Item 1 - Story Share Worksheet
Item 1: "Story Share Worksheet"
Item 1: Part 1
Start an initial post by recording a video or audio of you sharing your story for 5 minutes about your recovery progress that offers hope and inspiration. Be sure not to discuss anything that might re-traumatize your partner as you do not yet know what they can handle being recently acquainted. Focus on the common elements and themes you feel many people experiencing a mental health, substance use, or a criminal challenge might have experienced. You can talk about your previous history of distress and your recovery journey as well as the progress you've made and any goals you might have decided upon at this point.
Item 1: Part 2
You will now reply to two students posts consisting of the following tasks:
Write down how you would incorporate each of the following into a response to the student who shares their story:
Place your answers in this exact order which is a great way to respond as the first ones listed have less of a chance of redirecting the conversation than the ones listed later (read more about this in the activity listed between Seminar 1 and Seminar 2 in your book):
There are two main methods you can use for this - the Standard method and the GOALS-FV method please choose one below:
Standard Method:
Validating Statement: Acknowledging the emotions and experiences of the speaker to affirm their feelings and perspectives.
Relating Statement: Sharing personal experiences or feelings to demonstrate empathy and understanding.
Reflective Statement: Repeating or paraphrasing what the speaker has said or acknowledging the emotions they have displayed to ensure comprehension and show attentiveness.
Summarizing: Condensing and reiterating the main points of the conversation to clarify understanding and highlight key takeaways.
Permission Question: Asking permission before probing into sensitive topics respects the individual's autonomy. Empowering them to choose whether to answer certain questions fosters trust and cooperation.
Open-Ended Question: Encouraging individuals to share more information through open-ended questions promotes deeper communication. Asking "why," "how," and "what" allows for more nuanced responses beyond simple yes or no answers.
GOALS-FV Method
If the story sharer mentions a goal, you can direct the conversation towards discussing the goal which might increase their commitment to achieving it. The process is as follows:
G - Student mentions goal
O- We use an open ended question to have them elaborate or look at the goal more closely. Questions starting with What, Why, and how might be especially useful.
AL - We will listen as they speak with little interruption. Don't write this part on your response.
S - Summarize what was said
F - Ask them a question that would help them focus their goal into achievable steps.
V - Validate their share by telling them specific ways in which you respect or acknowledge their efforts, Intentions, etc.