With, within and between. Creating a learning-in-practice community in multi-disciplinary contexts The Family Institute University of Glamorgan Billy Hardy and Kieran Vivian-Byrne

The Family Institute in Wales 40 years of practice and learning. BSc Counselling, Post Grad Diploma in Family therapy and application of systemic ideas MSc Systemic Psychotherapy Multi-professional Richly and diversely experienced. Multi-cultural. Diverse sexual and spiritual orientations.

‘Selling water by the river’ (Anthony de Mello – The Song of the Bird) “The practicum is a virtual world, relatively free of the pressures, distractions and risks of the real one, to which nevertheless, it refers. It stands in an intermediate space between the practice world, the “lay” world of ordinary life and the esoteric world of the academy”. Schon D. (1987) Educating the Reflective Practitioner p.37

Approach – the bigger picture Constructivist and social constructionist. Reality exists – and is comprehended in relational contexts. Meaning is understood as being co-generated within conversations and other social discourses. Change and learning takes place within and between contextual frames. The with, within and between of different versions.

L ANGUAGE – ‘dressing our thoughts’ (S. Johnson paraphrase) All human systems could be described as linguistic systems (Anderson and Goolishian 1988) Language defines thought and therefore frames the conscientisation process. Playing the language game – means a constant review of the agreed rules. (Wittgenstein, Gergen, Bourdieu)

Method – engaging the possible The method is phenomenological and based on the experience of the participants ‘Dysgu’ - we are teacher/learners Integration through embodiment Three layers of engagement possible

Engagement - with The participants are engaged in an exploration of their experience of the ‘here and now’. The focus is on self as learner in relation to other learners in the learning context. Self awareness as a gateway to learning.

Engagement - within The participants are engaged in an exploration of their experience of the ‘here and now’. Participants are engaged in the process of exploring the isomorphism of the here and now with another lived experience, elsewhere, another time (remembered past or imagined future). This bears resemblance – ‘through the glass darkly’.

Engagement - between The participants are engaged in an exploration of their experience of the ‘here and now’. Participants are engaged in the process of exploring the isomorphism of the here and now with another lived experience, elsewhere, another time (remembered past or imagined future). Participants are engaged in addressing through relationship glimpses of what might be universal and/or transcendent.

The simulation exercise Dysgu – team table talk. Negotiate with plenary division into groups: Team – new team providing therapeutic services to families in the home. Family – create a scenario which leads to the family referring for therapy. Consulting team – the new team will seek your assistance in helping them to consider issues re. the case, multi-disciplinary working, organisational context etc. Observing group – observe the process with specific remit of making links with practice experience and ‘universal’ or transcendent themes.

Stages – as ‘performance platforms’ and conversational chapters that act as punctuations of the process 1. Team exploration 2. Family Referral 3. Team discuss referral 4. Team therapists meet family 5. Therapists feedback to team 6. Team meet consulting team 7. Observing group give feedback 8. Plenary – shared active- reflection

Education as orientation towards community Learning speaks at one and the same time to all levels of context and in so doing either builds or destroys community – identity, participation and vision.

Education as experience When the learner is ‘subject’ the content is phenomenon in context – learning becomes the process and impact of address, engagement and relationship with the phenomena.

Education as imagination over knowledge “It takes imagination in order for learning to encompass and deal with a broader context”. (E. Wenger 1998)

Education as transformation “There is not true word that is not at the same time a praxis. Thus to speak a true word is to transform the world”. (P. Freire 1970)

Education as dialogue with, within and between – a‘learning relationship’ frame. Education as orientation towards community Learning speaks at one and the same time to all levels of context and in so doing either builds or destroys community – identity, participation and vision. Education as experience When the learner is ‘subject’ the content is phenomenon in context – learning becomes the process and impact of address, engagement and relationship with the phenomena. Education as transformation “There is not true word that is not at the same time a praxis. Thus to speak a true word is to transform the world”. (P. Freire 1970) Education as imagination over knowledge “It takes imagination in order for learning to encompass and deal with a broader context”. (E. Wenger 1998)

reading Friere Paulo (1970) Pedagogy of the Oppressed. USA Herder and Herder Lysack Mishka (2003) “When the Sacred Shows through”: Narratives and Reflecting Teams in Counsellor Education. Sciences Pastorales/Pastoral Sciences, 22(1) Schon Donald (1987) Educating the Reflective Practitioner Wenger Etienne (1998) Communities of Practice – Learning Meaning and Identity. Cambridge University Press.