The Carousel of Hope & Healing

What are People Saying About the Training?

“I have been through multiple donation trainings over the years. I would definitely use the training offered by Carousel of Hope & Healing over what is currently available in OPO Training.

Previous to this training we have always struggled with our unregistered rates. There is a drastic difference in our December authorizations since the training. Here’s what happened.

Important Takeaways:

The training taught us how to remove the awkwardness with families. We quickly now give the family the sense that they are in control of their choices and positive experience…through mirroring the strategies & learning styles of all we approach.

We also learned to use the language the family uses to describe their objections so that they feel understood and respected immediately.”

Becky Brown – Director, Lifeline of Ohio, Columbus, Ohio

We are grateful for the opportunity several of our family care staff and leadership were given to participate in your training program. Our team has benefited from the training and after each session demonstrated use of the techniques into their practice. It was great to see staff demonstrate more confidence where they previously had challenges as well as hear them share their experiences with their peers. 

Specifically, here are the areas in which our team benefited from Carousel of Hope and Healing’s training:

• The clear and concise approach to the donation conversation helped staff to fine tune their current practice and to remove information that didn’t need to be included in the conversation. This approach has enhanced the staff’s ability to include critical information and to keep the conversation moving forward in a pace that suits the family.
• One of the most helpful tools was Eric’s demonstration of creating a description of the gifts which can be given, specifically in the area of tissue donation. Our staff demonstrated a newfound confidence when offering tissue donation and shared this with their peers so not only did those participating in the training benefit but so did the rest of our team.
• Brain based communication is a new concept for our team and it has shifted the way in which our staff assess and engage with families relatively quickly. Active listening skills have been enhanced so that our team can really get underneath the surface to fully understand the family’s real concern based on the words being used. As authorization coaches we have implemented this as part of the practice of asking questions to gain understanding in real time as our staff are working with families. Clarity has greatly improved as well as the ability to navigate thru challenges and concerns.
• The staff are keenly aware of techniques for self-care and management and are more open in acknowledging and expressing their feelings. Several have shared how they have applied the techniques in real time.
• Eric’s teaching style and Stephanie’s warmth and engaging personality created an environment where our staff were engaged, willing to be vulnerable and open to hearing, learning and incorporating the techniques into their practice.

I would recommend Carousel of Hope and Healing’s training because it is not your typical authorization training. The training combines the key elements necessary for donation conversations with a fresh perspective on the message being delivered as well as introducing staff to brain-based communication to bond with families, digging deeper with questions to get to the heart of the real problem.

With gratitude,

Schawnte’ Williams-Taylor, MBA/MS, RN, CCRN-K, CPTC – Director, Family Care, LifeGift

“The Carousel of Hope and Healing training was a unique brain-based training for our team and we extend our deepest appreciation to Stephanie and Eric for facilitating it. This training reinforced concepts that are ever present when supporting and educating the grieving families we interact with. During such a devastating moment of loss, our interactions and conversations must be elevated because they are critical in nature and this training also provided us new and insightful information to navigate these delicate moments.

The section on Learning Styles was particularly helpful in evaluating and putting into practice how to work with families who are exhibiting specific styles of learning. We also found the Neurological Eye Charts illuminating & the understanding that 2 of the 3 learning styles cannot make eye contact while processing information.

Your session pertaining to the management of objections was very important because we were learning how to peel the layers beneath the ‘world of words’. We know that each objection has a ‘story’ beneath the concern. We also understand that the ‘real’ objection is not at the surface and that donation depends on understanding the deeper issue. These exercises helped us get to the underlying factors the family may not have been able to articulate at times of crisis.

In the didactic section we got a fresh take on myths and misconceptions by using the Carousel’s ‘must mentions’ strategies. The team appreciated learning how to incorporate the ‘must mentions’ into the transitions in order to prevent objections proactively. They also were able to relay some of the most critical information in a short period of time which ensured the family had all the information to make an informed decision.

The world of organ donation is a very clinical one and we must humanize this experience for these families because the meaningful legacy left behind is what inspires families to consider it.

Finally, an additional piece that was very helpful from a leadership perspective is that the evaluation provided helps fulfill our regulatory requirements for annual training and competency for the Family Support Counselor caring for the families as well as those serving in the trainer/preceptor capacity. Overall, I thought this was a valuable training experience for our team!”

Ali Morales, RN – Director of Family Services, We are Sharing Hope SC

“I want to enthusiastically recommend the Carousel of Hope & Healing MAPP (Maximizing Authorization Practices & Potential) training program. I have been in the field of organ and tissue donation for over 16 years and this program put all the puzzle pieces together for me.

MAPP helped me identify and hone in on key learning aspects such as speech patterns, tone, matching, etc..  Examples: I’ve been able to use this while working over the phone with our hospital partners during referral intake, and caring for families. The skills allow me to not only identify where they are mentally, but also to meet them on that level to open up lines of communications in difficult situations.

Ability to Handle Frustration:

Since the training I had an RN who was very upset regarding all aspects of the donation referral. I was able to effectively & efficiently cut from the surface to the center of her frustration using Deep Structure Language strategies and establish a connection with the RN.

She in turn calmed down and I was able to quickly discover that it was not the donation that was the issue. The true problem was that she was distraught and overwhelmed over the loss of a 20 year old patient she had personally taken care of and his sudden death. Once I was able to get to the root of her distress, it not only helped the RN….but I believe we were able to form a solid relationship that will help us on future cases as it allowed me to spend time with her talking through the loss.

Self Care Aspect: I also wanted to particularly recommend the Self Care component of the training. The brain-based techniques taught instant relaxation for me on a highly stressful day. I can imagine using this in all parts of my life.”

Matt Winger, CPTC – Manager of Donation Resource Center, NJ Sharing Network

“I first met Stephanie at a CEO Vistage meeting and knew immediately that she had a unique skill set. Through conversations, role plays, and discussions she is able to get to the heart of how we learn, listen, and behave. This skill is invaluable to anyone in a leadership role, but more importantly for those who are in the position of helping others on a daily basis. For those of us in the world of organ donation, we are providing comfort every day to families who have suffered great loss. Through designing a program specifically for those who interact with families, Stephanie was able to elevate the listening skills of the caregiver, and identify the behaviors that result in families being open to support. This tailored approach, presented in a safe role play environment, allows everyone to learn. The end result are staff who have better coping mechanisms and improved skills to support grieving families. Her training should be adopted by every organ procurement organization so we can give families the care they deserve and need.”

Helen M. Irving, RN, MBA – CEO, LiveOn NY

“I would like to recommend this course to new and more experienced Family Support Counselors. I learned a lot about the different types of learning styles. Recognizing these styles will allow better communication and teaching when working with families in the field.

Going over the must-mentions are very important to address concerns prior to being presented with it.

The role-play was excellent to mirror our approach styles and to work on a better and effective approach.

The stress relief techniques are fantastic to use in the field on active cases.

Self-care workshop is so valuable for our lives as care-givers to replenish our energy and be more efficient in our personal lives as better Counselors.

I highly recommend this course. It’s immensely valuable on so many levels.

Thank you for your teachings and your efforts in working with us.”

Lilliana Amador – Family Support Counselor III, GCCA-C

Find Out More

Contact Eric Lanphear to discuss the training further:

You can also call Eric on 440-669-7760.