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What they say about the work of and presentations by theorist Ari Cowan:

“Fabulous — focused, thoughtful, important and engaging.” • “Extremely thought-provoking and stimulating. I felt inspired.” • “Mr. Cowan was phenomenal!” • "Very professional — incredibly valuable.” • “Outstanding material, presentation and very much needed today.” • “Very impressed — I wish the session could have been longer!” • “Very thought-provoking and interesting! Great stuff!” • "Clear, practical and stimulating.” • “Great speaker! Very thorough presentation.”

— Program Evaluation Comments

"[This] innovative violence prevention approach is something we should be promoting aggressively."

— Roger Goodman
Washington State Representative,
45th District

“Wonderful! Great knowledge of subject matter.” • “You should do this every day.” • “Best workshop so far.” • “Great presentation style.” • “Terrific.” • “Should keynote.” • “Provocative and rejuvenating.” • “Excellent.” • “Powerful.” • “Impressed with presenter's commitment.” • “Very motivational.”• “Inspiring, very emotional stuff.” • “One of the best workshops I've attended.” • “Great humor.” • “Impactive.” • “Almost an experience from a 'higher power.” • “Great handouts, format.”

— Program Evaluation Comments

"The Cambridge Trust is pleased to propose a unique opportunity to bring the behavior science genius of [theorist Ari Cowan] to the United Kingdom. It is our experience that the techniques developed by [Mr. Cowan] would greatly decrease the costs that an ever-increasing violent sector of our population is causing in our society today."

— Phillip Hammond
General Manager,
The Cambridge Trust,
United Kingdom

“You provided us with a fun, educational experience. Your anecdotes were unforgettable and you really made a lasting impression on me as well as everyone.”

“Your speech moved me. I think people/teens would really listen to you and take into consideration what you have to say.”

“After listening to your speech I couldn't help but tell my friends and family what you had to say. This was the best presentation I have ever had the privilege of hearing.”

— Student Comments
from letters written to Ari Cowan

"You [Ari Cowan] and I have talked about the importance of public safety and fiscal responsibility here in Washington. The [PAR Model] programs offer us the opportunity to enhance both of these areas."

— Rodney Tom
Washington State Senator,
48th District

A stimulating, practical, and inspiring nondenominational workshop
about the revolutionary new"Violence Integrative Prevention and Restoration (PAR) Model," peace, and the human experience.

This one-day presentation is open to everyone
(refer to the "Who Should Attend" section below).
It is designed for an adult audience.

An Extraordinary
One-Day Event

Audio excerpts from an earlier faith-group presentation by Ari Cowan Click on the button to the left or click here to listen.

In a fascinating and moving examination of the nature of violence, American author and theorist Ari Cowan (www.aricowan.net) presents a radical and revolutionary departure from the conventional way we see and respond to the epidemic of savagery which has challenged human beings since the beginning of time.

Successfully demonstrated at a Level 5 (maximum security) prison, in schools, and in an international setting, this is not just another well-intended approach to ending violence, but a wholesale departure from the 10,000,000 year old way we see, describe, and respond to violence. This is a revolution of promise and hope – one which rejects many conventional notions about violence. This new model allows us to move from despair and powerlessness to effective restoration and healing. Cowan’s work is being hailed as a significant breakthrough in human relations.

Everyone is welcome to this nondenominational multimedia program. Participants will have the opportunity to learn about the new model and the opportunities to make a significant difference in our community, state, nation, and world. All materials will be provided.

For his work to end violence, Ari Cowan received the national public health award from the US affiliate of the international physician organization which received the 1985 Nobel Prize for Peace. He was cited – along with Nobel Prize recipients Jimmy Carter and Adolfo Pérez Esquivel – for his part in bringing the first edition of The International Bill of Human Rights to publication.

The Workshop

Morning Session

9:00 AM - Noon

Learning Objectives — Participants will have the opportunity to learn about the challenge and the cost of violence. They will be introduced to the new "Violence Integrative Prevention and Restoration (PAR) Model and the new "National Violence Reduction Initiative." Participants will be provided with information on actions they can take to reduce violence and its impact on our community, state, nation, and world.

Content — The morning session includes: Understanding the challenge of violence • the cost of violence • an introduction to the "Violence Integrative Prevention and Restoration (PAR) Model • the results in schools and the India-Pakistan border • results at the Clallam Bay Corrections Center • redefining violence • the National Violence Reduction Initiative and targeted outcomes • moving the PAR Model into our communities and the world • opportunities to leave a lasting legacy • and more.

Afternoon Session

1:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Learning Objectives — The afternoon session will provide participants will have the opportunity to learn more how the PAR Model works and how it is applied, the role power plays in human experience, the basic questions human beings ask and must answer, how bringing peace gives value and meaning to life, and what all of this has to do with spiritual development. Participants will be provided with practical tools which they can apply immediately in their personal and professional lives.

Content — The afternoon session includes: An experiment in perception • basic human questions • the human need for power and control • an exploration into the nature of reality • the nature of perception • the "traditional model" for dealing with violence • comparing the models • using the PAR Model • some practical tools • bringing peace to a world in need • peace and the spiritual quest • bringing value and meaning to your time in the world.

Format and Resources

The workshop includes lecture, video presentations, collegial interaction, individual and group exercises, and question and answer. All materials are provided during the sessions with support materials available on the web following the workshop.

