The workshops were aimed at women and sought to support them in achieving their life and professional goals by naming feelings, getting to know themselves, making connections, and sharing their experiences and ways of overcoming barriers and difficulties in the friendly, relaxing context of bibliotherapy—therapy through literature.
The tale “The Box Girl” is a therapeutic parable that helps workshop participants become familiar with and understand their fear. The workshops can be a starting point for building better relationships with people around them, female and male friends, supervisors, or subordinates. They can help initiate conversations about fear and anxiety. They can also be an excellent tool for integration. A therapeutic tale can teach us a great deal—not only children.
The workshops were led by the author of the tale, Grażyna Hanaf, who has been conducting bibliotherapy workshops since 2016. She has been invited to several dozen schools and libraries. Her tales have been promoted by nationwide services Fokus.TV and Polskie Radio RDC, as well as on the blogs egodziecka.pl, qlturka.pl, naszekluski.pl, duzarodzina.pl, beznudy.pl, and zblogowani.pl (Krople Szczęścia). Her tales are recommended by Polskie Towarzystwo Biblioterapeutyczne. During workshops for children in Bolesławiec, the author supported Fundacja Rozwoju Kardiochirurgii im. prof. Zbigniewa Religi. Grażyna Hanaf has also conducted workshops for women for Polskie Towarzystwo Psychopedagogiczne.
Several dozen women from Bolesławiec and the surrounding area, as well as women from the association “Tak dla Lubina”, took part in the workshops. Here are their opinions and impressions from the workshops:
“Did you know that fear can not only be talked about, but also drawn? It can be tamed and even accepted. First of all, it needs to be identified, and we need to step outside our comfort zone. That is the first step. The nicest way to do this is among people who think similarly. Thanks to the workshops organized by Stowarzyszenie Boleslawianie.eu and Grażyna Hanaf, the author of, among other works, the book “The Box Girl,” we were able to do this. There was laughter, there were tears, there was fun and interesting stories… in a word, just like in life! We hope that these workshops will be the beginning of further cooperation between our associations.”
“Wonderful workshops, a warm atmosphere, and an extremely pleasant instructor. Thank you for the knowledge and the wonderful workshops. I would gladly take part again in the future.”
“First of all, THANK YOU. The workshops took place in a very pleasant atmosphere. They addressed fears that every one of us has. They presented, in a very simple way, how to deal with them. The workshop venue was very intimate and cozy. Pleasant. Ms. Grażynka, the workshop leader, was kind and wise.”
“The workshops took place in a very pleasant atmosphere. They were both expressive and calming. I liked the tasks very much. I confronted the fear that I had previously hidden away. I am glad that I was able to take part in these workshops. Very pleasant company and a beautiful interior. The tale that was read affected me deeply; I will certainly return to it more than once. Thank you for the invitation.”
“Valuable workshops, lots of practical advice for everyday life. I will return to them in my thoughts. A normal approach to fears—and that is good.”
“It is good to meet in a pleasant atmosphere, among women who want to change their lives, attitudes, and patterns. Professional organization of knowledge.”
“The workshops provided a dose of knowledge. Time passed quickly and pleasantly in a wonderful atmosphere.”
“I am very satisfied; I got the bad thoughts out of me, and I feel lighter.”
“I opened up a little, and I think I will start working on my fears. If there were an opportunity to attend similar workshops once again, I would like to take part.”
The workshops were free of charge thanks to financial support provided through the BGŻ BNP Paribas Local Grants Program.
The partner was Painted Bird Foreign Language School, which participates in the nationwide Wiarygodna Szkoła Językowa program and therefore meets the conditions set out in the program’s regulations, ensuring an appropriate level of quality in the foreign-language education process. At this school, you learn a language at its source. You do not have to travel abroad to learn the language from a native speaker. A living language with a good accent—that is what “Painted Bird” school offers.