The Healing Heart: Storytelling to Build Strong and Healthy Communities (Families, 2) - Softcover

The Healing Heart provides powerful examples of the use of stories and storytelling in encouraging resiliency, empathy, respect, and healing. These engaging books contain stories, and narratives about the use of the stories in activities with different populations (children, teens, those with disabilities, seniors, inmates, etc.) or which address specific social or community problems (addictions, poverty, violence, racism, environmental degradation, homelessness, abuse). The books are a collective effort containing the expertise of over 60 storytellers and health professionals who illustrate the power of story in moving others to commitment and action, in building self-esteem and mutual respect. Included are folk tales, personal stories, articles, exercises, games, songs, and quotations, together with resource lists of stories, books and community agencies focused on similar themes. Essays include information on why storytelling works, approaches for sharing stories in various settings, how to encourage others to tell stories (involving the audience and creating a safe environment for others to storytell), and how to process the story through song, art, games, improvisational story plays, community projects, and discussion. 'The Healing Heart - Communities' focuses on community-building, with sections on youth, violence prevention, poverty, domestic violence, substance abuse and addiction, racism, elders, culture, environmental protection, homelessness, and community development.

Allison M Cox combines her background as a therapist, social worker, health educator and prevention specialist for the health department with 20 years experience as a storyteller, and is one of the founding board members of the Healing Story Alliance - part of the National Storytelling Network. David H Albert is a storyteller, writer, and Senior Planner and Policy Analyst with the Washington State Division of Alcohol and Substance Abuse, and a contributor to Spinning Tales, Weaving Hope (New Society, 2002). David Albert is a storyteller, writer, and Senior Planner and Policy Analyst with the Washington State Division of Alcohol and Substance Abuse, and a contributor to Spinning Tales, Weaving Hope (New Society, 2002).