

New Horizons “Beyond Gender Tyranny” Forum

My story has much to teach about the “what to do” and the “what not to do” in gender relationships!

Please join me for this event that promises to be enlightening and possibly uplifting, with a hint of how men and women in today’s gender-upheaval world might begin building bridges across whatever might separate them.

• Mending the broken fences of male-female relationships. 
• Building bridges of compassion and understanding.

"Beyond Gender Tyranny"

A Consciousness Raising Forum For Overcoming Today’s Gender Polarization

Date: Saturday, March 24      1:00 to 5:00 p.m.

Reserve early! 

Donations are encouraged, suggested amount: $20. 

(No one excluded due to monetary limitations.)

For Details and Reservations, Contact: Anastasia Rosen-Jones
Email: HarpersFerryNH@aol.com Cell: 240.409.5347

Ethics Complaint: My Heavy Lifting Seems To Be Paying Off

I AM JOYFUL! I AM RELIEVED! I AM AWED!

After close to a month, combining with my eye crisis --- and – the heavy lifting that arose out of my finding the documents, prompting me to make an ethics complaint, regarding sexual harassment by a former trainer and supervisor of mine – and – being mind-bogglingly snubbed by the Ethics Committee Co-Chairs of the International Transactional Analysis Association (ITAA), once the process got started – you better believe this has been a time of “heavy lifting!”

But lo and behold, at long last, I have, now, had an “official” response!

From no less than the President of the International Transactional Analysis Association, with her opening the doors to me for creative solutions to the situation that has presented itself!

Anastasia, Goddess
of Heavy Lifting

How this has come about appears to be about the “High Road” I chose to follow, regarding the situation from my end, in the face of my being disregarded.

I do not yet know this for sure; how my actions finally invited acknowledgment. But, for certain, as an old quote I once heard, suggested –

The goddess is alive and magic is afoot.

I believe in the “Goddess” and I believe in magic.

So suffice it to say, at this point, I am very much in need of time and space to: 

1. Sort out the options suggested for resolving the sordid, sexual harassment experience I had – and the price I paid -- ala the Harvey Weinstein/Hollywood sexual harassment scandals;
2. Write a proper response back to the ITAA President, acknowledging the suggestions she has put forward; a whole other “heavy lifting project for me, or so it seems today; and finally -- maybe;
3. Sort out how the Goddess in me is to think and feel with these new circumstances presented.

In this latter item, I see that an entire new stage of living is now attainable for me that I have no idea, yet, how to even begin to embrace.

However of one thing, I am certain, fierceness is not enough! 

At least not for the kind of Goddess I am; truly a Compassionate Warrior above all!

More to come.

I AM JOYFUL! I AM RELIEVED! I AM AWED!

And in time, I hope to be able to tell you how and why!