Workshop materials
Files
- https://teddybeartalksupport.com/htss
- https://teddybeartalksupport.com/images/2/21/TBTSTopicSuggestions.pdf
The magic that the teddy bear can experience
Here is a piece by David Castro on Learning to Listen. It is called Empathy in 8 Minutes, and it is about how he experienced doing an exercise where you listen quietly for 8 minutes as someone tells you his or her life story.
- When my partner started to tell his story, I wanted to ask a truckload of questions directing the conversation. I wanted to follow up on particular details, ask about things he hadn't mentioned, shortcut certain areas and learn more about others that interested me, like someone fast forwarding through a TV show.
- After about three minutes, however, something remarkable happened. That incessant voice in my head began to quiet, and for the first time I began to listen at a deeper level. I observed my partner’s body language, soaked in his selected words and stopped trying to control the conversation flow. In the remaining five minutes, I learned something profound about the person speaking. I began to see and understand him for the first time. I was actually listening to him instead of focusing on my bundle of projections about him.
TBTS makes it easier for the experience to be about only one person's agenda at a time. Notice how natural it is to have the both surprising and not so surprising number of agendas that David Castro had as a listener in the first 3 minutes of this exercise.
- At the end of their time, talkers can indicate if they don't want to have the teddy bear initiate any further discussion with the talker at any point in the future of what the talker talked about
- If no such indication was made, teddy bears who want to initiate further discussion of a talker's topic are asked to check with talkers to see if they welcome further discussion or not.
- As we will also emphasize when we cover how to ask honest, open questions, perhaps the most important aspect of our sessions is that we provide a place where there is no danger of having someone else's agenda imposed on you. So, we ask you to steer clear of providing suggestions, advice, or analysis to the talker.
Prompts to put in the chat
With any leftover time before the breakout rooms close, you could talk about other topics that you might talk about as a talker, or you can reflect on the habitual things you would have said if you weren't remaining silent as a teddy bear.
Suggestions for what to talk about
You could talk about
- working on getting started with something
- a conversation you need to have
- establishing a new habit or pattern
- something that's bothering you
- a decision you need to make
- getting your head in the space for something
- a topic as if you were talking to ____________
- something you are working on writing
- a major life issue
Goals and Dreams: Share your short-term and long-term goals and dreams.
Home Improvement: Share ideas for improving your living space.
Upcoming Events: Talk about upcoming events or special occasions like birthdays, holidays, or parties. Discuss plans and preparations.
Work and Career Goals: jobs, career aspirations, and recent work experiences.
Ideas from books, Things you want to learn, Fitness and wellness, Food and cooking