When Jennifer Silverstein created the BeWell Method for businesses, she had no idea how effective it would be for large institutions like Community Colleges. This summer, Jennifer launched a BeWell Train the Trainer’s program at Santa Rosa Junior College for staff, faculty and administrators across seven Student Services departments. Using the BeWell method, Jennifer’s trainees are now helping staff and students to identify “one thing” that, if changed, could catalyze a positive domino effect across every area of their lives. And it’s working, almost magically.
The BeWell Method is a structured coaching system that takes you through a transformative process in three sessions or less. While many bosses, HR managers and administrators are using the same traditional approaches for work performance issues with the same frustrating results, the BeWell Method manages to create a paradigm shift inside an individual or organization. When the shift happens, you can tell immediately. Suddenly old habits and patterns that were once stuck in tiresome loops unlock and head in a new direction. It’s so surprising that you can’t help but feel encouraged and motivated to go further, understand more, and try it again. And it works again, for another goal you never managed to achieve or behavior you could never change before. The BeWell Method is revolutionary and cutting edge, and it’s also brilliantly simple.
Jennifer has based her work on the most contemporary findings in neuroscience, human development and positive psychology. Through years of research she has managed to synthesize what we know about behavioral change into one systematic method that creates an optimal environment for transformation. Step-by-step she takes you to the place in yourself or your organization where a hidden belief, commitment, or value stands in opposition to your consciously stated change goal. There’s no shame in being of protective of ourselves or our organizations, Jennifer would say. That non-judgmental acceptance of what is human and predictable goes a long way in decreasing resistance to change, something every manager knows a great deal about. When you manage to see that what is hidden is protecting you or your organization from a dreaded outcome, you have an “Aha” moment. The next steps in the process have you testing your assumptions, negotiating what is hidden and moving toward your change goal in small, measurable paces. The beauty of the BeWell Method is that it’s all outlined in an easy-to-follow format that takes what is a vast breadth of knowledge and whittles it down into what we can all follow, whether we understand neuroscience or not.
When you get to know Jennifer, you understand why she is so passionate about this work and spreading it across every industry and environment that she can. She says she feels it is one small difference she can make in a world that has so many far-reaching impacts on our quality of life, success and happiness. As one of her trainees, I can tell you, it’s made a monumental difference in my life, and in all the lives of the people I work with every day.
Marianne Schwarz-Kesling is a Program Developer at Santa Rosa Junior College CalWORKs Program, and recent trainee in the BeWell Method.
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