For many of us, anxiety sucks. It feels unpleasant, it’s uneasy, uncomfortable and sometimes scary. It comes in so many different forms and no two people will experience it in the same way. Sometimes, it comes in different forms, at different times, and in different situations, for …Read more
The research into the psychology of optimism is based on studies into a condition called ‘learned helplessness’. Psychologists and other researchers have discovered that people or animals show changes in behaviour when they decide they can do nothing to improve or change a situation they find themselves in. These changes include lowered …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
Self-care should be seen by practitioners and organisations alike as a fundamental part of human service work, and not just an optional add-on. People in the ‘helping’ professions—such as social workers, counsellors, teachers, carers, and health professionals—juggle many potential challenges everyday including high workloads, …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
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
If you are a youth worker, counsellor, mentor, teacher, chaplain or welfare coordinator in a school, chances are you’ve come across the Reflexions cards somewhere along the line. You may even have a set kicking around in your tool bag of resources. A new …Read more
Becoming an independent individual is a complex and sometimes difficult journey. Who am I? What am I feeling? What is important to me? What choices and changes do I want? Where am I at and where am I heading? Reflexions can help young people …Read more
Christmas/New Year means precious ‘time out’ for many people. Whether or not these occasions are part of your religious or cultural traditions, the golden combination of summer and public holidays means that many Australians will be heading for the beach, the bush or the …Read more
Sometimes, when you’re feeling stuck, the best thing to do is to get really simple. It may be time to park the big goals, the grand plans, and the long timeframes for now, and come down to simple, practical steps you can take now, …Read more
‘A metaphor is a figure of speech that describes an object or action in a way that isn’t literally true, but helps explain an idea or make a comparison.’ (https://www.grammarly.com/blog/metaphor/) Once upon a time, in a land far away (to use a metaphor to …Read more
Every step we take follows another. Every step we take precedes another. The smallest shifts—doing some dishes, putting something away, stopping something, starting something, taking a shower—can all be significant events on a continuum of ‘next steps’, representing our unique pathways through life. ‘A …Read more
All of the tools published by Innovative Resources have grown out of, or are compatible with, strengths-based practice. Also known as the ‘strengths approach’, this is a way of working that focusses primarily on strengths and hopeful possibilities. It does not ignore difficulties or challenges but the …Read more
In 1990 James Pennebaker from the United States of America conducted some of the earliest and most significant research into the use of journalling as a therapeutic tool. He found that for journalling to have physical and emotional health benefits, people needed to not …Read more
Potential is commonly though of as one’s capacity for achievement. We’ve all heard talk of rising stars in the sporting arena; their limitless talent and ‘huge potential’ paving the way to unprecedented success. Note to Self invites us to think of potential more broadly …Read more
Some situations can be particularly strong triggers for anxious thoughts and feelings in children such as on the way to kinder or school and when the parent leaves (separation anxiety) or when a routine is interrupted (such as a change of teacher), or …Read more
How easily we can forget that each person’s world is unique and even in the closest of relationships there will be differences in perspective, taste, reactions and desires. This is especially so within the world of home. Parents, partners and children can forget that …Read more
Babies may cry, smile, cling, protest their carer’s departure, greet their carer, be frightened, explore, be curious, play and demonstrate many more behaviours. Many of these behaviours change as babies and toddlers develop; until eight weeks of age, a baby will cry as a …Read more
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