Example Reflection – Storytelling

Challenge & Selection

Storytelling is a great tool that I use all the time. I work with vulnerable populations, developmentally
disabled individuals, senior citizens, and economically disadvantaged people. Many of these people deal
with oppression and dysfunction in every aspect of their lives, they need to be empowered and
inspiration is a path to empowerment. I spend a lot of time “opening people up” and finding ways to
inspire them to improve their circumstances. When I work with seniors, we share stories for different
reasons. Often they're lonely and are so happy to share stories of their lives with me to connect and
they find meaning in sharing these experiences as a form of teaching and/or legacy, in a sense. With my
developmentally disabled clients I share stories of my life in order to help them visualize a state of
independence, I use their feedback against the context of my story to ascertain their goals, and
sometimes we use stories to better understand their interests and thought processes. I use this
information to develop different strategies to try and find a way that works for them to gain more
independence in the areas they find lacking in their lives.

Application

I have a story about using storytelling. In discussing policy changes with a social service agency, I was
trying to explain to them the benefits of taking a more client focused approach, among other things, and
in particular, of recognizing each person as a unique being, and addressing their individual needs first
and foremost. The agency was in the grip of a “compliance culture” and its clients were failing in this
non-empathetic, rigid structure. I was also explaining how sometimes addressing the needs of one
individual can impact everyone for the better, even if it seems extreme or out of the ordinary. I told a
story about when I ran an emergency shelter after a natural disaster. Everyone was doing really well
except for one woman whose stress was making her very emotionally volatile. I could tell she needed
attention; in my mind I decided she would be “Princess for an hour.” I made her a cup of coffee and sat
down with her and let her talk. It turned out that her mother, who was with her, had survived a brain
aneurysm and she was terrified that she would fall or that some other crisis would befall her during this
disaster while in the shelter.

Insight & Approach

Well, wow, that was an eye-opener. Her mother was a calm presence and doing very well. Clearly it was
time for me to open up with my story. I told her how scary it was when my father had his brain
aneurysm in front of me and how I had to get him to the hospital and how difficult and scary that all
was. I shared how he recovered well, and then tied us together, by noting how she and I both have
parents who survived brain aneurysms. This worked really well. She really needed individual attention
for that brief time, and she ended up with that and a true support. She calmed down, her mother, who
had become worried about her, calmed down, and everyone around them calmed down. Peace reigned
again in our little shelter.

So I told this story to the agency, and I think it had a big impact on people there. The policies are being
reevaluated and the caseworkers are going through new training. Sometimes a little story can do a lot of
good.

This course made me see this as a tool in a new way. When I've done it before it was really "ad hoc," but
now I can prepare ahead and think of stories that will assist me in presenting my ideas and best
illuminate them.

I have a design background, but I ended up as an entrepreneur in business. I had no idea this would ever
be considered an asset, but I am so very grateful that it is!