For more detailed examples of my work, CLICK HERE.

Recent Workshops Designed and Led

  • Organizational Effectiveness. Three 3-day workshops for Cape Breton Family Resource Coalition (Family Place) management team. In collaboration with Heart Wide Open. (Winter, Spring and Fall, 2023)
  • Pathways to Empathic Communication (2022). Workshop for Wolfville Children’s Centre staff on Empathic Communication. Co-led with Heidi Kalyani (Heart Wide Open).
  • The interacting roles of Empathic Communication, Vicarious Trauma and Resilience in Building a Healthy Workplace (2022). Three-day workshop for Cape Breton Family Resource Coalition (Family Place) management team. In collaboration with Heart Wide Open.
  • Shifting Organizational Culture (2020). A series of six online workshops for Autism Nova Scotia on Empowerment Facilitation, Mindfulness, Holding Space (with Heidi Kalyani), Values and Action; Trauma-Informed Practice; and Oppression/Liberation Theory.
  • Transcending our “dinosaur brains” in a time of uncertainty and frustration. (2020). Day-long workshop to assist staff in adapting to changes in the workplace due to COVID-19, using anchoring skills and emotional management tools.
  • The Journey Towards Resilience: How to Transform Challenges into Resources. (2020). Two two-and-a-half-hour online workshops for staff of a local non-profit in collaboration with *heart wide open*.
  • Peer Support Refresher Course for Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse. (2019). Six-session training with Survivors of Abuse Recovering Society. Incorporates train-the-trainer aspects also. In collaboration with SOAR members. 
  • Transforming the Culture of Sexual Harassment. (2019). Series of workshops for a local business to address workplace safety and respect, using an adaptation of the four stage engagement model I developed for anti-violence work. 
  • Dropping Anchor in Emotional Storms. (2019). In collaboration with *heart wide open*. Workshop for staff of a children’s centre to assist in grounding and resilience. 
  • Facilitate with Heart. (2018). Two series of six workshops for support group facilitators. Sponsored by Self Help Connection. In collaboration with *heart wide open*. 
  • Introduction to ACT for Self-Care, Supporting Others, and Group Facilitation. (2018, 2019, 2020 [planned]). Series of two-day workshops delivered to Family Resource Centre workers, Baddeck and Iona, Cape Breton, NS. 
  • Transforming the Culture of Violence Against Women. (2017). A look at strategies to engage men as allies in creating a culture that will no longer tolerate violence against women. Third Horton Baptist Church.
  • Digging into What Matters (2017). Values Clarification workshop for the Tatamagouche Free School. Using ACT principles. Co-led with Heidi Kalyani.
  • Seeds from Silence. (2017). Co-led with Heidi Kalyani. Introduction to Mindfulness tools.
  • Outside the Box. (2015). Two-day workshop for 35 RCMP and related justice workers. Coordinated a team of six facilitators (three from Chrysalis House and three from RCMP) to create and deliver training in working with youth to change the culture of violence against women. Adapted the process and content to meet the needs of RCMP culture. Designed a six-session curriculum based on the Man to Man Toolkit. Funded by Justice Canada.
  • Into the Heart of Gender. (2015). Three-session workshop for Be the Peace Institute (Mahone Bay, NS). Training facilitators and community leaders in process that enables a group of diversely gendered people to dialogue constructively about sexual violence issues.
  • Gender in the Media. (2014). Partnered with a graphic artist, Mark Oakley, to design and deliver a 3-hour interactive workshop to Grade 5 students to raise awareness of media influences on their concept of gender roles. (Granville Ferry, NS).
  • Man to Man. (2013-2015). Designed and led a series of one and two-day trainings for leaders of youth. The workshop presented a model of male engagement, including four steps that need to be addressed to achieve sustainable engagement.
  • Gender-Aware / Gender-Transformative Facilitation Training. (2013). Designed and led two two-day workshops to give community and professional facilitators effective tools to create constructive dialogue between and with differently gendered people on issues of violence. The workshop incorporated leadership from Chrysalis House and Juniper House staff and members of Survivors of Abuse Recovering Society. (Kentville, NS and Digby, NS).
  • Starting and Facilitating Self-Help Groups. (2007). With Linda Bayers in partnership with Self-Help Connection. Designed and led a two-day workshop for group facilitators in the Annapolis Valley. Ten-step startup process, basic facilitation skills and Assertive Caring. (Kentville, NS).

Other Activities

For the last 40 years involved as a volunteer in many community organizations and structures.  These have included leading youth groups, chairing committees for the national (Canadian) Quaker church, teaching community courses in Conflict Management, Peer Counseling, Group Facilitation, Leadership, Community Development Skills, Mindfulness, and serving as the regional coordinator (Atlantic Provinces) for an international peer counseling network.

In the 1980’s was instrumental in initiating and managing a Local Employment Trading System (LETS) in King’s County, NS. LETS was designed to stimulate employment by providing a local currency and a newsletter listing opportunities to earn and spend the currency.

Led the organizing team and moderated several annual conferences on gender issues in the 1990’s, including “Man-to-Man” and “Gender-to-Gender” in Champaign, IL. Conducted the facilitator training for session leaders. Started and led several men’s support groups. Trained men’s support group leaders.

Research Collaborator (2003-2007) with the Canadian Research Alliance for Community Innovation and Networking (CRACIN See http://www.cracin.ca) which was funded by SSHRC to investigate the impact of programs promoting the development and public accessibility of Internet services to address the “Digital Divide”.

