A Narrative Approach to Therapeutic Conversations with People Who Are Suffering

with Sasha McAllum Pilkington

Six Alliant CE Credits Approved!

In October 2018. Sasha visited Vermont for the first time to present the workshop,  A Narrative Approach to Conversations at the End-of Life.  Immediately, we knew we wanted her to come back. While in-person isn’t possible during the Pandemic, we are pleased that through Zoom we can invite people from around the world to join us. Through storytelling, didactic teaching and opportunities for interaction,  Sasha will focus during this two-part workshop on practices that makes meaning out of suffering, generate connection and enhance agency. Note that we’ve added several registration options including local teams joining together. If you are currently experiencing financial hardship, please contact us to inquire about scholarships. We want most of all for everyone who wishes to be with us to be able to join us.

“Suffering at the end of life can be transformed when a person feels connected to others and views their life as meaningful”

As a counsellor working for hospice, Sasha Pilkington meets with people who are suffering as they live with serious illness and the knowledge of their approaching death.  In this six hour (two-part) online workshop, she will share some cherished narrative practices that can be helpful in alleviating suffering. There will be a focus on ways of supporting people to feel connected, find meaning in their life and enhance their sense of being influential.

There will be opportunities to:

• Discuss how the pandemic has added to the challenges families face if one member has a life ending illness and consider how we might go about supporting them online and in person
• Explore how we might respond therapeutically when people feel overwhelmed by suffering.
• Examine practice stories and transcript that show nuances of narrative practice that can be significant in generating a sense of connection, meaning and agency.

We are looking forward to a lively exchange of ideas that provides participants with the opportunity to extend their thinking and skills, and apply learnings to many different work contexts.

Please Note: We will send the Zoom link to registrants separately, prior to the two-part event.

Sasha McAllum Pilkington
Auckland, New Zealand

Sasha has published several articles illustrating narrative practice with people who are dying:

• Pilkington, S. (2018)  Writing narrative therapeutic letters: Gathering, recording and performing lost stories. Journal of Narrative Family therapy, Special Release. pp 22-49.
• Pilkington, S.  (2018) A story illustrating narrative therapy in a cross cultural conversation with someone approaching death.  New Zealand Journal of Counselling, Vol 38/1, pp 39-49.
• Pilkington, S. (2017) Deconstructing Denial: Stories of Narrative Therapy with people who are dying and their families. Journal of Narrative Family Therapy. Release 1, 2017, pp. 54-75. www.journalnft.com
• Pilkington, S. (2016) Insurance Policies for Miracle Cures: A story illustrating narrative counseling practice with someone approaching death. Journal of Systemic Therapies, Vol. 35, No. 2, 2016, pp. 71–87
• Pilkington, S. (2014) Traveling on the Journey to Death: A story illustrating narrative practice for counselors. Journal of Systemic Therapies, Vol. 33, No. 4, 2014, pp. 79–93

For further interest:

•  Carlson, T., Epston, D. , Haire, A.,  Corturillo,  E., Lopez, A.,  Vedvei, S.,  Pilkington, S. (March 2017) Learning Narrative Therapy Backwards: Exemplary Tales as an Alternative Pedagogy for Learning Practice, Journal of Systemic Therapies,  Vol. 36, No. 1, pp. 94-107
• Epston, D., Heath, T., Ingamells, K., Pilkington, S. (June 2016) Exemplary Tales: Virtual Apprenticeships