Sunday, February 21, 2021

WORKING WITH GROUPS - building a climate of trust.



When it comes to talking about feelings,
touching on any sense of 
emotional interior activity -
often the shutters come down.

Most will walk up to a Blob Tree,
on a big screen, and place a sticker
where they are/ describing how they are feeling non-verbally - 
but,
then they often won't talk about their feelings - but this is still a step forward.

Emotional literacy is about being able
to express feelings with words.
Not just 'happy' or 'sad'.
Every feeling comes under those headings.

The Blob Teenage cards get them talking.
Talking about how the Blobs are feeling.
It is a forward step to be able to say how a Blob is feeling.
The Blob Jigsaw gets them active
but struggle to respond to questions.

The best methods I have discovered
is to show slices out of a movie.
This engages them, moves them,
stirs their feelings and then they spill.
All depending how free/insecure they are.
All depending how chained they are
by their own peers. + depending on the climate of trust in the room.

If I can get them to write something
about themselves - wondrous
= self revelation spills.

Out of older groups I get these::
"Today I told someone I was bullied at school."
"I don't want to be in a comfort zone -
I want to make a difference."

Sometimes, if the climate of trust is good,
usually when I am with a group for 24 hours,
there are stories of abuse, beatings, rejection informally spilled,
alcoholic Parents - self harm and more.

How do I get through with the 'hard to reach'?
That's what I need to spend time on this.

If we don't let these things out,
these last words is for you,
they don't reside in your gut dead,
they are buried alive and will come back
to haunt you.
In body
In mind
In spirit
In dysfunctional relationships
because the person who is relating to you
is only building a relationship
with your shell -
not the real beautiful thing.
You are beautiful -
even more without the MASKS.