| Previous Message | Return to Archive 2001 | Next Message |
Archive Number 25 | ||
|
Date: Fri, 13 Apr 2001 17:46:28 -0500
Gail wrote: That would be helping the patient to integrate this experience into her/his life story, in other words, to make or find meaning in this part of his/her story. Andre hear@MR.NET writes: >· enables the stroke survivor to integrate their experience in a meaningful way. Gail and All, Your words are exactly the point. Your language is the language of story but we are saying exactly the same thing. I have an example from a hospice situation, how story can help individuals integrate their experiences through the use of story into the story of their life. For the last year I was hired as a consultant to run a support group for a staff of a hospice. The previous facilitator was a psychotherapist and ran it like a therapy group. The staff in general were very negative. I changed the format with their help. It started with quiet meditative time and a reflection. However, I was aware of how resistent they were to a check in. Further, they shared how the staff memorial services once a quarter were not well attended. I suggested that at our weekly gathering we would read the names of the persons who died that week. They agreed. Well as they read the names off I would say does anyone have a good story about that person. At first they looked at me like "Are You Crazy?" But eventually one person told a story and then another and ever since they have not stopped. Further the satisfaction scores for the group went from a mean of 1.78 to a 4.03 out of five. Where as only a few thought that the support group was a good idea at last count 85% felt that it was valuable. Also the staff reported a greater sense of belonging primarily due to the sharing in the support group. In other words there was a complete turn around and most reported it was because they had an opportunity to share the story of their patients with each other. One of the activities I did with them was to use a ball of yarn and each time a patient was mentioned the ball of yarn was unraveled and given to each person who had worked with the patient and they told a story about that person. Wehn we were done the whole room was tied together. They then cut pieces of the yarn and created story bundles to remind them that they were all in this together. This excercise was the clincher and from that day on the stories have rolled and their spirits were lifted. thanks, Andre >· enhances cognitive skills including organizational, decision-making, >and >concentration skills. >· supports patients in learning verbal and written skills. >· develops inter-personal and intra-personal skills >· improves perceptional and interpretative skills. | ||