Our lives, our friends, children's and student's lives experience challenge and change. This workshop explores the powerful tool of storytelling to nourish and support during times of difficulty.
Having the confidence to tell a therapeutic story – is a skill as is learning the steps to write one.
This workshop will explore both skills as well as provide connection to collections of existing stories for many situations.
Stories bring us our world, our humanity and ourselves - they help us find a pathway through challenge, change, disruption, hurt and weariness. Therapeutic stories bring an opportunity for children and adults to find in themselves, in nature and the world the strength and warmth they need to move forwards - to find their own way forwards.
You will get to learn about the structure, process, and benefits of storytelling. You will practice all kinds of stories in a safe and supportive environment. With lots of practical experience under your belt you will be confident to have therapeutic storytelling as one of your tools for working with children.
***What will we do?
In this workshop, we will share and practice the planning, structure and development of therapeutic story writing in a safe and supportive environment. You will learn to tell stories that last only a minute and others that are added to day by day and week by week becoming part of a familiar 'story journey' for a child or group of children. We will look at oral story telling, prop based stories and making puppet shows with found objects in nature. With clear theory and practical experience under your belt you will be confident to tell more stories and to embed them into your life.
***Who is the workshop for?
This workshop is for educators, carers, early childhood practitioners, parents and workshop presenters looking to bring richness and depth to their work with children and even with adults. It can be used as Professional Development hours. It is appropriate for people working with or caring for children from birth to 9 years of age and beyond.
***What is provided?
There will be herbal teas, good company and a supportive group. Lots of opportunity to hear and tell stories as well as an understanding of the structure, process and benefits of therapeutic storytelling. Some notes will be provided.
***What to bring?
Notebook and pen
Good walking shoes and warm clothes depending on the weather - we will be outside for the some of the workshop.
***Book now!
The class size is limited to 16 people. Book soon to join this story-filled adventure.
***Who is running the workshop?
Kate McMurray lives on and cares for Peramangk land in the Adelaide Hills with her family, dog and chickens.
Trained as a teacher, she has worked in Australia and through South East Asia in education and community development. With a background in Waldorf Education, she currently works independently, supporting families from pregnancy to school through bush based Integrated Family Support Programs.
She works 1:1 with families supporting them with family life and the challenges that it brings. She also works as a consultant to schools and in the community and runs workshops on a variety of topics including story telling.
Kate has a love for the power the written and spoken word. She has a deep passion for therapeutic storytelling and has worked with therapeutic story writing for over fifteen years. She deepened her understanding through training with Susan Perrow in 2021 and has written countless stories and supported families to co-create countless more to support adults and children process and work through challenging situations.
To find out more about her work:
