Setting Up Therapeutic Storywriting Groups Presented by

Therapeutic Storywriting: Day : Group Introductions Introduction to Therapeutic Storywriting The Significance of Story Metaphor Interpretation within the Metaphor : Coffee : The Structure of a Therapeutic Storywriting Session Setting up a Group : Lunch : The Teacher’s Story Ways into Story

Mindfulness Tuning Mindfulness is about being in a state of awareness in the present moment. In this exercise we focus our awareness on sound, body sensations and feelings.

Introductions Name Feelings Role in school Experience of using story to support emotional literacy

Setting up Therapeutic Storywriting groups (Waters model) The training is a progressive programme and participants need to make a commitment to attend all three days. The aim of the course is to support participants to set up Therapeutic Storywriting groups in their own schools. Groups consist of 4-6 children and ideally run weekly for weeks with each session lasting 1 hour.

Book references for Day 1 Waters, T (2004) Therapeutic Storywriting, London: David Fulton Chapter 1: Introduction to Therapeutic Storywriting Chapter 2: Principles of Therapeutic Storywriting Chapter 5: Setting Up Therapeutic Storywriting Groups Chapter 8: The Teacher’s Story

Online training manual User name and login will be ed to participants Enter these by copying electronically If not received within 48 hours, please check your spam folder If you still have difficulty accessing, please

What is Therapeutic Storywriting? (Book ref: chapter 1 & 2) An SEN intervention to support Emotional, Social and Mental Wellbeing A therapeutic teaching approach which uses story metaphor as a means to explore aspects of the self Research has shown that it improves pupils’ writing skills and also develops their emotional literacy Aims to provide an emotionally containing environment in which to support the thinking process Implemented by educational professionals with training in therapeutic storywriting Particularly appropriate for use with pupils aged 7-12 yrs

Video

Evidence base TherapeuticStorywritingTraining.co.uk/ev idence-base TherapeuticStorywritingTraining.co.uk/ev idence-base

Teacher Skills Required  understanding of the relationship between emotional and cognitive development in the child  understanding significance of story metaphor  ability to empathise  ability to reflect on own feelings engendered by the child  experience of teaching literacy  ability to model through own storywriting  ability to establish secure boundaries for a group

The Power of Story Metaphor When unconscious material is to some degree permitted to come to awareness and worked through in imagination, its potential for causing harm- to ourselves or others- is much reduced; some of its forces can then be made to serve positive purposes. (Bruno Bettelheim)

Two modes of thinking There are two modes of cognitive functioning, two modes of thought, each providing distinctive ways of ordering experience, of constructing reality… A good story and a well-formed argument are different natural kinds. Both can be used as means for convincing another. (Bruner)

Stories and narratives are very important sources for the renegotiation of meaning for children who have experienced problematic events or difficult family circumstances. It is a way to place events and characters into a cultural perspective. (Cattanach) A Cultural Perspective

Case study: Anya

Interpretation of Story Metaphor Kept within the metaphor Holding in mind Facilitates empathy Confidentiality Relationship boundaries

Significance of Story Metaphor Interface between the internal world and external world Capacity to facilitate empathic exchange ‘Right-brain’ communication Aspects of self can be projected onto story characters

Structure of a Therapeutic Storywriting Session (Book ref: chapter 5) Mindfulness tuning Feelings check-in Read one pupil’s story from last session New story opener + discussion of feeling Children & teacher write stories Share stories/draw pictures Mime game

Setting up a Therapeutic Storywriting group Choosing the children: Include pupils with BESDs but normalise the group Group size/gender: max 6, at least 2 girls & 2 boys Room: check timetabling & suitability Time/Duration: minutes Liaison: parental permission, classteacher, SENCO Initial meeting and assessment with individual children Consistency Endings

Exercise: Setting up a group How will you go about setting up your group Address each point in the list ‘Setting up a TS group’ Do you foresee any difficulties? Discuss with a partner

Resources Bell or chime Blank page ‘project’ book (just over A4) Lined A5 sheets of paper in centre of table with story starter written out – give choice of gender Pens or pencils - discourage rubbers or rulers Coloured pencils Chairs arranged around a central table

Next step Meet with each individual pupil to do pre- course evaluation (see online manual). If possible, run at least one TSW group session before day 2 of the training.

The Teacher’s Story (Book ref: chapter 8) Provides choice points for discussion about feelings of characters, development of plot and resolution of dilemmas (restorying/search for meaning) Addresses individual issues in the safety of the story metaphor Establishes a ‘writer’s environment’ ( focus/crossing out/ taking risks) Models academic literacy e.g. story structure, description, dialogue etc.

Extending emotional vocabulary Brainstorm a list of words or phrases, other than happy, sad, bored, angry, to describe the feelings that pupils in your group may experience

Exercise : Story Openers (1) Write a story opening using an animal character which names a feeling that may be uncomfortable for pupils in your group: Name the animal character Describe the setting Name the feeling NB Do not say why the character is feeling like this. Use no more than two sentences.

Exercise: Feelings Choice Point in the Teacher’s Story continued Each person takes on role of teacher in turn. They read the beginning of their story and asks for suggestions from the group as to what might happen next. Teacher jots down ideas. Spend 10 minutes writing the next part of the story incorporating ideas from the group. Leave story at an action point.

Sharing & Mime Game Share written stories with group Take turns to act out a scene from someone else’s story Others in the group guess whose story has been acted out

Importance of Choice Each week teacher gives a suggestion and some inspiration for a new story Children choose to :- take up the teacher’s suggestion carry on with their current story Choice in relation to sense of self

Further information, research & resources Centre for Therapeutic Storywriting: Online training manual: