Deepening our understanding of client work through storytelling and improv

With Aileen McCormack

This interactive workshop will use storytelling and improv comedy games and techniques to help create deeper understanding.

Clients often come to therapy with resistance, coping strategies and ways of thinking and feeling that we aim to help them explore. Understanding and supporting our clients requires developing and exploring our own creativity.

This interactive workshop will use storytelling and improv comedy games and techniques to help create deeper understanding of ourselves, our clients and fostering creativity into the future.

Improvisation (Improv) involves making up characters, scenes and dialogue in the moment. It can help improve our confidence and creativity, reduce anxiety and help reframe our understanding of client and therapeutic situations. The workshop will aim to help you become more confident in exploring client concerns and overcome anxieties or worries about exploring client work.

The workshop we will be looking at:

· Our own relationship with creativity and developing a more playful self

· Learning about the benefits and practice of improv

· Practicing some storytelling and improv techniques

· Reflecting on our own learning and change

This workshop will be facilitated in an informative, relaxed and experiential way, so please be open to self-exploration and working with others! I will also be bringing my own learning and experiences from working with groups and would like participants to bring their experiences also. No previous experience of improv is necessary as full instructions will be given, a willingness to try and to work with others would be helpful!

Suitable for trainee and qualified counsellors

Tea, coffee, and biscuits provided. Please bring your own lunch

About trainer: Aileen McCormack has been practicing as a Counsellor, Supervisor, Lecturer and Trainer for the past 10 years. Aileen has trained in and performs improv regularly in Scotland for the past two years. She is also a member of BACP. She spent many years working in the charity sector with organisations such Macmillan Cancer Support and Crossreach, Scotland. She also delivers training on group facilitation and self-care and grief and loss. She is also a trained Laughter Yoga leader! Aileen is interested in developing counsellors’ ability and confidence to work with clients through play, improv and the power of humour and laughter to relax and open our minds.