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Archive Number 3737

Date: Sat, 1 May 2004 10:14:36 EDT
From: Gail Rosen
Subject: Re: Need Feedback ,Suggestions, Inspirational Stories,etc


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In a message dated 5/1/04 9:31:45 AM, healingarts101@BELLSOUTH.NET writes:

<< I am being asked to tell my story about how I came to this point to open a
healing arts center. I am not quite sure that i am ready for this. I knew
the day would come when i would have to tell my story and it looks like that
day is here.


Any suggestions on how I might do this without getting too deep into my life
story and show how the arts, particularly storytelling can be interwoven as a
healing modality. I am not ready to fully expose myself and I am cautious

especially at this juncture. >>

Karen,
First, congratulations and appreciation for your generosity and courage.
Telling personal story in a way that is useful for your audience, that relays
the message of hope and growth, is a worthy challenge. A couple of coaches
who address these specific issues are Doug Lipman and Nancy Donoval. Nancy
specifically works with taking a personal story and making sure that the listeners
"have room" within it, that it can speak universally. Doug has done much
thinking and talking about noticing for whom we are telling the story - who is the
beneficiary, the teller or the listener? His point is that we cannot really
tell it for our listeners until we have had enough listening ourselves and have
told it for our own sake long enough to have really distilled our own meaning
from our story. Another technique he (and others) teach is how to take a
personal story and to put it into a fairytale or folktale format, which can relay
the important messages without the feeling of "exposure." If there is any way
you could work with either of these amazing people, I would highly recommend
it. And Doug has lots of materials for sale, some of which address these issues
too.
You might also search the archives of this list - there have been other
discussions about telling personal stories.
Wishing you the best of luck with finding your way to tell your story.
Gail


Gail Rosen, storyteller
410-486-3551
721 Howard Rd.
Pikesville MD 21208
NEW website: www.GailRosen.com
Check out the Healing Story Alliance website: www.HealingStory.org
Burnout prevention workshops for hospice: www.HealThy-Self.net

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