What's so funny about home improvement projects? Sounds like these colleagues may have been feeling awkward and just laughing at anything.

When I volunteered for a national charity I went on a similar course, I remember getting laughed at because they asked me to name a situation in my life I could not make my mind about and I said which hallway carpet to choose - it was true but not a deeply personal serious choice, I was hardly likely to share that with a group of random colleagues!!

Agree with Divine, this stuff is largely nonsense (& you always get someone with few inhibitions who just loves talking about themselves at length which makes these things extra squirmy). Take with large dose of salt and shrug it off - but I agree such a huge waste of money (& mine was financed by a charity!!).