Foreword

by Jack Canfield 


co-author of the best-selling 
"Chicken Soup for the Soul" series

Scott Ertl & Jack Canfield

When I first met Scott Ertl at the Maui Writer's Conference, I was taken by his boundless enthusiasm and contagious joy! He seemed to be having a whole lot more fun that I was, so I was eager to learn more about his Playshops. Helping families enhance their communication and esteem has been an area I have focused on for many years, so I was interested in hearing about his perspective. Scott shared how Playshops create the safe atmosphere to give adults permission to share feelings and to play creative and cooperative activities together.

Scott so convinced me of the value of his work that I invited him to facilitate a Playshop at my annual 8-day Living Your Highest Vision seminar. He was a huge hit! The participants loved his Playshop presentation and gave him the highest ratings. His dynamic energy and passionate spirit are exhilarating. I look forward to inviting him for many years to come.

In building self-esteem and close relationships, many adults are lacking the skills to help themselves and their children. Playshops offer a fun and structured way to build confidence through successfully completing activities and by discovering common feelings, thoughts and experiences. While participants learn to work together cooperatively and share more about themselves, they are thrilled with this rewarding way to get to know each other better. Connections are made that bring people out of their isolation and into contact with others through recognizing numerous shared qualities. Participants are surprised with how much they have in common; we truly are more alike than different. Helping people instill greater self-esteem and stronger relationships with others are fundamental to bringing our world closer together. Playshops put the "fun" in this fundamental transformation!

Playshops provide an essential opportunity for families to come together in a positive way and model appropriate self-expression and self-discovery. Furthermore, the long-lasting effects from the superb follow-up activities keep the positive energy flowing throughout the community. This book is assembled in a delightfully straightforward format for you to carry out your own Playshop with guaranteed success.

Whether you choose to facilitate Playshops for groups of 10, 100, or 1000, I know you will find this Playshops Facilitator Guide to be a superb resource! Scott's exceptional forethought, creative marketing skills, clear directions, and detailed follow-up activities set this book apart from just being another list of fun activities. I was inspired to supply my son's school with this excellent resource book and I look forward to our school having our own Playshop! I encourage you to share this book with teachers, coaches and pastors to help our world come together-one family at a time.

-Jack Canfield