WE ARE BACK!
SO CONSIDER YOURSELF INVITED TO
JOIN OUR WORK
The Center for Narrative Studies is celebrating its 14th year of
work with a commitment to ramp up the activities of the Center to a
whole new level. Have a look at our new workshops for June and July
for instance.
The pioneering work of Kathie Hepler, Harry Riekelman and Paul
Costello way back in the mid 1990's continues to grow and bear fruit
through the energy of Madelyn Blair and other Golden Fleece
graduates of CNS who have now become leaders in the field of
narrative practice.
Back in 1995, we created the narrative processes known now as
Living Stories and Narrative Room. and every year, we have taught
these programs to budding narrative practitioners around the world,
and they continue to demonstrate their power to renew and change
organizations.
Previously, our international commitments with
WIP
seriously limited the number of CNS offerings. But after ten years,
and with the Northern Ireland Peace process being secured and
shifting increasingly into the hands of a new generation, including
many WIP alums, we have decided that it was time to get back to the
work of Storywise. There is a new urgency in this country for
change. People are hungry for ethical methods of renewal and
in search of stories that can build a more sustainable future. Ten
years of work at the crossroads of war and peace in Northern
Ireland have shown us that narrative method works to change a story,
and to change the future. America might do with some of that right
now!
Hence we believe our methods and approach are ready for a much
wider audience. So Madelyn and I invite you to be part of the
widening story of CNS and its work of helping more people
become storywise-"shaping the stories that shape us." If you are a
graduate of our programs, we would love to hear from you. Catch us
up on your story.
 IN
MEMORIAM
A SAD FAREWELL TO MICHAEL WHITE
Finally, we want to pay a special tribute to the work of Michael
White, a friend and mentor of CNS who died very tragically in early
April in San Diego. I had the privilege of studying with Michael way
back in 1990 and we remained friends ever since. Over the years, he
was always interested in where CNS was taking so many of the
narrative ideas that he pioneered.
He was always eager for an update on our Irish peace program.
In fact, he
hosted some of our Irish alums in 2003 in Liverpool UK, inviting
them to speak to an international conference of therapists and
social workers and offer a narrative seminar drawing from the lessons
of the program. (Something we are offering July 21-22)
I have been reading Michael's last and latest book, "Maps of
Narrative Practice" and I hear that remarkable voice of compassion
and creative intelligence as he shares some of the transcripts of
his work with clients. I think regardless of the power of his
method, the story of Michael White himself, is his greatest work.
His inspiration and ability to engage us in becoming new listeners
to our own story and challenging us to refuse to live inside a
problem story are the lessons of life that I owe to Michael and
though he is no longer with us in the flesh, his spirit abides.
I remember in Toronto, after a seminar, Michael asking me for
some ideas about spirituality because he was writing an article. It
was thrilling to read the final product and have Michael so
generously acknowledge that conversation. As he has taught us in his
"giving back practices", I would invite any others who have not had
a chance to acknowledge Michael to send us any stories to add to
this testimony, so we can keep his stories alive as a living
testament to his amazing life.
To all Michael's family and to all his colleagues
at the Dulwich Center and around the world, we offer our deep
sympathies and re-dedicate ourselves at CNS to continue to honor
Michael by keeping his legacy alive through our work.
Paul Costello-Founding Director CNS
June 2008
Washington DC
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