WORKING WITH EMOTIONS AND FEELINGS IN COUNSELLING AND THERAPY: A SYSTEMIC APPROACH

People seek help when they want to make sense of their own feelings or those of others, when they are feeling too much or too little, when they cannot show what they feel, when they want to change how they feel.

In this workshop, Glenda Fredman approaches emotion as the stories people weave of physical sensation, display and judgements through the multi-layered contexts of their relationships and cultures.

Within a framework informed by communication theories, social constructionism, and systemic and narrative therapies, she will offer a repertoire of possibilities to talk about feelings, share understanding and transform emotion.

Participants will be invited to explore a range of theories about emotions and feelings and through role-play and small group exercises will have the opportunity to practice techniques for helping people make sense of emotions and communicate with feelings. Examples of practice with individuals, couples and families, including children and adults, will be used to illustrate working with emotions in challenging situations. 

Glenda Fredman is a clinical psychologist and systemic psychotherapist. She has worked with children, adults and elders, their families and staff teams in hospitals and community settings. She is currently consultant clinical psychologist in systemic psychotherapy in the Health Service and freelance trainer and consultant. Glenda is author of 'Death Talk: Conversations with Children and Families' (Karnac) and ‘Transforming Emotion: Conversations in Counselling and Psychotherapy’ (Whurr)