G'day to all,
Yesterday and today, we practiced in groups (yes, students, I said practice) our narrative skills. This practice was led by Carolyn Markey and Chris Dolman who are on the faculty at the Dulwich Centre. It was satisfying to discover what I've learned and exciting about what else I have to learn.
Our group also decided to stay in touch through e-mail, a Yahoo group, and meeting at different narrative conferences. In fact, they are coming to Indy in 2012 and we hope to have some kind of narrative conference--something to look forward to!
I'll give an idea about the international scope of this group. Native languages represented include English, French, Dutch, Danish, Cantonese Chinese, Spanish, and Portuguese. Countries represented included USA, UK, Canada, Australia, Hong Kong, Argentine, Brazil, Spain, Denmark, and Belgium. Professions include university social work professors, seminary professor (ME), hospice social worker, psychologist, nurse practitioners, occupational therapist, business consultant, teacher, community organizer, community social worker, general practitioner with the Royal Flying Doctors of Australia (offering medical services to the Outback), substance abuse counselor, and family therapists. What a great experience!
I'll fill you in next about Australian lingo and customs either en route home or after I return. I leave for a 30 some hours journey at 6am in the morning. Keep posted!
No worries,
SMC
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Koala and Epston Adventures
Hullo mates,
Drum roll, please! YES! I cuddled a koala! (It almost sounds like something that would be on Jerry Springer.) Hank seemed oblivious to me as he munched his eucalyptus! Of course, I have a photo and will be glad to share it when I return. It was so exciting. Somehow, even as a kid in Kentucky, I've always wanted to see a koala up close and personal and visit Australia. I think the adventure in it always appealed to me. I never dreamed of going to Europe (no offense to Europe) but Australia.
Also, Monday and Tuesday we had David Epston the co-developer with Michael White of narrative therapy leading our training. He recently has been introducing South America to narrative. (I learned so much I will summarize it all on this blog when I return.) He's interested in my ideas of connecting liberation theology with narrative therapy and gave me a copy of his book which he autographed. I also got some great teaching ideas from his presentation for the postmodern class spring 2011.
Well, I have three chapters for a three volume anthology called "Explaining Evil" to proof for the editor. It will be published by Praeger the end of this month.
Blog with you later,
SMC
Drum roll, please! YES! I cuddled a koala! (It almost sounds like something that would be on Jerry Springer.) Hank seemed oblivious to me as he munched his eucalyptus! Of course, I have a photo and will be glad to share it when I return. It was so exciting. Somehow, even as a kid in Kentucky, I've always wanted to see a koala up close and personal and visit Australia. I think the adventure in it always appealed to me. I never dreamed of going to Europe (no offense to Europe) but Australia.
Also, Monday and Tuesday we had David Epston the co-developer with Michael White of narrative therapy leading our training. He recently has been introducing South America to narrative. (I learned so much I will summarize it all on this blog when I return.) He's interested in my ideas of connecting liberation theology with narrative therapy and gave me a copy of his book which he autographed. I also got some great teaching ideas from his presentation for the postmodern class spring 2011.
Well, I have three chapters for a three volume anthology called "Explaining Evil" to proof for the editor. It will be published by Praeger the end of this month.
Blog with you later,
SMC
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Weekend--December 4-5
Hullo,
Well, as you see, I have a label on the post for November 27 marked "kangaroo" because my friend Fonny from Hong Kong spent time last night helping me try to upload some video from my Flip camcorder to the post. No luck!! After 30 minutes, we decided that my little netbook just didn't have the "juice" to power things up. Then, we tired to upload some photos on her more powerful laptop. The photo file was too large. So, I'll keep trying to upload if I can get to a good desktop this week. If not, I'll upload it when I return when I make final comments.
Today, I attended Flinders Street Baptist Church, a historic church here in Adelaide. Adelaide is called the City of Churches with many beautiful limestone buildings. South Australia is the only region that was not settled primarily by convicts, mostly Irish, from UK. "Free settlers" came here including many Germans who began making wines north of the city of Adelaide. Currently, Congregational, Methodist, and Presbyterians make up the Uniting Church of Australia which would be the closest thing to Christian Church (DOC).
Well, I'm off to see if I can cuddle a koala! Yes, quite literally. Keep "posted."
G'day,
SMC
Well, as you see, I have a label on the post for November 27 marked "kangaroo" because my friend Fonny from Hong Kong spent time last night helping me try to upload some video from my Flip camcorder to the post. No luck!! After 30 minutes, we decided that my little netbook just didn't have the "juice" to power things up. Then, we tired to upload some photos on her more powerful laptop. The photo file was too large. So, I'll keep trying to upload if I can get to a good desktop this week. If not, I'll upload it when I return when I make final comments.
