Talk to Teens statement
TALK TO TEENS
The unique Talk to Teens program offers practical tools and resources based on the Ancient wisdom of storytelling to deliver important information to teens and preteens. Designed for any parent, teacher or counsellor who wants to instantly improve communication with Teens and Preteens, this multicultural program has been proven to help with problems of anxiety, teenage depression, self-harming and addictions. Ancient knowledge delivered in modern ways and using real-world examples, it teaches teens and preteens how to manage situations and steer them to successful outcomes through ancient, modern and multicultural stories and images as part of Story Image Therapy (SIT)™.
Hi I’m Toula and Why Stories and Images? part
HELLO, I’M TOULA GORDILLO.
I’m a clinical psychologist and Mum to 3 great teenagers! When it comes to counselling and parenting teens, there is no easy recipe. However, this program, Talk to Teens through Stories and Images, is a proven simple and effective way to engage with teenagers and enable them to really hear important messages.
WHY STORIES AND IMAGES?
When my own young teenagers were facing important issues, the usual parental advice didn’t seem to help. Teens don’t want lectures, they don’t readily listen to advice - they are too busy asserting their own independence and ability.
The counsellor in me sought inspiration from my career and life experiences about how I might guide my teens differently. It occurred to me that many cultures across the ages have handed down wisdom and lessons through stories and fables to describe the natural world and their place in the world. And like all of us, Teens like stories.
So, Talk to Teens evolved out of a desire to help my own teenage children with their problems. Sitting around the campfire on a family holiday in April 2013, I juggled a cup of coffee and started writing stories on my trusty laptop.
I wrote each child a story containing important messages that I wanted them to learn and remember. Each story contained something that my children could connect to – talking animals in the present day, to dragons, vampires and paladins from ancient history.
I selected something my children were familiar with, could connect to and identify with, and then wrote a story about it. In total, I wrote five stories on the camping trip, which I later used with my students and clients in schools and private practice.
I received excellent successes and feedback through this means of working with teenagers, and so decided to write more stories and publish a book so that others could benefit too. Then came another book, handouts, pamphlets posters and packages! The Talk to Teens Series™ of books, audio-books, handouts, pamphlets, newsletters etc. was born.
The Talk to Teens Series™ is based on one particular ancient story – an Aesop’s Fable – called The Frog and The Scorpion. This Fable was written approximately 3000 years ago and I have adapted it to help explain human behaviour, and their own behaviour, to our children and youth and the adults caring for them.
I have also developed Story Image Therapy™, a therapeutic and information delivery method, based on a variety of ancient and modern multicultural stories and images to reframe psychological, social/cultural, historical and other educational information to help individuals of all ages to flourish.
MY STORY
My career and life experiences around indigenous and other cultures provided the inspiration for Talk to Teens, and how to help teens using ancient cultural stories and images. I grew up in Katherine in the Northern Territory.
I attended Katherine State High School, a predominantly Aboriginal school, and several of my friends came from Indigenous backgrounds. I was classified a non-Indigenous student, however, despite my ‘Bostock’ maiden name and the existence of a very large family of Indigenous ‘Bostocks’ throughout the NT. The Indigenous Bostocks are artists, musicians and healers … much like my own family.
When I was a teen, my mother was an Aboriginal Youth Officer for the former Commonwealth Employment Service. She was responsible for introducing traineeships to Indigenous youth in the Northern Territory. I regularly accompanied her on visits to rural and remote Aboriginal communities such as Borroloola, Beswick, Barunga, and as far as Bamaga and Cape York. My father, a natural healer, used ‘bush tucker’ and other natural therapies to help heal the sick and still does today.
As a young adult I worked as a domestic on Killarney Station, a cattle property, and lived amongst the traditional Aboriginal community. I visited sacred sites and developed an interest in the Indigenous culture.
As an adult, I visited and counselled numerous Indigenous individuals from Townsville/Palm Island, Cherbourg and other Gubbi Gubbi (Kabi Kabi) people of Sunshine Coast, Moreton Bay and Burnett Mary Regions.
