Testimonials
“Barbara is an amazing facilitator. She is intuitive, comfortable in her own skin and is a gifted communicator. Using the expressive arts was new to me and opened up some places within me that simply talking couldn’t do.”
“A wonderful day with lovely women, a very skilled leader, in special setting set aside to promote soulsearching, sharing, and self growth. A beautiful space to be oneself, to explore and to be in community with other women. I highly recommend your going. It won’t disappoint.”
I have known Barbara for many years and have worked with her in various ways including as a coach, a facilitator, a workshop creator, and a consultant. When you work with Barbara you receive great empathy, listening, and a partner who wants you to be successful in your most authentic way.
Barbara has helped me with team building with groups of both professional staff and with lay leaders. She helped me hone my storytelling skills and increase my leadership capacity. Most importantly, when I consider the type of leadership I want to bring to the world, one that is based in relationships and focused on bringing people together, I know that I can always turn to Barbara to help bring my visions to life by creating the right atmosphere needed that will encourage everyone to be brave, vulnerable, and willing to do deeper with one another.
- Phil Brodsky, CEO of Jewish Federation of Greater Raleigh
Barbara has supported our community twice through incredibly challenging and traumatic losses. She built an immediate rapport with students and professionals alike, working in small groups and 1:1 to allow our community to be vulnerable and process their emotions.
Her authenticity and passion for Jewish values and self care shines through her work. Hiring Barbara to support my team and our students was the best decision I could have made-and she still took time to make sure I was taking care of myself as well! Thank you so much!
-Hannah Spinrad, Executive Director of NC Hillel
When trying to plan for board member orientation and retreats for new and existing board members, it is always a challenge to find the right information to help all members to gain something. The main goals are to get to know the individual board members better and to also learn about the organization you are representing.
Recently, I had the opportunity to attend a board training where Barbara Kaynan was the facilitator for one portion of the training.
I have attended and helped to lead many trainings like this over the years, but Barbara and her knowledge added a new and helpful experience to our training.
In one portion of the training, members had to move from one side of the room to another based on how they felt about certain topics. This was enlightening for our board because we often put people in a certain box that we think they are in, but Barbara helped people to understand each individual’s personality traits the way they actually felt. This will in turn help our board to work together more efficiently. Thank you Barbara!
Board President of a community cultural organization
Barbara recently facilitated our Home for the Holidays 1/2 day retreat for the moms in our community and it was such a beautiful experience. She brought the participants together in a meaningful way and led us through an afternoon of thoughtful activities, discussions, and reflections. The moms had a fabulous time and shared how much the afternoon meant to them and that it was just what they needed.
Barbara was a thoughtful, well-prepared, and engaging facilitator for our retreat. She brought a lovely and positive energy with her that made the day magical. We will absolutely use Barbara's services again for future events.
-Crissy Fishbane, Co-Founder of HER Health Collective
It is so hard to put into words what my experience with Barbara Kaynan has meant for my personal and professional journey.
She helped me reweave not just my story but part of my essence. She helped to remind me of my gifts and passion, which was forgotten through traumatic experiences, once rediscovered opened up portals on how to use my unique birthright to levitate my work as clinician, a new manager, a visionary, and even as a mom.
Words like alchemy, reclamation, redefining, retrieval, reweaving, reunification, and my anchoring Torah, are themes and messages that are now a part of my repertoire and have transformed my way of BEing. With all those words, my gratitude extends them!
-Tikvah Womack, LCPC, MA-EXAT
Clinical Manager, Clinical Services for Jewish Community Services