Women’s Learning Community Testimonialsials

The following women have participated in previous Women's Learning Communities. Read what they have to say about their experience.

Meet Patricia -- Women's Learning Community 2006/2007.

These are her reflections of the Women's Learning Community in her own words:

"I had been through a lot of change - major change. I was a corporate executive for over 20 years. I made a choice not to do that anymore. I didn't know what I wanted to do. I had recently moved to Nashville from Dallas. We were building a house here, we had to get the kids settled, and we recently had a death in the family. All emotional, big huge stuff.

I settled for about 9 months here, started a company and had just returned from a business trip to China and Australia when I realized that something was not right. I wasn't energized. I wasn't in a positive mode, which wasn't like me. I felt it was hard to meet people. I like to make things happen and I wasn't doing that anymore. I'd act like everything was fine. But I waited for the kids to go off to school in the morning and then I'd just 'blah'... I couldn't sustain anything. It was through the program that I finally figured out why.

One thing I particularly loved about the Women's Learning Community is that you come together as a group and we are all very different. Everyone is on her own journey. But we have one thing in common: we want something different or more in our lives that we need to create. The human spirit coming together in this way, it's really wonderful. There's so much compassion. There's this dichotomy of your inner process along with the group - I loved that.

The turning point for me was a book that Thelma recommended: The Way of Transition, by William Bridges. This particular book allowed me to see that I never grieved my corporate identity. I had immediately thrown myself into a new life. Thelma encourages you to explore your life and figure out 'what is it time to harvest in your life?' You put so much into something. My big 'aha' moment was: I had this incredible career and I never acknowledged it. I was stuck at the end of it. So I celebrated it and while I was sad about it too, I didn't want to go back to it. I was able to get to the point of having a blank slate so that I could create something new.

Another pivotal moment for me was an activity we did early on. We were to create a journal or book to put photos, create collages, write. And you know, my first thought was, 'I don't really want to do this.' But I had so much fun doing it! I love this book. It was something I never would have done on my own, but I got so into it. I would search for words to describe where I was at the time and pictures that would depict how I felt. It was very profound to me. I love my book! I want to take people through my book! I guess it would be like a slide show of someone's vacation, but if anyone wants to see it, they can. I'm proud of it.

I feel my life is in motion, it's flowing now. It's in creative mode. It's no longer about problem solving. It's about possibility. I got so much out of the program that I am doing it again. I recognize now the balance between head and heart. I'm always in my head too much. This program allows me to be a whole person and access my heart."

Meet Marie -- Women's Learning Community 2001/2002

These are her reflections in 2006 of the Women’s Learning Community in her own words:

"At the time that I started in the Women’s Learning Community process I was at what I perceived to be a difficult place in my life. I was very successful and I was exhausted! Ten years before I had started an organization that proved to be a model for others in the U.S. and around the world. However, I was totally driven. It was a personal thing with me – I would not fail. I was raising money, traveling, recruiting and managing the business. During the same period my parents hit their 90’s, my sister was dying of cancer and they all lived far away. My stress level was in overload. I felt torn, but this was my identity, my work.

I heard Thelma speak at an event at Belmont and knew that I should consider working with her. Once before in my life I did something that was equally as important, significant and scary to me. When I divorced with a young child to raise, I went into debt to go into therapy. I learned a lot from the experience, but the primary learning was that somebody else can help you to help yourself and that risks can bring rewards. When Thelma developed the WLC program, I was ready to risk again. One aspect that intrigued me and that I really liked was that Thelma asked me (and all other potential members) to provide a written essay as to why I wanted to be in the program. The written essay helped me to clarify some of what I desired.

There were some surprises along the way in WLC. Most were internal with me – but that’s the biggie. The other surprise was how people were different from what I first perceived. We go on with our personas … what we think we should be, what we share. Certainly that happens in any group as it did in ours, but this group congealed so that what we were doing became overall better. We had a great mixture of women ages 26-57ish. You had perspective from different generations, differing communication styles, different issues, but we all found the commonality for growth.

If you want to know what I found most valuable about the Women’s Learning Community, my flip answer would be what I am doing right now! My real answer is what got me to doing what I am now. That’s what I learned. I remember a question, one of the closing questions we talked about: “What are you tolerating?” Isn’t that a marvelous thought-provoking question? If you work on it honestly, you are just getting started. It’s like a burst of light! You start working towards answers and discover how to balance your life. That was really the ‘aha’ moment for me.

