Workshops on aggression, drug abuse, dangerous behavior, suicide, mental illness, hostage negotiations, and stalking can be informative and useful. But they are rarely enjoyable. As troubling as these subjects may be, a deadly serious or gravely portentous workshop can actually add to a sense of stress – and even fear – among employees. Some training is so clinical and dry that you feel the life sucked out of you as you sit in your chair.
Edgework training, however, takes a different approach. Ellis Amdur has found that what he relies on to keep himself not only calm and strong, but also quite happy, is a somewhat profane sense of humor – he laughs at himself, his fears and the situations he finds himself in. He wisely and entertainingly incorporates this humor to great effect in his training and workshops.
Participants find, sometimes to their surprise, that they are relaxed, even though they are focusing on such subjects as aggression, suicide or severe mental illness. Ellis tells outrageous stories that illustrate a telling point, or recounts a salty portrayal of not only his own successes, but also his own mistakes. He also acts out graphic role-plays of the characters one might face. These are subjects that many of you do not want to face. But laughter encourages a sense of confidence and strength, because you are learning in a state of relaxation. Consider learning a new sport – your coach will tell you over and over again to loosen up. Even in learning about the extremes of human behavior, the goal is the same: relax to stay aware and effective.
In no way is this sense of humor derisive or unkind – it is simply laughing in the middle of our sometimes ordinary and sometimes remarkable lives, lives that occasionally involve dealing with dangerous members of our society. Ellis and his staff, who are also trained in this style and bring their own engaging talents, provide this unique learning experience to all Edgework clients.
Edgework Courses are customized for an institution’s particular needs. Select one of the links below to read about a specific workshop. Also, go to our Client List to view a list of institutions for which Edgework has presented various trainings and workshops.
