BERTHELOT CONSULTING, Roots and Wings

Unity in Diversity

COMMUNICATION WORKS IN MANY FORMS...

Our UiD services are deeply rooted in the communication expertise of Berthelot Consulting president Dolly Berthelot. "Dr. Dolly" is a communication consultant, developer/director of CommUNITY Dialogues, Communicating to Create Unity In Diversity," and author of PERFECTLY SQUARE, A Fantasy Fable For All Ages, a small book that uses geometric shape "characters" to illustrate the Unity in Diversity ideal. The fanciful story led to a new human types system she calls SELFSHAPES and to creative SELFSHAPES and RELATIONSHAPES workshops and learning aids. SELFSHAPES offers a versatile, imaginative, right brain, pan-cultural alternative to such human types instruments as the Myers-Briggs or to personality tests such as MMPI. Both PERFECTLY SQUARE and SELFSHAPES were created independently from Edwin Abbott's Flatlands and Susan Dellinger's Psycho-Geometrics and without exposure to those works--yet all reflect an inherent, intuitive link between human behavior and simple shapes--a link foreshadowed by artists and architects through the ages.

Dr. Dolly Berthelot (and her partner Dr. Ron Berthelot) have professionally contributed to diversity and teamwork issues for three decades, frequently innovating way ahead of the crowd. Here are a few samples through the years:

· 1960s: Initiated, designed and taught one of the first human relations/black studies courses in the South, used group processes and accelerated learning techniques still considered pacesetters. Advised top award-winning student weekly that excelled with diversity issues--rare for the time. Oak Ridge (TN.) High School English faculty.

· 1970s: Published on gender and multicultural issues while living in Europe, Turkey as freelance writer and photographer. Created popular regional BicenTennial anthology on Smoky Mountains region/Appalachian culture. With Dr. Ron Berthelot successfully acquired grants on women in nontraditional fields and on learning styles and gender. Incorporated diversity issues, dynamic group work into communication and adult education graduate work at University of Tennessee.

· 1980s: Applied group dynamics, communication, and human relations expertise to interpersonal communication and other courses at Pensacola Junior College and Loyola University of the South. As consultant and workshop developer/leader, guided governmental and business clients, including Russian managers, toward better human relations and conflict management. Designed cutting edge common ground techniques and successfully applied them to volatile abortion issue in Pensacola, FL, just after clinic bombings here. Designed, led powerful seminar on Under utilization of Highly Educated Women, which generated a new Women’s Career Achievement Network. Developed, presented Friendly Persuasion workshops, a communication-based process to influence deep, positive change, such as diversity and TQM/quality improvement.

· 1990s: Ongoing consulting and creative development focused more sharply on team building and diversity, blending the two into Unity In Diversity. Perfected and published PERFECTLY SQUARE, a Fantasy Fable For All Ages, and developed related SELFSHAPES human type instrument and workshops. Emphasized story sharing, which she had used since the l960s, in new and innovative ways for diversity, teamwork, conflict management. Designed, led CommUNITY Dialogues pilot in conjunction with Escambia-Pensacola Human Relations Commission. As City Council Appointee, won first Outstanding HRC Commissioner Award.

You can learn more about Dr. Dolly and her partner Dr. Ron Berthelot, including clients, by clicking here for Berthelot Consulting background.

DR. DOLLY'S UNITY IN DIVERSITY PARTICIPANTS SAY...

HRC and Dolly deserve accolades for your courage in stepping "out of the box" and doing this...excellent materials and methods...excellent job!

(I most valued) the chance to work on a common goal with other committed people and to learn from such an educated, intelligent person.

Years of work and the "product" is prime...opened my mind.

Outstanding experiences.

I had no idea how valuable this would be. It has exceeded my greatest expectations. A great deal of productivity in such a short time.

Dolly, this was a very large group to try to keep on task, but you certainly did. It was fun & productive. Good job. I wish everyone in our community could have this experience and I hope we will be getting back together with other groups. It was excellent. Speaker is very articulate, well informed and organized--enjoyed the day's format.
- Pat Desmond, Teacher

I liked the ball flinging game--such diverse ideas! Materials/exercises were excellent--truly linked the group together. Dolly was very well prepared, articulate and organized. Materials were excellent.

Most needed, unique, very clear (presentation). Excellent materials and preparation. There was such a need to get this type thing started.

Great workshop! Expert speaker!!