‘stories differ from advice in that, once you get them, they become a fabric of your whole soul. that is why they heal you." alice walker

in these times of growing anxiety and often unresolved trauma, contact and deeper connection to the more than human can provide essential respite and often resolution to some of the anxieties we all face. we are creatures of metaphor and the language of story can help us find meaning, hope and ways of working through life’s problems.

this workshop will equip parents/carers, educators and other professionals working with children or young people in other contexts with some of the tools of working in a therapeutic way with nature based stories, storylines and storymaking. while this does not teach counselling or therapy skills, it will provide a framework for educators to work with their learners in a therapeutic and playful way through story in nature.

for people who have been on the reframing challenging behaviour course with jon or the one day workshop anxiety and trauma in the outdoors, this course is an extension of these two courses but equally stands alone for those new to this area of work.

the day will cover ~

• the therapeutic benefits of storymaking and telling – what is trauma and anxiety and the role of story

• exploring body sensation and emotion through some simple story exercises

• techniques of working with traditional tales and their meanings

• the key components of a ‘story’ to bring meaning to stressors in the human world

• using a non violent communication model when creating stories with the aid of natural world materials

• when and how to work with story - it’s all in the timings!

• ways of processing story in groups in the nature space – through various ‘emotional playgrounds’ and ‘activities.

• creating and telling our own stories through nature based metaphors

• how to effectively work with pace, passion, place, pitch and tone – body and voice together

• resources and stories (old and new) to lean into

we see this workshop not only as a excellent learning opportunity but also as a chance to connect with others in and around east london to grow together. 

a big pot of soup (vegan) and freshly baked bread from the wild goose bakery will be served for everyone to eat together for lunch. hot drinks will be made over the fire.

what are participants saying about us?

“it was a really wonderful, wholesome and inspiring day. booking was easy, communication was great and the day was extremely well run with a delicious lunch provided too. we were made to feel so welcome and i’m looking forward to attending future workshops here to improve my practice. thank you!” kirsty meekings, previous workshop participant

about jon cree

jon has almost forty years’ experience as an environmental/earth educator and trainer. his passion is helping others ‘get in touch’ with the natural world through dynamic learning programmes and hand-on learning experiences. he has for many years worked in forest school, particularly with learners who are often stressed by our education system, home circumstances or other situations that set them apart from 'the mainstream'. and yet we all bring gifts to the communities we are part of. 

during the pandemic signs of stress, anxiety and even trauma have become more prevalent and jon has been diving deeper in 'somatics' and body based approaches.  he has been asked to run even more trainings on anxiety, stress and trauma, and how the more than human world and creative practises can support healthy nervous systems.  this is based on the many years he has worked with young people, especially adolescents.