Friday Fairytale

Like any art - stories are a pleasure in and of themselves. They also act as a tool for remembering, of carrying hope, expressing sorrow, shocking us into rebalancing an understanding, they allow for growth of awareness (de Botton, 2020) and can both guide and manipulate us in our social and political contexts. Myths, Folklore and Fairy tales can be particularly potent as they have been collectively crafted over time, carrying ancient truths that can be understood on several levels at once: the conscious, the unconscious, the individual experience and the social world.

This series of workshops takes a different fairytale each month and looks at its psychology.

We will also examine some of the symbols and motifs in relevant stories and how they can help us deepen our understanding.

Upcoming sessions:

Iron Hans. Friday, 27th June 2pm - 3:30pm (UK).

The Juniper Tree. Friday, 25th July 2pm - 3:30pm (UK). - CANCELLED

The Fitcher's Bird. Friday, 26th September 2pm - 3:30pm (UK).

The Boy Who Left Home to Learn Fear. Friday, 24th October 2pm - 3:30pm (UK).

AIM OF THE SESSIONS:

These sessions aim to introduce the audience to the use of fairytale, their archetypal symbols and imagery as a creative resource and potential therapeutic tool. As such as part of the experience there will be a reading of the fairytale and then a presentation given to discuss:

Common archetypes and imagery used in fairytales.

The psychotherapeutic relevance of the fairytale from several different psychological perspectives.

Following the presented material, the group will spend the remaining time in the session reflecting on the presented material. Experiencing in action how through the group ‘s discussion, meeting our reactions, our connection to symbols, imagery and association along the way, we might enable each other to better understand this way of formulating and deepening our connection to some of the stories we all live.

EACH SESSION OUTLINE:

Introductions & Housekeeping

Reading of the tale

Informal group discussion, questions and reflections

Presentation

Further informal group dicsussion exploring:

- Common Symbolism and Archetypal Imagery in fairytales

- -The links between psychology and fairytales/myths