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Being for Beginners

"I can't recommend highly enough this self-care with purpose. It's backed up
by real understanding and shared with warmth and compassion."

Dr Katherine De Villiers, University of Oxford

About The Being for Beginners Series

"How do we enable growth, know ourselves better and become more who we want to be
- even when life is difficult?"

VIDEO: Roddy explains how B4B brings insights for personal growth and wellbeing

What is Being for Beginners?

A series of workshops, facilitated by Roddy Bray that combine insights and tools for growth with space for personal reflection. The series provides understanding and equips for greater wellbeing.

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Who is Being for Beginners For?

Anyone who wants to move forward in their personal growth - whether struggling with a particular issue, seeking deeper wellbeing, or wanting to explore new ideas and practices. 

Where Do I Find B4B?

Feedback

What Should I Expect?

  • Ideas from various traditions and disciplines that support personal growth and wellbeing

  • Big questions, practical steps

  • Time to explore and reflect

  • Privacy and respect

  • Meditation to help connect with yourself deeper, no previous experience required

  • A journey - starting wherever you are at, and going where you want to go (or discovering what those might be!)

What Will B4B Give Me?

  • Insight and understanding, fresh perspectives

  • New skills and practices

  • Practical ways to change and grow

  • Clarity and vision

  • Calm and encouragement

Amazing, comprehensive series. It has so much to offer… I loved the flexibility and the resources shared. Celia, Dphil Student, Oxford

I can't believe how fortunate I am to have found this course. Kumar, Researcher, Cambridge

Extremely helpful. I felt a huge difference before and after. Shefali, Researcher, Imperial

This course finally has helped me to put theories into practice. I will carry these techniques close to me, a truly transformative experience. Viktor, Professional Services, Oxford

The best course I've been on. Dominik, Masters Student, Oxford

* based on more than 450 feedback forms

Over 90% of respondents* report that B4B has provided them with support in their:

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  • sense of self-worth

  • mental and emotional health

  • ability to manage themselves and their reactions

  • work / life balance

  • understanding of others

  • sense of wellbeing

  • work and in their career development

Impact

Link to Course Overview

"I am going forward from here with a more positive, hopeful and peaceful sense of the future."

Prof Mark Jenkinson, University of Oxford

  • What is B4B and how does it benefit participants?
    Being for Beginners (B4B) is a practical and transformative series of workshops that provides valuable insights and tools for personal growth and self-reflection. The series is designed to equip and enable participants, whether they are struggling with specific issues, seeking deeper wellbeing, or looking to explore new ideas and practices for personal development. Through the B4B series, individuals can gain a better understanding of themselves, develop new skills, and find innovative ways to enhance their overall quality of life. This programme not only fosters personal growth, but creates a supportive environment where participants can privately self-reflect on their experiences and aspirations.
  • What is Roddy's style?
    Roddy has an engaging style and gentle humour. His approach is unique. He draws upon his background in Anthropology, his broad academic interests and life-experience. He makes workshops experiential and personal, yet in a way that protects privacy. He avoids prescriptive approaches in favour of process and exploration. Woven into ideas and simple frameworks he develops skills of meditation that support reflection. His manner is encouraging and no previous experience is required. He ensures there are regular opportunities to privately reflect, enabling space for each indiviual to engage, explore and apply ideas to their own life. This unusual facilitative approach provides participants with a framework for personal growth that lays deep foundations for lifelong development.
  • What is Roddy's methodolgy?
    To understand and experience insights and practices in a safe but effective way, Roddy combines ideas from various traditions and disciplines with careful, private, facilitated space enabling individuals to work confidently with tools and frameworks that develop deeper self-awareness and enable change. This respectful, open and non-prescriptive approach empowers participants, encouraging them to own and apply the material, which greatly improves understanding and practical relevance.
  • What is the background and focus of Roddy's work ?
    The workshops, away-days, talks and articles offered by Roddy originated from a collaborative initiative with research staff at the University of Oxford. Tasked with developing innovative ideas and practices for enhancing wellbeing, Roddy crafted a series of programmes designed to address the challenges faced by academic professionals. The B4B series, which has been widely commissioned within the University of Oxford and beyond, emphasises practical strategies grounded in research and cultural insights. By focusing on personal development, the course aims to support both professional and personal life, making the series highly relevant and beneficial for individuals regardless of position or life-stage.
  • What is the core approach of Being for Beginners?
    The core approach of the series is interdisciplinary, drawing from anthropology, psychology, and other disciplines to offer fresh perspectives that improve awareness, understanding, and enable change. Unlike traditional programs that might adhere strictly to a single philosophy, this series leverages a broad range of academic and cultural sources to provide a well-rounded educational experience. This method benefits participants by equipping them with diverse analytical tools and insights, fostering a more comprehensive understanding of complex issues, and encouraging transformative personal and professional growth. By integrating these perspectives, the series aims to cultivate deeper awareness and practical skills that are applicable over time and across contexts.
  • What impact has the series made?
    B4B provides valuable tools for personal growth and development, supporting participants in both their work-life and general wellbeing. Based on feedback from over 450 participants, the series has made significant impact. It has received consistent 5-star reviews on Trustpilot and participants have described it as insightful, useful, practical, calming and transformative. As set out above, the series shows ratings exceeding 90% across important areas including: self-worth mental and emotional health ability to manage reactions and patterns of thought work / life balance understanding of others sense of wellbeing work and career development I would be delighted to share specific impact data on request.
Convenors

For Organisations and Course Convenors

I am interested in discussing how I can support growth and wellbeing within your organization. My work promotes a wellbeing mindset and empowers individuals to pursue personal development, leading to a happier, more flexible, and creative work environment. Please contact me to receive a proposal tailored to your needs. 

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Please contact me. I look forward to sending you a proposal based on your needs. 

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Practical Points

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  • The Being for Beginners series can be run over zoom, or in-venue:

    • Zoom: typically two* 1 hour workshops per week for three weeks

    • In-Venue: Two full days, or a series of half days or one hour workshops - at your location or an external venue 

  • All participants will receive 1 month free access to the ​series online for catchup and review

  • In-venue participants can also receive a free copy of the Wellbeing Workbook

  • Additional talks, activities and workshops are available on request

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Roddy Bray communicates big ideas in a very effective and engaging way.
Incredibly insightful and helpful.
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Thought provoking, compassionate, inspiring. 
Practical and profound. Brilliantly-led sessions.
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An excellent facilitator - knowledgeable and kind.​
​I loved your manner, your humour, the stories and allegories.
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