As a result of my work in the Women’s Learning Community, I changed my life significantly in ways that are probably considered drastic in others’ eyes. I took early retirement in 2004. I’m working on the joy of retirement now instead of dreading the process. My husband, the love of my life, and I named our financial records “having fun and growing old” and that’s what we do everyday. After much research on quality of life and considering many different countries, we moved to the Republic of Panama. We live in the city and each morning we enjoy the most incredible views of the bay and the city. Every day is filled with awe at the beauty of life. We have lived here almost two years now. We travel … Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, Chile, Uruguay, and Argentina this year. We get back to Nashville every so often, but this is home and paradise for us. We continue to live, love, have fun and grow old together.

I learned a lot!"

Meet Audrey -- Women’s Learning Community 2001/2002

These are her reflections in 2006 of the Women’s Learning Community in her own words:

"I had a job that I truly loved. It was a small company, very entrepreneurial in spirit. And then the company sold the business, and I found myself, once again, working for a large corporation. Knowing the pitfalls of working in a large corporation, I knew that achieving balance and perspective was going to be important. There was a lot going on in my life at the same time. I was raising my daughter, who is now 11 years old, and I was really evaluating my marriage – not whether I was going to leave or stay, but really just examining it and learning more about myself in the process. When I heard about Thelma’s program, I knew the time was right for some deep reflection. I knew I needed to make this commitment for myself. I was hoping that I would achieve a life and work balance, and also hoping I might learn some things that I could apply to parenting a daughter, too, which I did.

The group that was assembled was really dynamic. It was a great group and we are still close to this day. Thelma is a wonderful facilitator. She is so skilled at assembling a community and bringing people together. But we learned as much from each other. Every time we were together - we used to laugh about it - someone would say something astoundingly brilliant.

One thing I really appreciated about this program was just that Saturday, once a month, when I knew I could focus on me. Thelma is just such an impressive woman. She has lived a very richly textured life and has been a social worker, entrepreneur, mother, single woman, married woman; she’s started businesses, she’s worked in the inner city - she has had so many experiences in her life – she has approached her own life in a fearless way, but also in a very thoughtful way. That is a dimension of her as a life coach that is very exciting. She has a wealth of life experience. And she has, unlike most anyone else I know, the capacity to ask just the right question. It’s startling sometimes.

We all have the answers within us. It’s really just about having the person who asks the right questions.

The Women’s Learning Community experience was life changing for me in many ways. Not only do I have wonderful, life-long friends from the group - some of whom I still talk to almost every day five years later - but my perspective on life stresses, on authenticity in life choices and on taking risks and achieving balance will never be the same. Do I have days when I am stressed or when life feels out of balance? Absolutely. But I have so many more tools at my disposal and a fresh approach to understanding what keeps me in balance and how I can make choices to keep my life moving in a positive direction."

Meet Alice -- Women’s Learning Community 2003/2004

These are her reflections in 2006 of the Women’s Learning Community in her own words:

"I am 52 years old. I’m a physician and practice women’s radiology at Vanderbilt. My parents both died when I was in my 20’s and I was an only child. I needed to support myself, and becoming a medical doctor was what I decided to do. When I met Thelma Kidd, I was in the throes of leaving a mentally and physically exhausting job in private practice and wanted to discover my next step.

Underneath all of this turmoil was also the realization that I had always wanted to do something creative – I had a background in retail – but circumstances had led me to another track entirely.

I came to the Women’s Learning Community because I was in transition. And although I didn’t realize it at the time, I came for the courage to step out, take the risk, and do something I always wanted to do.

There was a great feeling of camaraderie and safeness in this group. Just being able to speak freely without having to edit your thoughts was really special. What I found so wonderful about the process is that it allows you to find and hear your own voice; and to accept it as the truth. You know the answers, you just need to be able to hear and own them.

The Women’s Learning Community gave me the confidence to open my own retail store, Pastiche. This store gives me something to be passionate about every day. It was a dream that became a reality during the Women's Learning Community, and for that I am eternally grateful!"

Meet Evelyn -- Women's Learning Community 2001/2002.

These are her reflectionsin 2006 of the Women's Learning Community in her own words:

"My husband and I were married in 1999 and moved to Nashville in 2000. At first it was a welcome change, a new start for us both; but it ended up being a difficult transition for me. I had left a great position behind in Dallas, and found it hard to get involved in the Nashville professional and recreational scene. I really felt like I was facing some pretty big challenges.

What I later discovered was at the heart of these challenges was the fact that I had a tremendous amount of self-worth attached to my job. And because I left such a good position to move here, I felt like I left my identity behind.

Then in May of that year, my dad passed away. Although we were expecting it, you are never really prepared, so this too, added to the changes in my life.

I heard Thelma speak at Belmont University not long after my dad passed and what she was saying hit home immediately. She talked about "settling" and "the doldrums" and that was exactly what I was feeling. So, I applied. I was the youngest person in the group (I was 31 at the time). We went on our first retreat, which I loved, and I put together a work plan right away. I knew I needed to make new friends and get out more often than I was. I knew I was struggling with balance, but more in terms of, "how do you invest your time in things other than work?". I also felt that in my new job - I wasn't overworked - but I was really underutilized. I had a lot to delve into and I was ready.