Program Coordinator (1993-1995) Friends General Conference High School Program. Following several years as a counselor and workshop leader, coordinated a summer conference program for 160 high school age participants for three years. Developed and implemented program. Screened, selected and supervised 20 volunteer staff and handled crisis intervention as required.

Trainer for Survivors of Abuse Recovering Society, a volunteer peer support organization serving the Annapolis Valley. I designed and led several trainings for Peer Supporters and Group Facilitators. In 2013 I completed a full redesign of the training program and manual for Peer Counselors.

I am currently chair of Gambling Risk Informed Nova Scotia, an NFP dedicated to reducing community gambling harms.

Took the “Partners for Progress: Working with Your Community” training for developing skills in building community partnerships, facilitated by Barb Anderson and Nancy McBay in 2003.

Certification in Mediation from Dialogue for Peaceful Change (2016)

Over forty years of experience leading consensus-building decision-making groups using Quaker process and its secular derivatives.

Program Coordinator / Manager

  • Western Nova Scotia Peer Support Network, Survivors of Abuse Recovering, Kentville (2016-2018)
  • Engaging Men and Boys to End Violence Against Women, Chrysalis House, Kentville, NS (2013-15)
  • Family Literacy Internet Project, Apple Tree Landing Children’s Centre, Canning, NS (2001).
  • Centre for Community and Enterprise Networking, Cape Breton University, Sydney, NS (1997).
  • Campus Support Groups Program, Counseling Center, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (1991-96).

Education

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
Ph.D.  Psychology, October, 1996;  M.A.  Psychology, August, 1993.
Minor in Qualitative Methodologies, including course in Feminist Methodology

Acadia University, Wolfville, NS
Two years of Psychology courses (Honours program equivalency) 1987-1989.

Ryerson Polytechnic Institute (now Toronto Metropolitan University), Toronto, ON
B.A.A.  Photographic Arts, April 1981.

Presentations

Dienes, B. (June, 2021). A Four-Stage Engagement Process to Motivate Oppressors to Become Allies. Society for Community Research and Action Biennial Conference (Div. 27 of APA).

Dienes, B. (June 2019). Four stages to motivate men as allies in ending gendered violence. American Men’s Studies Association Conference, Brandon, MB. See PDF: Dienes-AMSA-Brandon-2019

Dienes, B. (March, 2018). Transforming Toxic Masculinity. Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax, NS.

Dienes, B. (February, 2015). Men and boys ending violence against women and girls. NSCC Amherst. Amherst Interagency for Family Violence Prevention. Amherst, NS.

Dienes, B. (December, 2014). Men’s experience of trauma and healing: What is distinctive? What is universal? Presented at Promising Practices and Innovative Approaches: Women and Men Stopping Gendered Violence. Nova Scotia Advisory Council on the Status of Women. Halifax, NS.

Dienes, B. (September, 2014). Beyond the gender wars: Men as allies in violence prevention. Presented at the Annapolis Valley CAST Coalition Suicide Awareness and Prevention Conference, Berwick, NS.

Dienes, B. (March, 2014). Engaging men and boys in ending violence against women and girls. Presented to Trauma Informed Practice in Nova Scotia webinar hosted by Department of Health and Wellness.

Dienes, B., & Frenette, H. (May, 2013). Impact of gambling advertising. Presented at Knowing our Communities conference sponsored by Injury Free Nova Scotia. Halifax, NS.

Gurstein, M., & Dienes, B. (February, 1999). A community informatics approach to health care for rural Africa. Paper presented at The Africa Telemedicine Project: Conference ’99, Nairobi, Kenya.

Gurstein, M., & Dienes, B. (June, 1998). Community enterprise networks: Partnerships for local economic development. Paper presented at Libraries as Leaders in Community Economic Development conference, Victoria, BC.

Dienes, B. (October, 1997). Community wellness informatics: Implications for local economic development. Digital Knowledge II, Toronto, ON.

Gurstein, M., & Dienes, B. (October, 1997). Introduction to information and communications technology and local economic development. ICT-4-LED Conference, Coast Guard College, Sydney, NS.

Dienes, B. (July, 1997). Wire Nova Scotia as a stimulus for local economic development. Telecommunities ’97, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS.

Dienes, B. (November, 1993) Changing masculinities. Invited speaker to symposium sponsored by the Department of Women’s Studies, Parkland College, Champaign, IL.

Dienes, B. (October, 1993) Some considerations for training self-help group facilitators in a university setting. Midwest Ecological-Community Conference (Society for Community Research and Action, Division 27, APA), Sawyer, MI. 

Dienes, B. (September, 1993). On-line self-help: Various modalities for electronic support groups. National Conference of Self-Help Clearinghouses, Buffalo, NY.

Dienes, B. (March, 1993). Redefining masculinity. Keynote address to the fourth Man-to-Man Conference, McKinley Foundation, Champaign, IL.

Dienes, B. (February, 1993) Support groups on campus: The role of the counseling center. Big Ten Counseling Center Conference, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Dienes, B. & Mankowski, E. (October, 1992). Men’s self-help and participant research. Midwest Ecological-Community Conference (Society for Community Research and Action, Division 27, APA), Sawyer, MI.

Dienes, B. (September, 1992). Self-help in a university environment: Challenges and innovations. International Conference on Self-Help/Mutual Aid, Ottawa, ON.