Workshop Description:
If the hero’s journey is about the transformation of the self, the heroine’s journey is about the reclamation of the self; becoming self-possessed. For black women, the journey can be particularly perilous, as they navigate through the forces of both racism and sexism. In response, many black women have developed what’s called The Superwoman Schema (aka The Strong Black Woman). Sadly, the cost of this strategy can be exceedingly high in terms of physical health, emotional well-being and overall quality of life.
The purpose of this seminar will be to explore how these prescribed roles and inherited narratives can be questioned, modified or replaced. It will also seek to identify and implement more adaptive and sustainable sources of strength, support, wisdom and purpose.
*The material in this course meets the requirement for anti-oppressive, social work practice content.
Learning Objectives:
1. Defining the Superwoman Schema.
2. Identify the cost and benefits of the Superwoman Schema.
3. Exploring the differences between the Role Self and the Real Self.
4. Using The Heroine’s Journey as pathway to more emotionally nourishing narratives.
5. Learning how to move from over-functioning to flying the OODA (Observe Orient Decide Act) loop.
6. Creating a revitalization cycle to offset the cumulative effects of stress.
7. Identifying the rules of a writer’s room.
8. Learn the three rules of storytelling.
9. Learn the Two Types of Stories.
10. The Use of Journaling as a Way of Recognizing the Role Self and Summoning the Real Self.
11. Contending with Resistance.