Storytelling

Description of activity: An increase in resilience and a decrease in narrative foreclosure are some positive effects aging adults may experience in this intervention. Characteristics of resilience, such as happiness, can be strengthened in the short term through storytelling. Beneficial knowledge that might occur as a result of the intervention is information that may add to understanding and supplement present insights to storytelling as an intervention for older adults. Prior to participant arrival to the storytelling circle, connect the cell phone or laptop to the bluetooth speaker. At the discretion of the facilitator, play calm, relaxing music at a low volume while participants acquaint themselves to the storytelling circle. After conducting the guided relaxation, turn off the music. The beginning of each session will start with the facilitator introducing the topic for the week’s story. Then, the facilitator will conduct a short, two to three minute, guided relaxation with the group. This will allow the participants to become more centered and grounded to share in storytelling. Guided Relaxation Script: I would like you to pause, place your feet flat on the floor, and take a deep breath drawing in from your nose and releasing air from your mouth. Really FEEL your feet in contact with the ground underneath you. Now place your hands on your stomach and take 2-3 deep breaths. Notice your stomach rise and fall with each in and out breath. When you feel comfortable, close your eyes. As you keep breathing deeply into your stomach, I would like you to breathe in through your nose for a count of 5, then hold your breath for a count of 5, and breathe out your mouth slowly for a count of 5. And keep breathing, in for 5, hold for 5, out for 5. (Pause for about 1 minute to let the group independently breathe.) Great deep breathing. I would like you to now slowly bring your attention back to the room, noticing the sounds around you and begin to open your eyes. (Turn down and turn off music.) Reflect upon and share with the participants group norms. This is especially important during the first session while norms are still being established. Group norms are a vital part of the process. They assist in differentiating the storytelling circle from a support group or discussion. Rules provide a framework and ensure consistency and assurance in participant interactions. Group norms include: Keep in mind, no right or wrong ideas exist. Everyone has his or her own story. At times, these stories may become emotional. It is always okay to laugh or cry, but if emotions become overwhelming, you may stop at any time. We will use a talking stick to signal who has the floor to speak. After you have shared your story, pass the talking stick to the next person in the storytelling circle rotation. The facilitator will signal to the speaker when they have 1 minute of their individual 6 minutes left via a hand gesture with one raised index finger. Listening to others is an opportunity and a gift, with this, those in the circle are asked to simply listen. Please abstain from dialogue, discussions, advice giving, and problem solving. It is fitting to thank the storyteller for sharing after listening to their story. Reminder: What is shared with the storytelling program group, stays with the group. We will keep each other’s stories in confidence. When everyone has shared their story, each participant will have an opportunity to state something for which they are grateful, and further debrief the storytelling circle. By concluding the group with a positive ending ritual, the session will end on an encouraging note, and hopefully participants will look forward to the following week of storytelling! A topic for the week’s story will be introduced at the beginning of each session. The storytelling prompts are: Week 1: Tell a story about overcoming adversity. Week 2: What story comes to mind, when you think of home? Week 3: Tell a story about an important relationship you have had. Week 4: Tell a story of when a transition made an impact on your life. Week 5: Tell a story about how a health issue affected your confidence. Each week, the participant sitting to the left of the facilitator will begin the storytelling circle after they have been given the talking stick and the group norms have been shared. The talking stick may be an actual stick, a stick crafted to be visually appealing, or another simple object easy to grasp and pass. Whatever the chosen object is (or lack thereof), please keep it consistent amongst sessions. The participant to the left of the facilitator will have a total of six minutes to share a story within the circle. They may use as much of the six minutes as they desire. The facilitator will track time using a stopwatch, digital timer, or clock. When the participant has one minute remaining, notify them by gesturing your hand in their direction with an erect index finger. When their storytelling time has ended, thank them for sharing, and ask them to pass the talking stick to the person to their left. Continue this process until all participants have shared, then conduct the