Clay Conversations
'One of the most valuable things we can do to heal one another is listen to each other's stories.' - Rebecca Falls
What is Clay Conversations?
Clay Conversations is a way of working with another person and creating a safe place to talk and to be actively listened to.
The act of being able to simply make time to relax and have the freedom to talk, with no fixed agenda or judgement can be therapeutic in itself and support wellbeing.
Clay Conversations use the medium of Clay as a tool to support the act of talking and expressing oneself. Many individuals find that if they are doing something with their hands it is easier to talk and also listen.
Clay Conversations can be run as a 121 session or within a small group.
What can Clay Conversations help with?
Clay Conversations can help people in a wide range of ways:
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Helping people to connect with others
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Supporting decision making
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A way to relax and reflect
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Helps to support grief or loss
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Talking about anxieties and worries
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Can help to reduce stress levels
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Can help us to calm and reflect
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Support a form of self expression.
Why Clay?
Clay comes from nature and helps us feel connected to the earth and the world we live in. Many people talk about the feeling of being 'grounded' when they work with clay and the way in which it can engage with our senses at a deeper level.
Clay is malleable and forgiving in the way that forms can be continually shaped and reshaped. The texture can be changed quickly and simply, shapes can be formed using just the hands to touch it without the need for any tools or equipment.
What happens in a typical session?
A typical session will last for between 45 mins to 1 hour. But there are no rules and some group sessions may last a little longer.
The clay is provided as well as a small wooden board to work on.
You can sit however you feel most comfortable. Some people like to be at a table, others may like to work with the clay sitting on the floor. The choice is yours. The majority of the sessions tend to undirected, meaning that there is no instruction given on what you should or should not do with the clay. However, some people find it useful to have a direction or suggestion given to help them start the process of working with the clay. This is usually done in line with a theme.
The person running the session will just start to initiate a conversation with you, the direction of that conversation is in your control. You can talk as much or as little as you like. This is not a therapy or counselling session. The practitioner leading the session will not try to lead you or direct your thought process in any way. They are there to create the safe space for you to explore your thoughts using the clay.
At the end of the session, there may be a moment of reflecting back on any thoughts or points that have been particularly prominent for you. The practitioner will give you the opportunity to keep the clay you have been working with or give you the opportunity to dispose of it. Some participants find it useful to place the clay back into nature somewhere and allow the clay to be absorbed back into the earth from where it once came. Doing this can be a form of release for some people.
In the same way that this is not a therapy or counselling session, it is also not a clay lesson. Clay models can not be fired or glazed. Clay Conversations is a process.
Session prices are £40 an hour from a 121 session. Group sessions are priced depending upon the group size.
Contact Nurture Space today to find out more.