Wounded Storyteller

"The more you know about another's story,

the less fearsome and more human that person becomes.

It's equally true that the better we understand our own stories,

the more human we become."

Parker Palmer

Serving families involved with Children Protective Services and the Juvenile Court System is challenging.  Education in Sociology and Psychology assists in understanding structures, boundaries, and consequences.  It is helpful to have a way with the written word to represent the actions of a family for the reports presented to the court.  Then it is important to have the verbal ability to explain legal jargon to the struggling family.

In preparation for serving a family, there are court reports and social histories. Developing a successful working relationship with a family, a person needs to both comprehend and set information aside, in order to begin where the family perceives themselves to be.   Professional perception of the problem is mandatory, but walking in their shoes advances understanding.

Resistance is met when authority talks down and minimizes resources with an abundance of judgment.  The words to serve indicate a flexibility in responses to offer encouragement, recognition, and elevation of existing status.  Each family is different, experiencing a history unique onto themselves.  It is through these stories that light can be shed upon the darkness of a wounded storyteller by simply saying, "I see you."