debriefing process. An increase in resilience and a decrease in narrative foreclosure are some positive effects aging adults may experience in this intervention. Characteristics of resilience, such as happiness, can be strengthened in the short term through storytelling. Beneficial knowledge that might occur as a result of the intervention is information that may add to understanding and supplement present insights to storytelling as an intervention for older adults. Prior to participant arrival to the storytelling circle, connect the cell phone or laptop to the bluetooth speaker. At the discretion of the facilitator, play calm, relaxing music at a low volume while participants acquaint themselves to the storytelling circle. After conducting the guided relaxation, turn off the music. The beginning of each session will start with the facilitator introducing the topic for the week’s story. Then, the facilitator will conduct a short, two to three minute, guided relaxation with the group. This will allow the participants to become more centered and grounded to share in storytelling. Guided Relaxation Script: I would like you to pause, place your feet flat on the floor, and take a deep breath drawing in from your nose and releasing air from your mouth. Really FEEL your feet in contact with the ground underneath you. Now place your hands on your stomach and take 2-3 deep breaths. Notice your stomach rise and fall with each in and out breath. When you feel comfortable, close your eyes. As you keep breathing deeply into your stomach, I would like you to breathe in through your nose for a count of 5, then hold your breath for a count of 5, and breathe out your mouth slowly for a count of 5. And keep breathing, in for 5, hold for 5, out for 5. (Pause for about 1 minute to let the group independently breathe.) Great deep breathing. I would like you to now slowly bring your attention back to the room, noticing the sounds around you and begin to open your eyes. (Turn down and turn off music.) Reflect upon and share with the participants group norms. This is especially important during the first session while norms are still being established. Group norms are a vital part of the process. They assist in differentiating the storytelling circle from a support group or discussion. Rules provide a framework and ensure consistency and assurance in participant interactions. Group norms include: Keep in mind, no right or wrong ideas exist. Everyone has his or her own story. At times, these stories may become emotional. It is always okay to laugh or cry, but if emotions become overwhelming, you may stop at any time. We will use a talking stick to signal who has the floor to speak. After you have shared your story, pass the talking stick to the next person in the storytelling circle rotation. The facilitator will signal to the speaker when they have 1 minute of their individual 6 minutes left via a hand gesture with one raised index finger. Listening to others is an opportunity and a gift, with this, those in the circle are asked to simply listen. Please abstain from dialogue, discussions, advice giving, and problem solving. It is fitting to thank the storyteller for sharing after listening to their story. Reminder: What is shared with the storytelling program group, stays with the group. We will keep each other’s stories in confidence. When everyone has shared their story, each participant will have an opportunity to state something for which they are grateful, and further debrief the storytelling circle. By concluding the group with a positive ending ritual, the session will end on an encouraging note, and hopefully participants will look forward to the following week of storytelling! A topic for the week’s story will be introduced at the beginning of each session. The storytelling prompts are: Week 1: Tell a story about overcoming adversity. Week 2: What story comes to mind, when you think of home? Week 3: Tell a story about an important relationship you have had. Week 4: Tell a story of when a transition made an impact on your life. Week 5: Tell a story about how a health issue affected your confidence. Each week, the participant sitting to the left of the facilitator will begin the storytelling circle after they have been given the talking stick and the group norms have been shared. The talking stick may be an actual stick, a stick crafted to be visually appealing, or another simple object easy to grasp and pass. Whatever the chosen object is (or lack thereof), please keep it consistent amongst sessions. The participant to the left of the facilitator will have a total of six minutes to share a story within the circle. They may use as much of the six minutes as they desire. The facilitator will track time using a stopwatch, digital timer, or clock. When the participant has one minute remaining, notify them by gesturing your hand in their direction with an erect index finger. When their storytelling time has ended, thank them for sharing, and ask them to pass the talking stick to the person to their left. Continue this process until all participants have shared, then conduct the debriefing process.