Pilot Activity Re: The “Artist Within” 3rd Training “YOUR INNER CLOWN, HUMOUR STRATEGIES AND OTHER COMPETENCES” Leipzig, Germany
Reflections on the 3rd Training in Lepzig, “The Clown Within” October 3-11, 2015 Evelyna Spasova, ARM-BG volunteer After Leipzig, I got a real confirmation and therefore a conviction that the method of working with people through bringing out your Inner Clown is, among other things, a wonderful therapeutic technique. During the training, passing through the various exercises and techniques, I was repeatedly tempted to change the fundamental emotion that accompanied My Clown. I went through fears: should I show to everyone the inner sadness that would right away demonstrate my vulnerability? I was happily surprised to discover that the group not only did not detest my showing that feeling, but even liked it, being entertained and empathizing with it. After Leipzig, I have plans of how to develop what I took out from the training – personally and work-wise. For my further work, especially with the adolescents from the Rakitovo Reform school, I intend to develop and implement different humor strategies’ exercises. Some of them where already tried out during our Pilot activities of earlier in November 2015. I also hope that jointly with the ARM-BG team, I will be able to deliver what I have learned in Leipzig to the teachers from that Boarding school and the teachers from some other schools in the Rhodopa mountains’ region. We were encouraged in doing that by the Rakitivo “Reform school” teachers, who have already shown their interest in the “Artist Within” training methodology and techniques. Personally, I am constantly looking around for my Clownish "emergency" nose :) Thank you so much for that wonderful coping strategy acquisition! Evelina Spassova Sofia, November 30, 2015, Copyright Recipients are free to use all or parts of this document for personal use however are requested to inform the author. Recipients are requested to acknowledge The artist within – Applied eMOTION
consortium and the author in any reference to the content of this document. In the event of any further queries please consult the author.
Acknowledgements
This project was possible with the financial support from the Erasmus+ program. The methodological resources and inspiration came from the The artist within – Applied eMOTION long-term adult education project (www.theartistwithin.eu). The generosity from the fund and these organisations is much appreciated.