Maybe not in the wilds of nature. But in the wild world of our feelings many unexpected things can go together. Look inside on any typical day and you may notice a swirling mix of emotions and body signals. The limitations of language mean …Read more
Picture this: You are in a room with your extended family. It might be a celebratory lunch, a special birthday, Christmas dinner, or some other festive occasion. And yet, it is not quite as exhilarating, and definitely not like it ‘used’ to be. The …Read more
The original purpose of developing POSTCARDS From Me to You was to provide residential care workers, carers, youth workers and young people with a simple, fun and meaningful way of communicating with each other. With a postcard they can send a message that can …Read more
In our work, regardless of the industry, we often find ourselves being pulled one way and another … both at the same time. How do we look after ourselves so that we don’t ‘snap’ in half? Maybe it’s about balance. Whilst looking through the …Read more
Family violence is a serious yet often hidden crime. It is a fundamental violation of human rights and is unacceptable in any form, any community, or any culture. Led by the efforts of specialist services and people, primarily women, speaking out courageously about their …Read more
‘While our so-called “panic hormones” are part of our self-defence mechanism and are therefore to be celebrated, a few skills to “unpanic ourselves” and decompress are also crucial to have in our bag of tricks.’ When you think of a meerkat, what image comes …Read more
Talking about feelings, relationships or difficult experiences can be very uncomfortable for people. A cascade of stress hormones can be released by our brain when these topics are raised, especially if trauma is present. Have you noticed that our hands are often clear indicators …Read more
At this time of year we are often asked, ‘What is your New Year’s resolution?’ And, you know, that can often make us think that we have to change something, or that we need to ‘fix’ something about ourselves. I have chosen to believe …Read more
For many people, Christmas is a time of family and fun. For others, it is a time of loneliness and loss. Do you ever think that everyone except you will be part of a rosy family group gathering around a perfectly basted turkey on …Read more
You’ve probably heard of fight, flight or freeze—the brain’s primal response to threat that floods our system with a cocktail of chemicals to help us react and keep safe. More recently ‘flop’ and ‘be-friend’ have been added to this list. Now, that’s a tidy …Read more
Our body signals are the gateway to recognising, interpreting and managing our feelings. That is why Body Intelligence (BQ) is such a fundamental aspect of developing Emotional Intelligence (EQ). There are times when each of us, no matter how skilled we may be, has …Read more
Our body communicates its wisdom to us long before our conscious mind can get a word in. That’s why body signals are sometimes called our ‘early warning signs’, and they are an important key to staying safe, and building social and emotional wellbeing. How …Read more
The stories of how people use materials developed by St Luke’s Innovative Resources never fail to inspire us with their practice wisdom. Recently, we received the following stories about using Shadows and Deeper Shadows in family violence situations: From Lili ‘I like Shadows and …Read more
At Innovative Resources we never tire of hearing about new and creative ways that Picture This is used. Why is it so useful, and so popular? Possibly because of the large number and variety of photos within the set, or maybe because there is …Read more
Scaling is a simple, highly visual and easily understood way of measuring and evaluating anything. Look around and you will see scaling being used in countless ways every day. A wall of a hospital might show a big temperature gauge to measure how fundraising …Read more
Have you ever said sorry to someone, and yet you know they have not experienced your apology as authentic? Somehow your sincere apology did not land. This may be more likely to happen when the offence is perceived as a grave one. But it …Read more
In this complex and uncertain world there is nothing more certain than the challenges of parenting. Long has it been remarked that this fundamental role in society is undertaken without the training, supports and qualifications required for much less demanding activities. However, as the …Read more
When conversations turn to tricky subjects, our hands are often clear indicators of discomfort. Whether it is hands thrust deep into pockets in defiance, or nervously rearranging hair, or biting fingernails, or any other kind of flicking, tapping, picking or squeezing we may be …Read more
Only under certain circumstances does Innovative Resources permit the reproduction of images from our card sets like those displayed in the picture book, Smarty Pants, Kitty or Tiger? Nicole Rotaru from McAuley Community Services for Women approached us and explained the amazing work …Read more
In Play Together Learn Together, an ebook launched at Broadmeadows Women’s Community House late last month, author Genine Clements writes passionately about the primary importance of play. ‘It is widely understood from decades of research and academia that a child learns through play,’ …Read more
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