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This unique approach encourages children to get in touch with their inner wisdom and to grow their self-awareness. This process combines Linda’s original stories, plus relaxation and imagery, to short pieces of classical music.
Linda says, "It is exciting to see children discover something
new about themselves that can help them both in school and daily
life. The response of the children has been very positive, and I
realize how much our children need and benefit from quiet, reflective
times."
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How did the Stories, Music and Imagery process
develop?
How does the Stories, Music and Imagery process
help children?
What is the teaching process?
What if my child can’t get quiet enough to
listen to the music?
Will this process help my child reduce stress?
What if the child can’t get in touch
with their imagination?
What if my child is a daydreamer?
HOW DID THE STORIES, MUSIC AND IMAGERY
PROCESS DEVELOP?
Through my years of teaching, I realized that many children
were struggling with realizing their self-worth. I searched for
a way to motivate these children to have a more constructive and
self-confident view of themselves. I wrote stories to guide children
to discover and honor who they are, and to teach them to use positive
self-talk.
The stories deal with events, feelings, and concerns children face
in their daily lives. They can identify with the children in the
stories, who discover ways to deal with conflicts and challenges
in a positive way. These stories teach by example. The music and
imagery process encourages children to envision personal interaction
with, and possibilities for, a similar challenge in their lives.
I combined the stories with relaxation and imagery to encourage
the children to
explore their imagination, creativity, and self-awareness.
This process gives children a safe place to discover who they are
under gentle adult guidance. In this place, the children can grow
self-awareness and personal empowerment.
These stories and this process can be used by teachers in public
and private schools, parents, adults working with children in individual
and group settings, therapists and counselors of children with special
needs, directors of character education programs, and facilitators
in community centers and after-school programs.
In the Stories, Music and Imagery series, you will find
original stories, a CD of classical musical selections correlated
to each story, and a guide for using this material with children.
HOW
DOES THE STORIES, MUSIC AND IMAGERY PROCESS HELP CHILDREN?
Children will benefit in the following ways:
• Experience Inner Awareness.
• Build Self-Esteem.
• Expand Creativity.
• Develop Personal Solutions.
• Learn Through Metaphors.
• Explore Character Education Traits.
• Access Emotions.
WHAT IS THE PROCESS?
1. Read the story.
2. Help the children relax, quiet their bodies, and close their
eyes or stare softly.
3. Read the directions to the children. (Each set of directions
encourages the children to relate to the meaning of that particular
story during the music.)
4. Play the music for the story on the CD.
5. Gently invite the children to remember their experience.
6. Ask the children to describe their experience through writing,
drawing, or verbal sharing.
In sharing this process with children, I have seen their smiles
as they respond with comments such as, “That’s neat!”
“That was fun!” “Let’s do that again.”
I have seen children discover and use their imagination in new ways
as they explore a new idea or awareness and find ways to make positive
changes in their lives. I am constantly amazed by the wisdom of
our children.
WHAT
IF MY CHILD CAN’T GET QUIET ENOUGH TO LISTEN TO THE MUSIC?
Relaxation is a skill that can be learned and will serve your child
well throughout life. Stories, Music and Imagery offers
several effective relaxation techniques. Each time a child practices
the techniques of relaxation, it can become easier. Children can
learn to be quiet and listen deeply.
WILL
THIS PROCESS HELP MY CHILD REDUCE STRESS?
This process is very effective in stress reduction. The children
will learn to relax their muscles and their whole physical body.
They will also learn to quiet their minds. When their minds are
quiet and freer from worry, they can look at challenging situations
from a different perspective. In this way, children can also find
creative solutions to the situations that are causing them stress.
WHAT
IF MY CHILD CAN’T GET IN TOUCH WITH THEIR IMAGINATION?
Time and experience may be needed for some children to discover
their imagination. Some children spend many hours staring at TV,
movies, computer games, and commercial advertising. These passive
experiences are different from the creative experience of discovering
the power of one’s own imagery. Listening to a story, imagining
the looks of the characters, and then experiencing one’s own
imagery stimulates the creative facilities of the child. An artist
imagines a picture that will be painted on blank canvas; an architect
has an inner vision of what a finished building will look like before
drawing blueprints. A child can also develop skills of imagination
so that what is conceived in inner images and experiences can then
be brought into outer form on the screen of life. This is a learned
life skill that prepares the child for success.
WHAT
IF MY CHILD IS A DAYDREAMER?
The story, music and imagery process teaches children to set boundaries
around the imaginal world, and learn how to focus attention more
effectively in daily life. The process gives the child tools to
apply inner awareness to daily life. These abilities will assist
the child in harnessing creative ideas for practical application.
Learning to access both inner and outer experience empowers the
child.
Click here to order the first book in the series: Stories, Music
and Imagery