In this interactive workshop we will explore the Christmas classic ‘A Christmas Carol’ by Charles Dickens to discover the treasures it has to offer and see how it resonates with us on a personal level.
We will explore the story and the themes that come up using tools from the Story Arte creative toolbox. Gestalt therapy, art therapy and perhaps Psychodrama will accompany us on the voyage.
We will walk in the footsteps of the different characters and consider what life was like in the past for the privileged rich and for those who were not so fortunate and compare it to life in the present. We will follow the protagonist Ebenezer Scrooge, into his world of dreams and observe how the encounters with the ghost of Christmas Past, the ghost of Christmas Present and the Ghost of -Christmas yet to come, have a profound effect on his life process and leads to a transformational change. We will also discuss the importance of working with dreams in our lives.
We will analyze the biography of Charles Dickens and consider how the challenges in his life path helped shaped his creative work and relate this to our lived life experiences. We will discuss how this story can be applied to work creatively with clients.
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 are here to accompany us now, with their medicine, in this time of uncertainty.
In this workshop:
We will call upon the ancient wisdom of this literary fairy tale to guide us.
We will experiment with tools from the world of Gestalt, art therapy or psychodrama as we deepen into the symbolic language of the story.
We will explore the archetypes present in the story and how they relate to modern times
We will explore the themes that are present in the story and discuss how we could work around these themes with our clients.
This workshop is experiential, and participants will be invited to explore a story in depth and engage actively in the activities. Paper and something to draw and write with is required.
Learning Objective Participants Can Expect From This Event
You will learn how to explore a classic story of our times and observe how it resonates with you on a personal and professional level.
You will see how to work creatively with this story in a therapeutic setting and use it to discuss any challenges that a client may be facing over the festive period
You will learn about the symbolic language and the archetypes in the story and explore how they relate to our modern lives.
Who is This Workshop Appropriate For?
This workshop is appropriate for all therapists, counsellors, storytellers, carers and anyone else with a deep interest in exploring the world of stories and the topic of growing old in a symbolic way.
How May This Workshop Impact Your Practice?
The wisdom inherent in this story is a powerful element to have in your toolbox. This popular story could safety be used with children. Working with this story may provide a symbolic way for clients to explore and express their inner world through the point of view of the different characters.
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.