About the Presenter

Ari Cowan is a writer and theorist living in the Pacific Northwest. He is the recipient of the United States national public health award from the US affiliate of the international physician organization which received the 1985 Nobel Prize for Peace.

Mr. Cowan was cited — along with Nobel Peace Prize recipient and former US President Jimmy Carter, 1980 Nobel Prize recipient Adolfo Pérez Esquivel, and others — for his assistance in bringing the first edition of The International Bill of Human Rights to publication. He is also the recipient of the Association for Human Resource Professionals’ Award for Excellence in Human Resources — the highest award granted by that organization.

A member of the adjunct faculty of the University of California, Irvine Graduate School of Management (Irvine, California) for eight years, Mr. Cowan also served as a member of the Workplace Violence Task Force of the University of Washington Graduate School of Public Affairs, Institute for Public Policy and Management. Click here to visit Ari Cowan's web site.

Who Should Attend

This program is open to everyone interested human development, peace, and the possibilities for compassion, understanding, and spiritual development. The workshop will be of special interest to those who want to reduce violence, lower prison populations, and reduce national, state, and local budget demands, We especially encourage those who can help in the effort to achieve the following goals to attend:

1. Significantly reduce the $1.2 trillion in annual costs to Americans for violence by reducing the costs of violent crime, child abuse, war, rape, genocide, “honor” killings of women, “ethnic cleansing,” family violence, terrorism, slavery, and other forms of violence in the world (statistical information available upon request). The savings can be redirected to healthcare, infrastructure, economic relief, environmental program development, and other critical areas. This includes cost reductions within Washington State (including King County).
2. Substantially reduce America’s 2.2 million prison population, moving many of those incarcerated from depleting government funds to becoming tax-paying Americans contributing to the nation’s economic health. This includes reductions in Washington State.
3. Reduce health costs by reducing the morbidity and mortality associated with violence and its effects (e.g., the 3.2 million cases of child abuse reported in the United States annually).
4. Increase employment in Washington State (new jobs in administration, training, e-learning, consulting, program development, IT, mass communications, etc.).
5. Bring needed national and international revenues to Washington State.
6. Improve America’s international stature and relationships by applying the PAR Model in areas of conflict.
7. Increase confidence in government, trust in each other, and the overall quality of life of all Americans.

The New PAR Model

The Model : Developed in Washington State and successfully demonstrated at a Level 5 (maximum security) prison and in other settings, the “Violence Integrative Prevention and Restoration (PAR) Model” is a new, evidence-based, cognitive approach to violence response and prevention built upon a public health foundation. It is a significant departure from the traditional “punitive” model for dealing with violence. The PAR Model incorporates new thinking about and language for describing violence, provides a new framework for preventing and responding to violence, and presents an effective alternative to the commonly-used traditional punitive-based approaches for dealing with violence.

Applications: The PAR Model can be applied in a broad range of settings including prisons, international conflicts, criminal/justice systems, schools, healthcare systems, communities, families, social service agencies, public health programs, relief projects, and peacebuilding initiatives.

Effectiveness: Preliminary evidence about this new “social technology” suggests that violence can be greatly reduced and, in some settings, eliminated. The PAR Model has been applied with success at the Clallam Bay Corrections Center (CBCC), a Level 5 (maximum security) facility which is part of the Washington State Department of Corrections. During the demonstration, violent incidents were reduced 100%, Intensive Management Unit ("segregation," “solitary,” the “hole”) referrals were reduced 100%, and logged confrontation were reduced 100% (references available). An annual program investment of $4.2 million is expected to return $78.4 million annually in direct savings to the State of Washington — an 18.5 to 1 return on investment. This projection assumes a 10% reduction, not the 100% reduction produced at the at CBCC demonstration.

In addition to the early prison demonstration, the PAR Model has been successfully demonstrated in American schools and on the India-Pakistan border. These early indicators suggest that we can produce significant positive results in a broad range of disciplines and cultures.

Click here for more information on the PAR Model.

Register Online

You may register online using a quick and easy-to-use registration form. Click on the button below to go to the registration page.

Additional Information

Recording: The operation of audio or video recording devices during the presentations without the express written consent of SpiritRidge Institute is prohibited.

Discrimination: This program is open to qualified persons regardless of race, sex, national origin, disability, religion, sexual orientation, political affiliation, economic status, or military service

IMPORTANT: Please note that faculty, fees, and program specifications are subject to change without notice.

Sponsored by : The Spiritual Enrichment Center of West Sound.

Special Thanks : To Rev. Michael Bogar and the wonderful people at the Spiritual Enrichment Center of West Sound who are sponsoring this event and the Rolling Bay Presbyterian Church for providing the venue for this program.

For more information and questions, please call the Spiritual Enrichment Center of West Sound at:

(206) 842-1015

Click here for map and directions.

Download the 1 pg. Event Flyer

Click here to download and print the presentations flyer. (669 kb)

Please dress comfortably and bring writing materials to the workshop.

The Spiritual Enrichment
Center of West Sound

www.spiritualenrichmentcenter.org

Bainbridge Island Music Guild Hall
10598 NE Valley Road
Bainbridge Island

(206) 842-1015

Sunday services:
10:30 AM to 11:45 AM