In Conversation With Valerie Gillies
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What is the focus of the conversation with Valerie Gillies?
Well hello everybody and welcome to a special edition of our Scottish Poetry Library podcast. My name is Sam Tung and I'm the project coordinator at the Scottish Poetry Library. And I'm delighted to say that I've got two guests with me today. We've got Valerie Gillis and we've got Sukima, who we're co-collaborating with Lapidus Scotland for this podcast. And one of the main focuses that we're going to talk about is facilitating words for well-being and how poetry can help with generating a sense of well-being and relaxation, but also exploring some difficult topics as well.
How does poetry contribute to well-being?
So we're going to be interviewing Valerie in the main, Valerie Gillis, and by way of an introduction and also by way of getting insight into some of the techniques that people use in wellbeing workshops, we're going to ask her to describe herself in six words for the benefit of the listener.
Macker. Positive. Kind. Life lover.
dowser granny that's the range there's a lot of range in that there's a lot there's a whole biography in there um you were saying before we started recording it that it's quite a hard task it's on paper it looks like quite a simple task to describe yourself in six words but actually you were saying it's quite difficult i think i felt it was hard if you're basically a humble person Yeah, that idea of trying to sum yourself up in six words. But when you're facilitating a Words for Wellbeing workshop, why do you think that's a good technique? Why is that a kind of go-to technique for getting people into the room?
You mean the six words?
Yes.
Well, it must be good because Ted suggested it. And Ted is something... I learned from Ted Bowman to try that six-word prompt. It really makes people think, and it's difficult the first time round, if they're in the group and they're thinking, what can I say about myself? That's...
What techniques are effective in Words for Wellbeing workshops?
Yes, gets past one or two of the early bumps in the road that you can be going by.
So it seems to serve the purpose of being an icebreaker, but also actually getting those creative juices flowing quite quickly as well to...
Yes, and then you've got to live up to it for the rest of the time.
So you've set the bar, and then you've got to live up to how you've described yourself.
That's it. You've got to jump.
So when you are doing these kinds of sessions, and Larry, at any point you want to step in and draw out some of the ideas as well, because you've been working for Lapidus Scotland for a long, long time, and I know both of you have been working together on... on words for well-being and integrating that with the Scottish Poetry Library in the past as well. What is it about poetry and creative work that tees itself up to be such a useful way of writing for well-being?
Well I remember many years ago listening to Scottish writer on a platform saying, poetry is a far too delicate a flower to be taking into these areas. And I had such a feeling of revolution must take place you know that's not how it is another quote would be the one that I work by which would be Seamus Heaney has used this and other poets in the past poetry is strong enough to help poetry is strong enough to help yeah and it's not again it's not a kind of frail frail flower at all I think that's a romantic hangover
And when you say, yeah, it's a wonderful quote from Seamus Heaney as well, but strong enough to help, in what kind of ways, what emotions and levels of response does it bring up?
I think when you feel that it's impossible to work with a group or with a situation, if you remember that poetry will help, then you just need to find the right poem to begin with.
Trying to find a poem that speaks to the situation that people are dealing with.
I brought an example in, not of my own poetry, but a poem by Charles Cosley. I remember starting up with a group who had just been admitted to psychiatric hospital. I wasn't sure, they were such a varied group of people, I wasn't sure what they would like or what they would... feel any resonance, you know, for themselves.
How does Valerie Gillies use poetry in therapeutic settings?
And I went for Charles Cosley because his ear is so good for poetry and for rhyme and things that can chime with people.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What is the focus of the conversation with Valerie Gillies?
0:17–0:57
2
How does poetry contribute to well-being?
0:57–2:33
3
What techniques are effective in Words for Wellbeing workshops?
2:33–5:15
4
How does Valerie Gillies use poetry in therapeutic settings?
5:15–7:12
5
What role does creative expression play in overcoming challenges?
7:12–8:42
6
How are different art forms integrated into poetry workshops?
8:42–11:26
7
What are the benefits of collaboration in facilitation?
11:26–13:21
8
How can someone start facilitating Words for Wellbeing workshops?
13:21–56:06