​Storytelling with photocards: a significant way to strengthen our relationships

​As a wellbeing group facilitator, for a while, whenever I look at this photo, I struggled to come up with an activity idea that is new, creative and unique for a group in the category of relationships and emotions. 

​Until my cousin visited me with her photocards as a little gift. Her works are not only just so pretty and colorful, it feels to me like they are also communicating something to me. So naturally, I asked her questions about the photos and time just passed without us noticing. We were taking turn to tell stories, ask questions and exchange knowledge. 
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As a result of her visit and our conversation, an idea was born. I said to myself "I'm going to use these photocards to start conversations with others". Because I realized that we either venture into our memory or to our creative pool to make meaning for what we see in the photocard. 

So on the 20th of October, at the beautiful cultural center in Helsinki Lapinladenlähde and in collaboration with MieliWithoutBorder, I organized my first story telling workshop with the my cousin's photocards as a catalyst for the participants to tap into their story telling self. 

I still remember the photo album in my house. I think it's my mom greatest possession and I also want to keep it with us for eternity. I still remember the time we sat down together and went through one after another photo. We told stories and we felt every each emotions that the photo carried. We didn't judge or asked why we felt so because the photos created a safe space for us to feel so. 

Still, I didn't have much expectation for my workshop because the participants were not my family and yet I was surprised at how it turned out. And so this short video is my conclusion for this post. I hope to see you in my next workshop 
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MinhTr