Making Change Stick in the Work with Children, Young People and Families:
​3 one day workshops introducing family work

​The workshop series consists of 3 one day workshops on 21 May, 6 August and 5 November 2018. Participation in a consultation group held between workshops is highly recommended.
Click the PLAY button below to hear Johnella talk about working with Families.
Practitioners often avoid working with families. This avoidance is based on a number of fears, such as the fear of being overwhelmed by the number of people with conflicting opinions, the fear of the child being silenced by the adults present, and the fear that parents and/or the young person will say things that are hurtful and damage an already vulnerable relationship.

In these workshops I will support you to feel more confident when working with families. I will do this by demonstrating the following:
  • A systemic, relational enquiry process that provides family members with a new perspective.
  • Ways to playfully engage with young people in the Family context.
  • A process to assist you to address blame and shame.
  • Ways to orientate the conversation toward discovering and using family and individual resources to address problems.
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​Introducing  Family Work: Part 1


21 May 2018, 9.30am - 4.30pm
St Columba Centre, 40 Vermont Street, Ponsonby, Auckland, New Zealand 
I am convinced that children and young people are more likely to make sustainable changes when family members or significant carer’s support this change. I have developed these 3 workshops and a consultation group to assist you to feel less overwhelmed and more excited by the prospect of meeting with families.
 
Part One will introduce you to 6 key processes:
  1. Welcoming family members and setting the scene for the conversation
  2. Connecting with each family members willingness to participate in this conversation.
  3. Orienting the conversation toward the families hopes, resources and strengths
  4. Establishing agreement regarding the issues and concerns
  5. Use of age appropriate meaning making tools to ensure full participation of children and young people.
  6. Use of a relational and systemic orientationto generate change promoting possibilities.
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These 6 processes sound simple however each process requires a relational and systemic perspective. This workshop will highlight the skills that generates this perspective.

​Introducing Family Work: Part 2.


6 August 2018, 9.30am - 4.30pm
St Columba Centre, 40 Vermont Street, Ponsonby, Auckland, New Zealand 
In the ‘Introducing Family Work: Part 2’ workshop, you will be introduced to another 6 processes that are essential for effective family work. I will be discussing and demonstrating the skills that support the following processes.
  • Identifying differences that make a difference, over time.
  • Using the present moment experiential effect of those differences to create new or stronger narrative threads. Strengthening the effect of these differences through a contextual exploration.
  • Identify restraints to change.
  • Review commitment to change.
  • Use the imagination to experiment with change.
  • Draw conversation threads together to create a narrative construction that supports change outside the therapy room. 

​Introducing Family Work: Part 3.


5 November 2018, 9.30am - 4.30pm
St Columba Centre, 40 Vermont Street, Ponsonby, Auckland, New Zealand 
Participation in part 1 and 2, will have increased the confidence you feel when meeting and working with families. Part 3, has a focus on using a variety of mediums to support and make change. I will demonstrate and you will practise noticing opportunities to playfully use the imagination as a wonderful therapeutic resource.

We will focus on the following:
  • The power of metaphor
  • Story-making and story-telling
  • The transforming potential of play, music and the visual arts
  • An after-session reflection process for practitioners
 
Through this workshop I will draw on examples of the therapeutic work around common concerns, such as fears, worries, anger, stealing.

Group Super-Vision for Participants in the ‘Introducing Family Work’ Workshops.

​There is a significant gap between the 3 workshops. This will hopefully encourage you to practice the skills we have discussed before we meet again. I would also encourage you to join a consultation group that I facilitate. This group will meet between workshops. A change in practice is more likely to occur with support and supporters. A consultation group will hopefully provide this for you.
Number of meetings: 6
Number of participants: 4 to 10
Time: 2 hours each meeting
Cost & Venue: to be confirmed depending on number of participants