Sarah H. Elliston is a Big Blend expert contributor who specializes in Communication. Author of “Lessons from a Difficult Person – How to Deal With People Like Us”, Sarah is an expert in the art of dealing with difficult people.
Sarah “Sam” Elliston discusses how to awaken the challenging personality, and change both the relationship and the environment, as covered in her new book, “Lessons from a Difficult Person: How to Deal With People Like Us,” on Big Blend Radio.
Through her company Sarah Elliston Consulting, she is a highly successful workshop leader and trainer, who offers wisdom learned the hard way-and through rigorous study and certification in many areas of professional training that aid her in her work — Values Realization, Parent Effectiveness Training and Reality Therapy. She is a faculty member of the William Glasser Institute. Glasser is an internationally recognized psychiatrist and developer of Reality Therapy, a method of psychotherapy that teaches people they have a choice in how they choose to behave.
The methods Elliston offers in her book and workshops end the trauma and the drama, and minimizes the possibility of confrontation. She gives YOU the ability to take a strong, positive, confident-yet compassionate–stance with the “difficult person”-whether that is a relative, coworker, friend, one of your children or anyone else for that matter. Elliston lays out a proven script for peacefully transforming the difficult person’s behavior and the environment-or inviting that person to move on. She gives you the tools for a successful change conversation with a difficult person.
Sarah’s instructional career began long before she even became aware that she was herself a “difficult person,” traits that began in Lincoln MA, where she grew up. For more than 30 years she has been teaching and training, first as a high school teacher in Ohio and Cincinnati—and then as an administrator in the not-for-profit sector.
Sarah, who holds a BA in International Relations from the University of Maine and a Master of Arts in Teaching from Brown University, spent 23 years with United Way’s Volunteer Center, coordinating volunteers for the Cincinnati city government, training local volunteer coordinators and board volunteers, and managing the volunteer program for United Way. While at United Way, she developed and managed a certificate-earning series on volunteer management with Northern Kentucky University and the Union Institute. She also taught both undergraduate and graduate courses in Volunteer Program Management at Northern Kentucky University. She is a Certified Volunteer Administrator, the highest level of professional certification in the field.
Sarah’s passion is training and designing an experience that allows learners to find a process that works for them to make the changes they desire. She is a gentle, persistent, humorous and intelligent trainer, drawing from many sources and always willing to admit that she might not know the answer.
Located in Cincinnati, Ohio, Sarah coaches individuals with their difficult person interactions. She also presents workshops for local professional, non-profit and community groups such as churches and women’s groups, Chambers of Commerce and charity organizations, and speaks at conventions, expos and conferences.
Learn more at www.SarahElliston.com
Articles & Interviews
Active Listening: How Not to Be a Boring Parent
Ownership: Taking Responsibility of Ones Actions
How to Reduce Family Drama this Holiday Season
How Can Reality Therapy Help You?
Lessons From a Difficult Person
