Portrait of Peace
One has to make a choice what peace means to you…
Queen Bee
Overcoming rejection, staying true to one’s values, doing one’s best and finding helpers along the way…
The Queen, the Crown and the Storyteller
Being put down and misunderstood, but holding onto patience and trusting in your own strengths…
Tree at the Crossroads
One man follows his dreams, and another holds on to something safe
The Happy Man’s Shirt
The Happy Man’s Shirt
Martina
Martina
Interview: Hearing the Voice of the Child
Interview: Expert League
Talking about narrative therapy (20 min)
Kim is interviewed by mental health support organisation, Outside the Locker Room about Narrative Therapy
Interview: Learning Child Therapy
How do new counsellors fill in the gaps around how to work with child clients?
Interview: Playful Narrative Therapy
Using ‘externalising’ the problem to see it differently…
Mindfulness Exercise – A Moment in Time
A brief grounding exercise to find one’s own safe and peaceful place…
Documentary: Play First: Life in a Kindergarten
A resource for early childhood educators…
Counselling Tips
Expect anger to visit!
Reducing the problem’s power and influence
Present moment mindfulness
Roller coaster of emotions
T shirt Creative expressive arts exercise
Improving communication by improving connection
Depression and the Wounded Healer
Scaling Anger
The Babushka Doll and compassionate self-talk
Working with parents
Using metaphor in counselling
Connection with nature
Explore the history of the problem
3 minutes of mindful breathing
Creating moments of calm
One minute mindfulness rap
First session ideas
Case study 4 yr old
A magic card trick: The 7 Mystery
Closing a session
Preparing a client for the last session
Selfcare
Somatic bodywork
What is counselling?
Working with parents
Possible questions to ask parents
Using the rose and thorn metaphor in therapy
‘Triggered’ or ‘Activated’ ? A trauma response
Clients with motivation problems using narrative therapy
Therapeutic responses to bullying
Playful Therapy: Charades bringing improvisation an curiosity
‘Love Bonds’ are created in relationships
Drawing lines and capturing concerns shared in therapy
Setting boundaries at counselling intake / first session
Preparing adult clients for their last session
Tutorials and Webinars
webinar: Part 1:
webinar: Part 2:
TUTORIAL 5min: At the Crossroads
TUTORIAL 4min: A timeline of the problem
Working with parents collaboratively. View video.
Ways to:
- Structure parent intake sessions prior to meeting the child, that allow time to assess risk and hear the identified expectations, needs, hopes, wonderfulness and fears of the family.
- Discuss confidentiality and what the first session with the child may look like.
- Develop contracts of agreements for contact between sessions, etc.
- Assess the family’s capacity and willingness to work collaboratively with you.
- Become curious about our own position on ‘good enough parenting’ / judgements, and how our own childhood experiences will most certainly play into our work.
- Consider what resources the parents may find helpful.
- Fear the child will tell about what really happens at home?
- Perhaps they fear the counsellor may inform the child protection authorities?
- Perhaps the problem stems from a ‘couples’ intimate partner problem, and the child is picking up on the energy and is seen as the scapegoat?
- Fear the child will resist coming? [P. 4]
- There is often a fear of being exposed as ‘not good enough’
The Problem Jar: exploring the child’s problems in a playful way for a shame-free assessment
The Problem Jar: exploring the child’s problems in a playful way for a shame-free assessment
Counselling options when the repeated narrative is around another person who has wronged the client.
Counselling options when the repeated narrative is around another person who has wronged the client.
The Anger Problem: Who’s the trophy winner this year? Using metaphors in counselling
The Anger Problem: Who’s the trophy winner this year? Using metaphors in counselling
Audio Resources
Therapeutic Storytelling using Folktales
Kim delivers 3 hour online workshops in the use of Therapeutic Storytelling with The Sydney Centre for Creative Change. As a therapeutic intervention this is an ancient medicine, and has been pivotal in the achievement of positive outcomes for many adult and child clients who have experienced adversity.
Following the Hero’s Journey (see map in Resources), we all transition from the ‘known’ to the unknown’, meet challenges and find helpers, and are transformed through life’s journeys.
Many of these short folktales would be suitable in a classroom or in therapy. Stories engage children and adult’s interest and can sidestep a natural resistance to acknowledge trauma.
In stories the dark side of life is exposed, and the hero’s strengths shine through.
Warning: Storytellers have a golden rule: don’t explain the story to your listener:
Does the fruit seller peel and eat your banana for you?
