What's your story??
Even with how easy it is to take photos today, it can still be a very important, and meaningful, process to deliberately record our life stories beyond the image or video. Recording our thoughts, feelings and experiences can be valuable for numerous reasons, including capturing details of our memories, sharing our stories with others, and reflecting on our experiences and our life. It can also be something that we leave until we are older, despite the benefits of starting now.
There are also two misconceptions that can be a barrier to starting the process of recording our life stories - first is the misconception that life storytelling has to mean a lot of writing - autobiography or memoir writing, biography writing or researching our genealogy, even though these are all distinct paths that can be followed. The second is that we should leave this process for 'later'. Whatever later means to us.
Neither of these are accurate or need to prevent us from taking an initial step, however small, to start this process now - no matter what age you are.
Why do we offer this service?
Karly's story:
When I began creating visual art, I didn't initially realise that much of what I was creating was a form of autobiography storytelling given a lot of my work is quite abstract, and yet this is quickly what the process became for me. Combined with a detailed journalling practice, my first solo exhibition was an opportunity to share my experience of having a chronic illness, with the various sculptures and mixed media images viscerally detailing my perspective and feelings. Since then, I have continued to see the visual arts and creativity as a way of recording my stories and experiences as I create mixed media pieces that record important objects, items and thoughts and even through abstract expressionism.
After working in aged care for a few years, and seeing how important the ability to share our experiences can be for many people, I applied to a PhD scholarship at La Trobe with Eastern Palliative Care to research their volunteer-facilitated Biography Program. Having to write the application alone was enough to highlight my interest in not only why people tell their stories, but also the many ways that stories could be told. On getting the scholarship, and embarking on the research, I discovered a wide variety of research and writings about how many different ways people and organisations engage with autobiography and biography writing.
When working in aged care, I was part of the team that facilitate the programs and activities and combining this experience with previous teaching experience, I went on to teach in the certificate course for this role at Holmesglen, solidifying my experience in the importance of what I group together as 'life storytelling' so as to recognise that this process does not only have to be done through writing our stories. I now encourage people to engage with creative visual arts, writing and really, whatever you are most interested in, to best tell your life stories.
What services do we offer?
Life Storytelling Classes that provide an overview of the various ways that life storytelling can be done (with a written or verbal focus) which can be found in the classes & courses tab in the menu.
Practical, creative lifestorytelling sessions; such as a shadow box session where you can bring memorability to create a visual memory.
Leisure and Health upskilling sessions found under the services tab which is best for those working aged or disability care.
Life Storytelling Project Consultation services where I work directly with individuals or families who have memorabilia, stories, items, creative ideas and items that they want to record as a special memory in some way but may be stuck on the practical elements, editing their items, knowing how to start such projects, the planning elements, or how to navigate family dynamics.
While this consultation service could include assisting with writing memoir's, this is the most expensive option given the time involved (which is why group life storytelling sessions are offered). What is more common is for Karly to work with individuals to design a way forward for their creative projects, balancing assistance with cost. Consultation services are individually quoted.
Send an enquiry email today to ask about availability of any of these services.
