Storytelling  – Reflection

Challenge & Selection      Storytelling is a great tool and I use when I explain to my classmates at many times . I work with student  populations for any projects in the college and at times go to some schools for live experiences. Many of  these people deal with oppression and dysfunction in every aspect of their lives, they need to be empowered  and inspiration is a path to empowerment. I spend a lot of time “opening people up” and finding ways to  inspire them to improve their circumstances. They explain if we ask them patiently and help them to over  come there problems. When I work with seniors, we share stories for different reasons. Often they're lonely  and are so happy to share stories of their lives with me to connect and they find meaning in sharing these  experiences as a form of teaching and telling their problems or any overcomes in a motivational manner to  improve our working in a sense. With my developmentally disabled people I meet I share stories of my life  in order to help them visualize a state of independence, I use their feedback against the context of my story  to ascertain their goals, and sometimes we use stories to better understand their interests and thought  processes. I use this information to develop different strategies to try and find a way that works for them  to gain more independence in the areas they find lacking in their lives. The happenings or any difficulties  I explain them with a solution helps them in their solutions and they think and handle their problems in a  strong manner.     Application      I have a story to explain in form of using storytelling. In talking about policy changes with a social service  agencies, I was trying to explain to them the benefits of taking a more people focused approach, among  other things, and especially, of recognizing each person as a unique being, and addressing their individual  needs first and foremost. The agency was in the grip of a “compliance culture” and its clients were failing  in this non-empathetic, rigid structure. I was also explaining how sometimes addressing the needs of one  individual can impact everyone for the better, even if it seems extreme or out of the ordinary. I told a story  about when I ran an emergency shelter after a stop of lift with using it going to the top flour of the apartment.  Everyone was doing really well inside it except for one man who was locked up with others was deeply  stressed and  was making him very emotionally volatile. I could tell he needed attention; in my mind I  decided he would be “Prince for an hour.” I made him a cup of coffee and sat down with him and let him  talk after we came out of it with so much difficulties. It turned out that his father, who was with him, had  survived a brain tumor and he was terrified that he would fall or that some other crisis would befall her  during this stuck of lift while in the shelter after we came.       Insight & Approach      Well, wow, that was an eye-opener. His father was a calm presence and doing very well. Clearly it was  time for me to open up with my story to him. I told him how scary it was when my father had his brain  tumor in front of me and how I had to get him to the hospital and how difficult and scary that all was. I  shared how he recovered well, and then tied us together, by noting how he and I both have parents who  survived brain tumor. This worked really well. He really needed individual attention for that brief time, and  he ended up with that and a true support. He calmed down, his father, who had become worried about him,  calmed down, and everyone around them calmed down. Peace reigned again in our little shelter. And now  we both got some fresh air and relaxed.

So I told this story to the agency of the social service, and I think it had a big impact on people there who  they take care of. The policies are being reevaluated and the caseworkers are going through new training.  Sometimes a little story can do a lot of good. As that day I made him comfortable after a lot of difficulty.     This course made me see this as a tool in a new way. When I've done it before it was really "make do," but  now I can prepare ahead and think of stories that will assist me in presenting my ideas and best illuminate  them at any situations I may be in to sort out it.     I have a design background, but I ended up as an cost accountant in a company and working upon it. I had  no idea this would ever be considered an asset, but I am so very grateful that it is very useful!!