Today, I attended Flinders Street Baptist Church, a historic church here in Adelaide. Adelaide is called the City of Churches with many beautiful limestone buildings. South Australia is the only region that was not settled primarily by convicts, mostly Irish, from UK. "Free settlers" came here including many Germans who began making wines north of the city of Adelaide. Currently, Congregational, Methodist, and Presbyterians make up the Uniting Church of Australia which would be the closest thing to Christian Church (DOC).
Well, I'm off to see if I can cuddle a koala! Yes, quite literally. Keep "posted."
G'day,
SMC
Saturday, November 27, 2010
G-day mates,
(See I'm already getting into the Aussie lingo.) Today, I traveled to Kangaroo Island on a tour bus. Upon stepping on the bus, I eagerly anticipated seeing kangaroos!! The countryside was quite scenic beginning with the golden rolling hills that reminded me some of southern California. Then, the countryside changed to green rolling hills spotted with black angus and some dairy cattle. Then, suddenly, my dream came true so the driver alerted us to kangaroos in the field. I saw a mother kangaroo and her "joey." Then, several miles down the road, I a kangaroo hopped in front of the bus. I, being in the front row, got a great view!
We finally arrived at the ferry which we boarded shoulder to shoulder. I selected a delicious quiche to eat for breakfast and my adventure was started. The bus tour of Kangaroo Island circled the entire island. We saw true bush terrain as well as the popular gum tree of Australia. We went to Seal Bay where I was just a few feet from a seal exhausted from the hunt asleep on the beach. I am nominating the seal as the patron animal of all academics. The seal goes to sea, dives and dives, hunts for food for days ad then after wearily making it back to shore falls exhausted and sleeps for dyas. Need I say more?
that's all for now
SMC
(See I'm already getting into the Aussie lingo.) Today, I traveled to Kangaroo Island on a tour bus. Upon stepping on the bus, I eagerly anticipated seeing kangaroos!! The countryside was quite scenic beginning with the golden rolling hills that reminded me some of southern California. Then, the countryside changed to green rolling hills spotted with black angus and some dairy cattle. Then, suddenly, my dream came true so the driver alerted us to kangaroos in the field. I saw a mother kangaroo and her "joey." Then, several miles down the road, I a kangaroo hopped in front of the bus. I, being in the front row, got a great view!
We finally arrived at the ferry which we boarded shoulder to shoulder. I selected a delicious quiche to eat for breakfast and my adventure was started. The bus tour of Kangaroo Island circled the entire island. We saw true bush terrain as well as the popular gum tree of Australia. We went to Seal Bay where I was just a few feet from a seal exhausted from the hunt asleep on the beach. I am nominating the seal as the patron animal of all academics. The seal goes to sea, dives and dives, hunts for food for days ad then after wearily making it back to shore falls exhausted and sleeps for dyas. Need I say more?
that's all for now
SMC
Friday, December 3, 2010
Friday, December 1
Mates "up over"(?)
Today my training group again had an all day session with Stephen Madigan. He showed a video of his work with a fellow named Dan--snippets of 6 sessions--that will be published by the APA in just two weeks. In the sessions--those of you who are narrative devotees--he managed the discourses around masculinity in addressing the client's pattern of staying in the house for 2 years. There's much more, but I am impressed with Madigan's great skill at introducing the political in the session. He also has a book coming out entitled, "Who Has the Story-telling Rights to Tell the Story?"
Again, David Epston joined us and we all had a great narrative time. David talked about the intent of questioning and how every question has an intention behind it. Stephen also showed the video of his working with Ollie and Mrs. Poindexter--the African-American family where Ollie suffers from the effects of racism in the school and legal system. That's the video that I showed in P-520 this fall and the one Stephen showed at the AAPC Annual Conference in Indy last spring. I told Stephen about the response of you students in P-520 when you viewed the video. The end of the story. . .? Well, I asked. The mom's pastor confronted the principal and told him to call the judge, Stephen got a letter writing campaign going, The principal wrote Ollie's high school principal. Ollie did well in sports and school and was one of the most successful students in the high school. This is a great example of why I love narrative--the power of the political in the stories of people's lives!
Bye,
SMC
Today my training group again had an all day session with Stephen Madigan. He showed a video of his work with a fellow named Dan--snippets of 6 sessions--that will be published by the APA in just two weeks. In the sessions--those of you who are narrative devotees--he managed the discourses around masculinity in addressing the client's pattern of staying in the house for 2 years. There's much more, but I am impressed with Madigan's great skill at introducing the political in the session. He also has a book coming out entitled, "Who Has the Story-telling Rights to Tell the Story?"
