Interactive Workshops

Through my experience as a social worker and a Junior College instructor, I developed an interactive workshop using storytelling. This technique has been used extensively in my work with adolescents and adults.

Dealing with personal issues is difficult, especially for teens. I often perform stories to bridge the gap. To facilitate group discussions I pause the story in different places and run group discussions. We take the characters and events and look at them as metaphors for actual life experiences. I ask the participants to talk with me using their own life experiences as they relate to the concepts of the story. This stimulates extensive discussion on issues and themes, such as: betrayal, co-dependency, depression, self actualization, etc. Youth are able to discuss these issues freely with each other in the context of working with the story. The safety of the storytelling workshop promotes a sense of commonality when personal experiences are shared. This facilitates personal growth and a deeper connection between group members.

Adult workshops operate in much the same manner, focusing on adult themes and issues. Marin, Mendocino, Napa, and Santa Rosa Junior Colleges have used my workshops in their training programs for foster parents. Additionally I have adult workshops which demonstrate how stories can be used as powerful tools for dealing with children's issues of grief and loss.

For more information on Interactive Workshops e-mail Greg at gbegin@floyd.santarosa.edu. Back to Storytelling page