Stories have been with us since the very beginning of humanity when we gathered around the fire to listen to myths of creation to connect us with our inner selves, our clan and the universe. Stories have accompanied us through dark times, of war and plague and they can also accompany us to talk about Death and demystify the taboo around it.
In this workshop, we will be working creatively with the fairy tale ‘the Messengers of Death’ from the Brothers Grimm’s collection.
We will explore the theme of growing old and Death using tools from the Story Arte creative toolbox.
- We will look at the background to the story
- We will explore what comes up in the group as we discuss death
- We explore the image of death
- We may talk about what growing old means in our youth orientated modern world.
- We examine the role of the elderly in our society: elders or a burden?
- We may step into the story through roleplay or visualization
- We explore the characters and the symbolic language to see what they may reveal
- We look at creative ways of discussing the taboo of Death with our clients
- We open a dialogue up between life and death
- We discuss the importance of preparing for death
This workshop is experiential, and participants will be invited to explore the story in depth and engage actively in the activities.
Paper and something to draw and write with is required. Please have a mirror available as well.
Learning Objective Participants Can Expect From This Event
- You will learn how to explore the themes of growing old and the taboo around Death in our society through the use of a fairy tale.
- You will see how to work creatively with a fairy tale in a therapeutic setting
- You will learn about the symbolic language and get to know some of the archetypes in the story and explore how they relate to our modern lives.
Who is This Workshop Appropriate For?
- Therapists, counsellors, storytellers, carers, and anyone else with a deep interest in exploring the world of stories and the topic of death and growing old in a symbolic way.
How May This Workshop Impact Your Practice?
- The ancient wisdom of fairy tales is a powerful element to have in your toolbox as it has passed the test of time. Working with stories provides a safe distance to explore delicate issues from the point of view of the different characters and symbols.
Course Content
Presenter
Jennifer Ramsay is a professional storyteller. She has told stories in more than 2,000 events and trained hundreds of people in the ancestral art of storytelling. She works with story medicine in private practice and as a group facilitator in unique workshops, weaving stories into Nature Based Art Therapy, Gestalt therapy, Symbolic Psychodrama and Embodiment work.
She has a degree in Biological Sciences and is part of the global network of Earth Storytellers. The rhythms of nature are very present as she incorporates the Celtic wheel of the year and the lunar cycles into her work.
She is the founder of Story Arte, a centre for Art Therapy and Storytelling in the village where she lives, in the foothills near Madrid.
