Harmonising trauma and stress disorders
through the arts and movement

This program begins with an overview of human development as the foundation for exploring ways of working positively, creatively and proactively to harmonise the effects of trauma and stress disorders.

Human Development:

Rudolf Steiner’s picture of human development divides life into 7 year phases. In each phase a new aspect of consciousness is born and further developed, and brings with it particular tasks, potential and challenges.

We will consider and discuss: key turning points; the patterns of experience and behaviours we commonly experience over the 7 year phases; and learn about how this understanding of human development can help us know more about ourselves and others, providing insights into how we can work with the challenges that arise in life. It provides the basis for working with strategies to address the expression of trauma and stress disorders, whether in adult life or with children.

3- and 4- and 9- fold human being:

In addition to the 7 year phases Rudolf Steiner gave other models how we can view and understand the human being. While the 3-, 4- and 9-fold human are included in the theory of human development. Here we will look at his indications in some more detail.

Nourishing and healing the 12 senses:

All education must have a therapeutic element and it is our task as educators to equip children with strengths and abilities so that they can master the challenges they will face.

Sensory perception forms the basis of your relationship with yourself, your surroundings, and the people around you. There is a strong relationship between sensory perception, and health and vitality. When our sense perceptions are disrupted, this hinders our development, learning and functioning in the world. We will explore each of the 12 senses and their roles,  but also what this means on an emotional and relational level. We will investigate how the senses develop, what happens if a sense is under or over stimulated, and what we can do to nourish, support and harmonise the healthy unfolding of each sense.

Trauma and stress disorder:

What is trauma? What is stress?

How trauma impacts on:

• overall human development;
• development of consciousness;
• 3- and 4-fold human being;
• thinking, feeling, willing and the 4 members ;
• 12 senses ;
• brain development;
• the polyvagal system;
• primary prevention of PTSD.

Resilience building and trauma education overlap:  

• Conditions for resilience building;
• Attachment Theory;
• Attitudes of the teacher to help the traumatised child.

Educator’s role:

• What is the educator’s task?
• Which attitudes of the educator/parent/therapist support the child?
• Which activities are helpful?
• How do we help to build resilience?
• What other support can we call upon?
• Clarifying the role of the educator as distinct from a therapist.

Clay modelling:

Sculptural modelling works on human development in many ways. As we mould the clay, as we find the right amount of pressure or movement, the clay moulds us and works deeply on our Etheric bodies. Modelling becomes like a dialogue between the individual and his/her work, which is stimulating and ever changing, and allows many discoveries. Through forming and reforming, through the observation of form in nature, through engaging an open mind and flexibility of thinking, the hand becomes the teacher of our mind as it explores and stumbles through the many possibilities, unexpected combinations and configurations of convex and concave shapes. Our mind and intellect are quite likely to have a planned outcome in mind for our piece of clay. However, it is our intelligent hand which ultimately guides the way with sensitivity and intuitive will.

Movement is an essential and critical foundation for healthy human development and learning. 

We will explore this in detail as part of our study of the Twelve Senses;  participate in movement during class with Tom Hungerford;  and will be joined by Janina Papas who specialises in sensory integration through specific movements.  Janina will consider questions including: How do learning, social/emotional and behavioural difficulties arise? How can we provide help and support in a stress-free, consistent, positive way; aiding sensory integration via movement, painting and drawing?

Tania Hungerford

Tania Hungerford has been a teacher at the Seminar for more than 20 years and over this time has developed rich and meaningful learning experiences for the many students who have come to study here. She teaches across a range of courses and subjects, and also wears other hats as part of her multifaceted role here.

She brings a depth of experience working with adults out of anthroposophy, drawing on a comprehensive background of training in the areas of sculpture, social science, form drawing, biography work, counselling and art therapy.

At the Seminar, Tania is a first year coordinator of the full time Advanced Diploma of Rudolf Steiner Education, and teaches Steiner teacher training students in the following units: Sculpture, Form Drawing, the Twelve Senses, Human Development, the Four Temperaments, Goethean Observation, Professional Communication and Conflict Resolution, understanding and working with Trauma and developing inclusive teaching practices for working with Children with Special Learning Needs.

She also teaches in our part-time online course for Primary Class Teacher Rudolf Steiner Ed 1-8 and this year will be offering the first term of our on campus Saturday morning “Arts for meaning and connection’ course.

Over the past decade Tania has offered many Professional Development programs to Waldorf Teachers in schools around Australia and in Asia. Tania has qualifications including a Certificate in Steiner Education; Advanced Diploma in Rudolf Steiner Education; Certificate in Biography Counselling; Bachelor of Social Science/Counselling; Grad Diploma in Experiential and Creative Art; Masters of Therapeutic Arts Practice;  CERT IV TAE40116.

Janina Papas

Janina Papas works extensively with schools, parents and children bringing sensory integration activities and exercises to support development and learning. She has graduate qualifications specialising in learning difficulties, and has been a class teacher in a regional Steiner School and continues to consult with schools. She has presented workshops at international and national conferences, and also participates in the Steiner Teacher Education courses at the Seminar.  Janina is a qualified Three Fold Educational Support practitioner and has been working with the Extra Lesson for 20 years. 

Tom Hungerford

Tom has taught in Steiner Schools for 25 years, principally as a Bothmer Gymnast and Physical Education Teacher but also extensively in the High School in the Hard Crafts with projects such as leather book binding, shoe making, metal work and basketry.

Tom was most recently a Class Teacher at Sophia Mundi Steiner School in Melbourne. Tom has worked extensively in adult education presenting at workshops, conferences and professional development programs around Australia and internationally. He has taught at the Melbourne Rudolf Steiner Seminar for 20 years and is currently teaching many units in the Advanced Diploma of Rudolf Steiner Education.