The Imagery Toolbox: Mobilising inner resources for coping with a crisis
Event Information
About this event
THE IMAGERY TOOLBOX
ONLINE WORKSHOP - Monday 12th July at 6.30 pm - 8.30 pm
(British Summer Time)
“A powerful source of inspiration, healing and inner freedom for those facing disease or crises.”
“Immensely useful for professionals and patients.”
“It feels as if you have found a magic treasure chest… that invites the mobilisation of inner forces.”
Why participate?
Also known as the ‘Imagery toolbox’, this approach was developed by Jan Taal, a psychologist and psychosynthesis psychotherapist as well as a recognised specialist in this area. Jan has more than 40 years of experience of working with people with cancer and chronic illness.
This is an introductory workshop to Jan's 4 day in person training on October 16th & 17th and November 27th & 28th.
Read more about these techniques in the article written by Catherine Ann Lombard for Therapy Today (June 2020).
Who is it for?
This training is intended for all mental health professionals who support people dealing with a terminal or chronic illness or going through a crisis. This includes health care professionals, nurses and doctors, psychotherapists, social workers, psychologists, coaches, psychiatrists, spiritual care-givers as well as lay people.
The workshop is also open to interested members of the public whether qualified or experienced in psychosynthesis or not.
Purpose of the workshop
In an era where the costs of healthcare are constantly increasing, self-reinforcing methods such as imagery and artistic expression are important additions to the care of clients. When illness or crisis hits, we are often forced into an intimate meeting with ourselves, and both imagery and artistic expression can significantly contribute to promoting our inner and outer coping and resilience.
The simple but effective tools in the Imagery Toolbox provide a humanistic, individualised, empathetic and patient centred response to the challenges posed by crisis or illness, mobilising resilience and improving physical, mental and emotional well-being.
Our approach
Psychosynthesis as applied to psychotherapy is a unique approach that combines both psychology and spirituality. It is a holistic process that helps the individual deal with patterns of behaviours which inhibit or prevent living life in meaningful and fulfilling ways.
The psychosynthesis understanding is that human beings have the internal tools to overcome most situations (intellectual, emotional, spiritual and physical), and that vital and healing sources exist in every human being. Those resources can be activated organically with the help of imagery to gain more access to love, wholeness, connection and power to act.
What to expect for this introductory session?
6.30 – 7.20: Theory - using imagery and creative expression as a tool
Short break
19.30 – 20.30: Practice – using imagery exercises
The first part of the workshop will consist of a theoretical and experiential overview of the use of imagery in guiding and supporting people who are confronted with a serious illness or a crisis. Examples of the use of the imagery tools from the Imagery Toolbox will be presented, with case studies and illustrations. There will also be a group discussion about the theory.
Find out more here: https://imagerytoolbox.com
In the second part, attendees will be asked to participate in imagery exercises including sketching (simple drawing) which will then be followed by some sharing and discussion. The symbol cards gallery will also be used.
Learning outcomes
Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of:
• the possible benefits of simple imagery exercises for people or having a chronic or terminal illness, experiencing trauma or going through a crisis
• how imagery and creative expression work and how it can be applied in practice
• the pitfalls involved in working with imagery methods
Ticket price
£20
Trainer
Jan Taal (1949) is practicing healthcare psychologist and trainer at the Amsterdam School for Imagery since 1980.
He studied Psychology at the University of Amsterdam (1973-1976) and Clinical Psychology at the University of Leiden (1976-1979). He was trained in Psychosynthesis in the Netherlands and Italy (1978- 1982).
Prior to Psychology Jan studied Cultural Anthropology. He wandered in Afghanistan, the mountains of North-West Pakistan, India and Nepal (1969-1973). During this fieldwork Jan had many adventures and significant encounters. It led him to study Eastern and Western Spiritual Traditions, Sufism, Jungian and Transpersonal Psychology and Traditional Medicine and in the last decade rituals of traditional healers in the Amazon region in South America.
In order to stimulate the coping ability and resilience in people with cancer Jan was in 1987 co-founder of the Foundation Cancer in Images (Stichting Kanker in Beeld) of which he was the first chairman. This foundation promotes the use of imagery and creativity in many ways, imagining, drawing, painting, sculpting, writing, poetry, singing, etcetera. In collaboration with the Dutch Cancer Society Jan coordinated two large manifestations in the Old Church of Amsterdam, groundbreaking events full of art and performances of people coping with cancer.
In 2009 Jan started the Imagery Toolbox Project. The aim and purpose of the toolbox is to provide easily accessible and versatile imagery and creativity tools for coping with cancer, chronic illness and crisis, so that these means become available to an ever larger number of people and can be put to extensive use within the healthcare system. To gain a permanent place in the ‘mainstream’ of healthcare is the long-term goal of the Imagery Toolbox project. www.imagerytoolbox.com
Jan has been guest trainer and keynote speaker in conferences and institutes in the Netherlands, Europe, North America and Pakistan. In 2002 and 2007 he did a pilot study regarding the possibilities and results of imagery in the remote mountains of the Hindukush (Central Asia) with literate and illiterate people. In the tribal Pathan areas of Malakand Jan he has been involved in the development of special education for girls from the poorest families since 2002. He is secretary of the Foundation Girls Education Pakistan (Stichting Meisjesonderwijs Pakistan).
Free imagery tool: https://strengthen-yourself.imaginatie.nl/public/
Taal, J. (2021). Strengthen yourself in times of uncertainty or fear; online imagery tool.
Taal, J. (2019). The Three Stages of Imagery.
Taal, J. (2017). Course Book Imagery Toolbox 3.0.
Taal,J. & en Krop, J. (2003). Imagery in the treatment of trauma. In: Sheikh, A. A. (ed.) Healing Images. The Role of Imagination in Health. Imagery and Human Development Series. p. 396-407. Download
Read more on this topic:
Organiser Psychosynthesis Trust
Organiser of The Imagery Toolbox: Mobilising inner resources for coping with a crisis
The Psychosynthesis Trust is a leading training organisation in psychosynthesis, offering transformative learning experiences (personal development courses and professional training) and counselling to those who wish to learn more about themselves personally and/or explore their options professionally.
We are a small educational charity that has a rich 50- year history of enabling human potential in the UK. Our founders were pioneering leaders in education, psychology, science and spirituality and we continue to work at that nexus today. We’re proud of our heritage and draw on the wisdom of our founders and all those who have contributed to the organisation over the years.
The Trust has an intention of playing an important role in one of the most exciting times in history – helping people to finding meaning, purpose, wellbeing and a sense of place in an increasingly complex world. We believe that our work will help to enable an expanded sense of human consciousness in individuals and in society.
Our work is based on psychosynthesis – a transpersonal psychological model and approach that integrates the spiritual aspect of the human experience.