Then, September 11th happened. I found myself examining again what I wanted out of life, but now my emphasis was spending time with family and friends. I also knew that I would be leaning on the women I had just met.

And so the journey to my personal discovery began. I faced just how difficult it was for me to separate myself from my work. To feel as if I had other things to offer and was not comprised merely of a title, not judged merely by my results. To understand that I was not solely the sum of my work. Thelma describes this process so eloquently on her website, she talks about women embarking on this nine month passage, how it can be cathartic, and how it is connected to how we all began in this life. About how you develop and cultivate yourself during that time, and wait for the arrival of something new.

These words took on new meaning when I discovered I was pregnant that winter. Suddenly, the words became all too literal; the meaning all too clear. And these wonderful women, they were so compassionate to me. I was preparing to be a new mom and I don't think they have any idea how much their nurturing meant to me, and how much I needed their support.

It's funny, but the movie "Steel Magnolia's" always reminds me of the assembly of women we had gathered in our community. I still laugh out loud when I see that movie and realize the parallels of the characters, both real and on the screen. This melting pot of personalities melding into such an invincible structure of charm and wisdom - just like us.

Since my work with Thelma, we've moved out of state again, I have accepted a new position, we've bought a new home, and are raising our little girl who is now four years old. Throughout it all, I had my support group cheering me on. My expectations are always high, but because of this program and Thelma's guidance, I truly feel that I can still achieve balance and keep it all together, no matter what life presents."

Meet Cathy -- Women's Learning Community 2003/2004

These are her reflections in 2006 of the Women's Learning Community in her own words:

"My story is hard to hear and painful to tell. It's been six years and it's still as painful as it was then. But if I can help just one person, reach out to the one who feels like they are in a relationship that has them backed into a corner - that's why I'm sharing this. I want to help the person who feels stuck. My story is dramatic. It is stunning. But we all have degrees of pain in our life. Your pain is no less significant than mine.

My ex-husband, who I just loved with all my heart, and I had a 5 year-old daughter. I knew things weren't going well. He was physically and emotionally abusive. But I didn't know that he was sexually abusing our daughter. He went to jail for it. And I was left with pieces of a shattered life, trying to figure out how to get us both back together again. I got us into good counseling, but I felt like I needed more. What I needed was a plan for my life, for our life.

I found Thelma on the Internet and the Women's Learning Community was scheduled to begin in a month. I went to visit Thelma and knew that this was exactly what I needed to do.

We had our first retreat at Leatherwood Forge. I was looking at this community of women, listening to their stories. And you know, if someone would have put them in a line up, I would have said, "I don't have anything in common with them." But when we got together, we realized we were all in a place where we were looking for a road to travel. I was inspired. There were so many women with different perspectives coming to the table. And, unlike counseling, where I felt like I had already examined the "why's" of my emotions, here were these women, completely non-judgmental, saying, "Ok, so this is where you are. We're sorry. Where are you going to go from here?"

It's not like getting together with your friends - they just love you for what you are. My friends felt sorry for me. These women all had their own situations to deal with, and there was a common ground that was just understood: When we came together, it was for the purpose of moving forward.

These women are some of my favorite people I have in my life. We still get together, and when we do, it feels like we just saw each other yesterday. The work I did with Thelma is so important. It's not like you come out a different person - you are still going to feel your pain - but you will have a path. You will know where to go from here. And that's empowering."

"I have achieved clarity and a sense of peace in WLC this year. Much further along on the path to self-understanding, I am better equipped to make choices that are right for me."

            Joyce Johnson, M.D.

"When it comes to dealing with change and growing stronger, there's nothing like the company of other women to help us through. Thelma Kidd does a wonderful job of creating safe and creative space where women are free to share their trials and their joys. I know I grew as a member of her Learning Community, and I highly recommend the experience. "

Amy Lynch Writer, Speaker

" Through the experience of the Women's Learning Community, I was guided to set new goals, both long-term and short-term. Thelma and the incredible group of women who were part of the community helped me reflect on my life, supported me, and encouraged me to cross the threshold of a new phase of life."

Gayle Ray Deputy Commissioner, Tennessee Department of Correction

"The Women's Learning Community is the perfect balance of professional guidance, peer supported learning and development, and the power of genuine, caring friendships between women. We laughed, we cried, we shared food and music and poetry and, during the nine months we were together, our collective spirits gave birth to eight new beings."

Audrey Seitz V.P., Bible Group Marketing Thomas Nelson Inc.