Again, David Epston joined us and we all had a great narrative time. David talked about the intent of questioning and how every question has an intention behind it. Stephen also showed the video of his working with Ollie and Mrs. Poindexter--the African-American family where Ollie suffers from the effects of racism in the school and legal system. That's the video that I showed in P-520 this fall and the one Stephen showed at the AAPC Annual Conference in Indy last spring. I told Stephen about the response of you students in P-520 when you viewed the video. The end of the story. . .? Well, I asked. The mom's pastor confronted the principal and told him to call the judge, Stephen got a letter writing campaign going, The principal wrote Ollie's high school principal. Ollie did well in sports and school and was one of the most successful students in the high school. This is a great example of why I love narrative--the power of the political in the stories of people's lives!
Bye,
SMC
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Thursday, December 2
What a fun day! Stephen Madigan who showed us his narrative work on videos along with narrative commentary. He was a plenary speaker at the AAPC Annual Conference in Indianapolis this past spring. Plus, what a treat! David Epston joined our group. It was truly fun to watch Stephen and David interact since David was one of Stephen's teachers. We discussed the politics of ideas ad the political nature of therapy as well as the intentions of questions and much, much more!
I'm exhausted with intellectual gymnastics, so I think I'll turn in to bed.
G'day,
SMC
I'm exhausted with intellectual gymnastics, so I think I'll turn in to bed.
G'day,
SMC
Wednesday, December 1
Hullo from Oz--
This morning which was 4pm November 30, I Skyped my P 520 Introduction to MFT class which Chris Falley so ably was teaching in my absence. Cheryl White spoke with the class at her home. We Skyped from Michael White's home study where he wrote all his narrative books! It was an honor to be there. Cheryl told of her work in Rwanda with collective narrative practice which I hope to teach more about at CTS.
What fun!
Bye for now,
SMC
This morning which was 4pm November 30, I Skyped my P 520 Introduction to MFT class which Chris Falley so ably was teaching in my absence. Cheryl White spoke with the class at her home. We Skyped from Michael White's home study where he wrote all his narrative books! It was an honor to be there. Cheryl told of her work in Rwanda with collective narrative practice which I hope to teach more about at CTS.
What fun!
Bye for now,
SMC
Monday, November 29, 2010/Tuesday, November 20, 2010
G'day mates,
Today was our first day of our training. We met at the home of Cheryl White who is the Director of the Dulwich Centre. For the next three days, we will present our projects in two groups. My group is tutored by Sekneh Beckett who lives in Sydney and is Muslim. She and I have great conversations about religion and its discourses.
On Tuesday, I presented my project "Storytelling as Spiritual Practice: Staff of Spirit." We had a spirited discussion and I look forward to further developing it as I write my book. It was good to have feedback from colleagues from around the world--Belgium, Hong Kong, Australia, Brazil. My friends from Hong Kong all said, "We are Christian."
signing off,
SMC
Today was our first day of our training. We met at the home of Cheryl White who is the Director of the Dulwich Centre. For the next three days, we will present our projects in two groups. My group is tutored by Sekneh Beckett who lives in Sydney and is Muslim. She and I have great conversations about religion and its discourses.
On Tuesday, I presented my project "Storytelling as Spiritual Practice: Staff of Spirit." We had a spirited discussion and I look forward to further developing it as I write my book. It was good to have feedback from colleagues from around the world--Belgium, Hong Kong, Australia, Brazil. My friends from Hong Kong all said, "We are Christian."
signing off,
SMC
November 23, 2010 Somewhere Over the Pacific
What a day! After feverishly packing after a final exam review for students, I embarked upon my trip at 6 am from Indy. I was on the same plane from Indy to LA with a stop in Minneapolis. Then, I endured a long layover in LA. Nothing like the LA airport for stress, I always say. But, finally, my plane for Melbourne was ready to board passengers. I flew V Australia, another spinoff of Virgin Airways. What a super plane! We actually had comfortable seats with our own TV screen and every imaginable entertaintment--20 movies, 20 TV programs, and video games. But, sleep overtook me fortunately. 16 hours later we arrived in Melbourne. With a change of planes, I boarded the plane for Adelaide. Finally, upon touchdown in Adelaide and 40 hours later from Indy, I arrived in Adelaide.
On to Hostel 109 where I stayed. Yes, students, a hostel. Who says age need be a barrier! It was super nice with free Internet, a great kitchen, and a clean room. I arrived in Adelaide on November 25, 2010 which is ahead of Indy time. Go figure the time difference! Then I slept most of the day on Friday, November 26. When in doubt, SLEEP!
I'll sign off.
SMC
On to Hostel 109 where I stayed. Yes, students, a hostel. Who says age need be a barrier! It was super nice with free Internet, a great kitchen, and a clean room. I arrived in Adelaide on November 25, 2010 which is ahead of Indy time. Go figure the time difference! Then I slept most of the day on Friday, November 26. When in doubt, SLEEP!
I'll sign off.
SMC
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