Mission: StoriesWork, founded in May 2000, promotes the unique use of folk story analysis in group and individual counseling, through skills-building workshops, consultations, educational materials, and online training for staff and volunteers who work with survivors of domestic violence. StoriesWork's educational web-site (storieswork.org), launched in October, 2000, is expanding to offer resource material and on-line self-study courses for domestic violence counselors. Our techniques empower abused women to gain greater understanding, reduce fears, build self-esteem, evaluate resources, and consider realistic solutions to difficult problems.
As a manager and attorney, the materials on examples provided by StoriesWork helped me to be more effective in listening to what clients and subordinates were telling me, helping me to clarify issues and concerns, and identify problems and solutions. For me it opened a previously untapped resource.
Having known and admired Dr.Ucko for many years I have been most interested in her inventive approach to using folktales to shed light on the personal experiences of individuals. This involves letting people work out their own interpretations of these stories and to see how they might apply to their own situation. This is done in a group context with lively discussions by participants, without preestablsihed conclusions or preaching. The method leads to self-discovery and insight without confessions or accusations. The results of this method have been found helpful both by a range of agencies and a variety of participants.
This valuable work is in urgent need of support and most worthy of it.
Erika Bourguignon, Ph,D.,Anthropologist,Professor emerita, The Ohio Sytate University
StoriesWork is a groundbreaking organization pioneered by its founder and Executive Director Lenora Ucko. Using her impressive academic credentials, dedication to social justice and deep understanding of people she created a brilliant and highly effective concept for helping people who might otherwise not have been able to access needed social services.
Beth Rabinove
Her organization has an impressive track record and should receive national exposure as well as ongoing financial support for its mission.
