The power of Telling Another Part of the Story

Decribe your idea

“Be careful the tale you tell - that is the spell” (The Witch in Sondheim’s Into the Woods). My idea is to challenge people to notice their scripts, the taken-for-granted maps by which they navigate life and describe others, and to discover other options they may have. From desperately bored Hollywood housewives to former child soldiers to people with ALS, I have found that people are most helped when they are encouraged to explore their stories in new ways that highlight their knowledge, courage and connections to others. Inviting people to identify their own hidden story lines can open up possibilities that were previously invisible. Inviting communities to share their stories in even small ways can produce amazing social change.

Why do you want to share your idea with TEDxUChicago in 2013?

As a therapist, i am driven by the goal of helping people improve their lives and relationships. I have been working with people facing a range of challenges since 1995 and spent over two years training trauma counselors in post-conflict West Africa. Thinking and working from a narrative perspective led me to establish Survivors’ Truths, a non-profit that works with groups affected by violence and discrimination, using collaborative media projects to bring out the parts of their story that don’t usually get much attention – the parts about how they have faced difficulty and come through. The process can be life-changing for participants and, when shared with others, can shift the script about that group in profound ways.

How will you share your idea in a creative way?

I will use a variety of tools to tell the story of this idea. I may reference Sondheim, my unusual name, my four year old son’s obsession with firefighters. A dynamic map of the stars will illustrate the ways that our stories get constructed and passed on, and can prevent us from seeing other possibilities. (Specifically, I will point out that Orion’s belt is really the side seam of a giant jogger’s shorts.) I will share some of the pieces we have created to promote peace and reconciliation in Liberia. By starting with a challenge question and ending with a reflection, I will endeavor to connect the audience to their own individual experiences of the stories of their lives and to consider if and how they’d like to change the script.

Discussion

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