Elisabet Wollsén: LIFE STAGING® – Using Group Sculpting for Creative Supervision and Group Work 27.-28.4.2023 Helsinki

LIFE STAGING® – Using Group Sculpting for Creative Supervision and Group Work – An alternative to common ways of doing supervision, counseling, coaching, group and organizational work.

When the words don’t get in the way, what’s there to see, hear and feel (do)?

The approach and thinking is inspired by narrative, systemic and artistic philosophy and practice and offers a creative way in working with groups, in supervision, personal development, as an educational method and in working in organizations.

Essentially, it involves through some simple instructions sculpting and creating three- dimensional ‘pictures’ with the help of group participants around something a participant wants to look at more closely. Without the participant giving any verbal information initially the focus on seeing and on the relational interaction in the “here- and-now” thus come to the fore.

Since no prior information is given (other than the silent sculpture/image of the “stager”), participants are forced to focus on the personal experiences, feelings and activities that arise, are co-created and coordinated between the participants in the moment. An information provided from within the participants’ own bodies and from outside in the relational system that emerges through their movements and non-verbal language.

This movement from the established image/perception leads during the process to a richer, more dynamic and multidimensional image/story. Might it be an objection, addition, perhaps a suggestion to go further by confirming something that may have already been anticipated but not yet seen? Usually it also clarifies the prejudices we often refer to as “reality”.

The process of improvising together from a more intuitive and embodied presence allows the knowledge, experience, prejudices and values of all to be continually challenged and re-evaluated, deepened and brought to life. An emotional and intellectual transformation and an expanded “seeing” emerges where new information is made visible, new meaning can be created and formulated for both those participating in the image/constellation and those who observe. All in a very dignified context with lots of humor!

Everyone participating in these processes is guaranteed to become more courageous, “colorful” and grounded, will get closer to their own important values and be able to develop their own (previously often dormant?) “Artistry”. Leading to more curiosity and creativity, secure connection and reduced polarization in the work group.

More profound professional development is also more likely to occur through participation in experiential approaches where we focus on both the intellect and the body. Where there is no way to do or be either right or wrong. Just to be…

As a parallel process, it is hoped that participation in the approach will help to transfer a similar trust, creativity and confidence to all other professional encounters. The ability

to continuously feel what it might be like to “walk in the other person’s shoes” will likely not only make us more adept at reading the situations we encounter, but also make us more empathetic and thereby know more “what we have to do/be there “.

The workshop includes lectures, exercises and work with own material.