I feel a strong affinity with the Indigenous culture. Indeed, I feel a strong connection to all cultures in which stories and images are a significant part of their oral and written storytelling traditions.
I believe we can all learn a great deal from the various cultures around the world that regularly use stories and images to connect with earth, spirit and community. Connections are the way to remain balanced and stay grounded, and connections are what is often lacking in our Western world.
HELPING TEENS TO FIND 'THE BALANCE'
For more than 20 years I have counselled thousands of children, youth and adults in my roles as teacher, guidance officer, psychologist and clinical psychologist. In each of these roles I have witnessed individuals who are ‘out of balance’.
I have regularly observed that connection to family and friends, spirit, land and nature is the key to helping all of us to find ‘The Balance’ in order to live more flourishing lives. I am convinced that a lack of these connections is responsible for a large number of the mental health and behavioural problems of our youth today.
To help our children, youth and adults find their connection to self, to find ‘The Balance’, I believe we need to refer to ancient wisdom. The wisdom of the Ancients – delivered through stories and images – can provide the tools and insight we need to overcome our problems in today’s world.
Ancient wisdom and knowledge is just as relevant as it was thousands of years ago. What’s more, ancient knowledge has helped us to form our cultural roots, to know who we are and our place in the world for thousands of years. Sadly, much of our historical knowledge and wisdom has been forgotten as we become more and more out of balance – to our peril.
With the advent of today’s technology infused world, many of our young people have lost their sense of self. That is not to say that all technology is harmful. Technology can actually be used to preserve ancient wisdom – through the development of digital stories and images. Many of our youth, however, have become out of balance through misuse or overuse of technology and unlike the Ancients, many of the adults of today don’t understand the power of stories to influence and change behaviour.
Ancient, as well as modern day stories can help all of us to reframe our problems, to reduce or eliminate mental health issues, to help regain balance.
help your child in 3 easy steps
Help Your Child in 3 Easy Steps
Teenager and Child Resources to help with problems of anxiety, teenage depression, self harming and addictions, this website is an invaluable tool for anyone needing to talk to their Teens and Preteens, giving practical examples of how to manage situations and steer them to a successful outcome using stories and images as part of Story Image Therapy (SIT)™.
There is no quick fix for these issues and problems, however with the wealth of experience I have in this field, my books and other downloadable resources will help any parent, teacher or counsellor instantly.
Help your child in three easy steps:
1. Focus on the identification process:
Does your child act like:
a) 'General Frog'
b) 'Fearful Frog'
c) 'General Scorpion' or
d) 'Stinging Scorpion' ?
A.W.O.L– Adolescents Without Limits (Stinging Scorpion)
A.N.O.L– Adolescents with Narrow/Negative Opinions in Life (Fearful Frog)
Scorpions may have no limits to their behaviour. AWOL Scorpions do not care enough and often engage in substance abuse, self-harm, bullying, addictions etc.
Frogs may have narrow or negative opinions about how the world “should” be. ANOL frogs care too much and often develop anxiety, depression, self-esteem problems, burnout etc.
2. Find an appropriate story/image to help with the problem and the most appropriate method of delivery i.e, oral, written (including pictures/diagrams) or digital.
3. Have a talk to your teen and/or preteen, using the appropriate stories and images to help them to:
- Adjust their attitude
- Become more positive
- Cope with any stressful situation
- Develop EFFECTIVE problem solving skills.
3 books
A.W.O.L. OR A.N.O.L
Dump the Downtimes
Coming very Soon
Soundcloud
Disclaimer
“Please note that the Talk to Teens Series™ does not endorse or promote military or Freudian concepts, nor is it designed to offend any particular star signs, cultural or religious groups. References made to animals or similar concepts are designed to illustrate a point only. We apologise in advance if any individuals find the content of the series offensive or disrespectful”.
Acknowledgement
TOULA GORDILLO
INTRODUCTION to STORY IMAGE THERAPY (SIT) TM
Ancient and Modern Multicultural Stories and Images
