Embracing Children’s Spirituality in 2018
Some things never change…or do they? One of the exciting things I enjoyed doing over the Christmas period was sitting back and watching our family. Seeing little changes in behaviour and relationships since we last met, as children grow; adults reconnecting and enjoying time together, playing games and laughing together…; observing uncharacteristic behaviour…wondering whether to share my concerns - to worry or not?
Martin and I watched the New Year in with the New Year Jools Holland ‘Hootenanny’. Jools Holland said Hootenanny was about doing things you don’t usually do: singers…singing with backing or unusual songs. Ed Sheeran singing something not sung for 15 years but it was the first song he’d ever performed as an 11year-old child. There were heart-warming moments of challenge and connection or despair as folk shared their hopes for 2018….
Embracing Children's Spirituality is about recognising connections, moments of meeting - my own self, others, the world around and even that sense of otherness or beyond… that some call God or the universe, instances of synchronicity or coincidence. ECS …offers colourful and creative ways of reflecting on spiritual moments and experiences in order to treasure them, learn from them and understand each other more, be it in a family or therapeutic context. It offers a framework and tool to explore spirituality… considered to be worthy of wider dissemination by Gill Goodliff in her review of the book*
In this new year, I am looking forward to opportunities to spend time creatively reflecting and developing a more holistic approach to our work with children. The following are the events already planned for 2018:
Healing Play - a one day course. A practical hands on exploration of the therapeutic nature of play and an introduction to the principles and practice of Play Therapy
Saturday 20th January 2018 in Portsmouth for details and booking contact: Rosalynd Hall 07742 106607 (See also below)
Saturday 22nd September 2018 at Cliff College
Embracing Children’s Spirituality
Places are still available for the two-day, Embracing Children’s Spirituality workshop course (12 CPD points), for play therapists, counsellors and others engaged in supporting children’s mental health and well- being, offering a holistic approach.
course will be held in Sheffield
Saturday
* International Journal of Children's Spirituality Vol:22, Issue 3-4, August-November 2017 pp 358-360