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A Request for Stories, Articles and Exercises
We are gathering material for a book on Storytelling as a Healing Art in Europe (a working title) through mail and personal interviews. I, Allison Cox, am a storyteller, writer, health professional and co-editor of The Healing Heart Books, (Read Reviews) which contain the work of 66 storytellers from 5 countries (New Society Publishers, 2002, Canada). I will meet with storytellers while I am presenting at the International Symposium of Storytelling as a Healing Art in Jarna, Sweden from July 11-17, 2005 and while traveling through Europe for four more weeks. 
David H. Albert, my co-editor for The Healing Heart Books, will join me in the final editing and will facilitate contracting with a publisher. We are planning to publish in both Europe and the US. As editors, David and I believe we can bring much to this project. I, Allison Cox, combine my background as a therapist, social worker, health educator, and prevention specialist for the health department with 23 years experience as a storyteller. I am one of the founding board members of the Healing Story Alliance, a Special Interest Group of the National Storytelling Network, as well as past editor of their journals. (For more information about my writing, editing and storytelling work, see the rest of this web site). David Albert is a storyteller, author of several published books on education, environmental concerns and social justice, 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 Publishers, 2002, Canada). David has an extensive background in editing, publishing, and marketing books. This book will begin a series featuring storytelling as a healing art around the world. We recognize that storytelling is not easily captured in a written format and will strive to keep the spirit of the spoken word intact. We believe that important work in applied storytelling is being accomplished in Europe and we want to highlight these efforts and expand the worldwide understanding of the many aspects of storytelling. Also, we have a deep and abiding love of story for it's own sake, beyond any purpose that we put to it, so naturally, we want to hear and share more stories! Most important of all are the stories. While we are especially interested in stories originating in Europe, we welcome all story submissions. Index:
Why Describe Storytelling as a Healing Art? The origin of the word, healing comes from the Anglo-Saxon hal meaning health and wholeness. My friend Gail Rosen, founder of the Healing Story Alliance, speaks of storytelling as supporting an inner healing process; the natural human tendency toward becoming whole - physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Diverse cultures recognize storytelling as a medium for sharing important information about living as an individual and feeling connected to your family, the community, the environment and the divine. At the local health department, we have utilized storytelling methods for assessment, education, intervention, evaluation and community building. Our goal in public health is to encourage individuals and communities to move along the continuum towards healthier lifestyles. In this book, we are interested in hearing from storytellers who hold this as one of the goals of their storytelling work - that storytelling can encourage healthier lives. We want to know how you structure your storytelling projects toward these outcomes and what are the results? How do you track your progress? What steps are taken to ensure a positive outcome? What worked, what didn't and what has surprised you? Along with utilizing story in medical and therapeutic applications, we are also hoping to hear from those of you engaged in storytelling work in education, at hospice, for environmental and social justice advocacy, with community development projects and so on. Or perhaps you tell a story that resonates with specific themes outlined in the submissions suggestions on this page. Click Here for more information on Submission Suggestions We wish to include a broad scope of subjects in the discussion of storytelling as a healing art. We are seeking stories (folktales, legends, myth, personal stories, etc.) and articles describing the use of the storytelling in activities with diverse groups (children, teens, those with disabilities, seniors, refugees, inmates, etc.) or which address specific social or community problems (i.e. addictions, poverty, violence, racism, environmental degradation, homelessness, grief). We would appreciate learning about experiences that illustrate the power of story in moving others to commitment and action, in building self-esteem and mutual respect, and in encouraging social justice and environmental awareness. In addition to stories and descriptions of your storytelling projects, we hope to also gather exercises, games and songs that you may use to process the tales. We do not require that one person submit all these aspects, we can join one person's story with another's article or exercise on the same topic. Summaries of data collection and analyses undertaken to assess the results of your efforts are welcome. We hope to include a bibliography of recommended European books and specific tales you share in this work. Also of interest are any historical European locations or traditions where story was used for healing purposes, or quotations from people and stories. Most important of all are the stories, especially stories originating in Europe. Submissions of stories, articles, exercises, etc., should be sent to this same e-mail address Allison@dancingleaves.com with the subject title: Storytelling as a Healing Art. Please paste your submission into body of e-mail and, if possible, also attach the submission as a Word document. I will respond upon receiving your e-mail. If you do not have e-mail and are mailing a hard copy, please include a self-addressed envelope for my reply. Include the following in all submissions:
I recommend that you write first to let us know that you are interested and describe the focus of your intended submission. Please keep all submissions and communications in English. If you are working with a translator, we ask you make arrangements for the translator to handle communications for this project as well. Suggested ranges of lengths for submissions are:
These are not hard and fast limitations, just recommendations based on our previous books. Interviews If you are attending the Symposium or live in the UK or Ireland and are interested in being interviewed this summer, please contact Allison at the e-mail address below. A written interview questions is now available on this site for those who cannot meet with us in person. An interview is not required, it just helps round out what we hope to learn from those submitting to this book.
Publishing Information In our previous books, we were able to negotiate with our publisher to offer a small honorarium to each contributor and a substantial discount on copies of the published volume so storytellers can sell the books containing their work for profit at festivals, conferences, on their web sites, etc. We will strive to do the same with this book. The storyteller/author will retain ownership of all their material and we will consider material that has already been published as long as you still own the rights. We plan to publish in both Europe and the US and are not committed to specific publishers at this time. Please Share This Information With Other Storytellers We appreciate you sharing this request with other storytellers engaged in healing through story and storytellers who might be interested in submitting specific materials with this focus. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact Allison Cox Looking forward to hearing from you, Allison M. Cox
PS - Come join us at the International Symposium of Storytelling
As A Healing Art in Jarna, Sweden, 11th - 17th of July
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Allison Cox • (206) 463-3844 • 25714 Wax Orchard Rd • Vashon, WA • 98070 • Email Allison
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