2020 Events and Workshops:
Narcissus, “Reality” TV, and the Power of a Compelling Narrative in the Year 2020
NY Mythology Group/NYC Joseph Campbell Foundation (Virtual Talk and Discussion)

The myth of Narcissus, tells the tale of a young man cursed to fall in love with his own reflection. Narcissus, a mythic character whose inability to discern between the reality and illusion he is now faced with, brings about his own demise, and with it, a loss of the possibility of redemption. Unable to fully comprehend the tragic nature of his predicament, he suffers, completely convinced that his perspective of reality is truth.
The year 2020 has brought worldwide pandemic, quarantines and lockdowns, civil unrest, deeper ideological divisions, wildfires, hurricanes, racial reckoning, a contentious election, conspiracy theories entering the mainstream, and there’s still a month to go. And through all of these challenges, people continue to fight about what is truth and what is constructed story. Perspectives have given way to concretized narratives, unyielding and validated by echo chambers within news sites, social media, and communities.
In this presentation, Dr. Miller will look at these events though the lens of how the development of constructed mythic nartratives have given rise to a lack of discernment between truth and illusion. In what ways have we become Narcissus, seeing only our own reflections in the pool and no longer able to discern what is real. Has reality split into diverse narratives? Has reality always been a subjective perspective? Have we shunned the truthtellers and the ones who would love us authentically, only to fall in love with our shadow natures and project them out into the world as the “other?” Narcissus is calling out to us, how will we respond?
2019 Events and Workshops:
Hawaii International Conference on Education in Honolulu, Hawaii
If you are attending the conference, I will be presenting a 90-minute experiential workshop on January 5th at 8:00am on the basics of Unstorying! Come join us and see what Unstorying is all about.
All the World’s a Stage: The Creative Arts as a Tool for Character Development and Transformation in San Francisco, CA
755 Ocean Ave,
This workshop through CSEE.org is for K-12 Creative Arts Teachers or anyone who wants to incorporate more social-emotional learning into their coursework with students.
Join Dr. Nicole Kavner Miller as she explores the power of creative arts education in effectively teaching social-emotional learning skills to students. Whether through theater, fine arts, movement, writing, or music, the creative arts enable us to look deeply into the artistic mirror, and shine a light on aspects of who we are, and who we want to be. Creative Arts teachers have seen this transformation unfold time and time again.
This workshop will offer discussion, journaling, experiential activities, ideas, and strategies you can bring back to your own classrooms, to foster your students’ character development, explore their inner worlds, strengthen their interpersonal dynamics, and build self-confidence.
Tentative Agenda:
- The Power of the Creative Arts in Character Development – An overview and discussion
- Each topic will focus on specific social-emotional learning concepts and associated experiential activities:
- Writing
- Art
- Movement and music
- Performance activity
- Closing discussion and strategy session
Registration includes coffee and lunch
Member Schools
$125 for first registrant from a school / $100 for additional attendees
Non-Members
$200 for first registrant from a school / $175 for additional attendees
For more information, or to attend this workshop, please: Click Here To Register
NYSAIS Workshop: Unstorying: A 360° Social-Emotional Learning Curriculum in Oyster Bay, NY
31 Yellow Cote Rd, Oyster Bay, NY 11771 map
To attend this workshop, please: Register Here
Who should attend? K-12 Faculty, Administration, Social Emotional Learning Coordinators, Advisors
Overview:
This experiential workshop will discuss the process of Unstorying, a tool for creating more authentic relationships with the teachers, administrators, students, and parents in your school community, as well as within our personal lives. School communities strive to be nurturing environments, which endeavor to foster a child’s academic and social-emotional growth, but unfortunately, many times, we fall into story patterns with each other which create distrust, divisions, and miscommunication. Unstorying explores why this happens and how to dissolve those issues with intention; why seemingly unimportant conflicts seem to trigger strong emotional responses, and how you can “see through” those experiences to have more clarity in your relationships, and find more peace in your life. Strategies will be given for stepping back from triggering scenarios, and communicating more clearly and honestly with your self and others, as well as practical applications adapted for your school community.
A tentative outline for the day:
- Opening activity
- Introduction to Unstorying: What is it and why do we need to un-story ourselves?
- School community dynamics and the need for a 360° approach to Social Emotional Learning
- Observations from the implementation of Unstorying at East Woods School
- Unstorying nuts and bolts:
- Recognizing the trigger stories we carry and why
- 10-second rule/Responding vs. Reacting
- Clear, honest, kind communication
- Footsteps conflict resolution process
- Creating communities of kindness
- Resistance to Unstorying, or “Why wouldn’t you want to gain more clarity in your relationships with colleagues, students, and the rest of the school community?”
- Designing and adapting an Unstorying program at your school
- Closing discussion and reflection
To attend this workshop, please: Register Here
Fee includes Continental breakfast, lunch and all materials.
Substantial discounts are available for groups registering together.
- 5-9 attendees @ $175.
- 10-20 attendees @ $150.
Regular Registration Fees apply within 2 weeks of the event
• NYSAIS members – $215.00
• Non-members – $260.00
Early Discount of $20.00 will apply until 2 weeks before the event.
Late Fee of $10.00 will apply within 2 days of the event.
* Note: Payment is by credit card only.
All the World’s a Stage: The Creative Arts as a Tool for Character Development and Transformation in Washington, DC
(EVENT CANCELLED)
4759 Reservoir Rd NW
Washington, District of Columbia 20007
United States
This workshop through CSEE.org is for K-12 Creative Arts Teachers or anyone who wants to incorporate more social-emotional learning into their coursework with students.
Join Dr. Nicole Kavner Miller as she explores the power of creative arts education in effectively teaching social-emotional learning skills to students. Whether through theater, fine arts, movement, writing, or music, the creative arts enable us to look deeply into the artistic mirror, and shine a light on aspects of who we are, and who we want to be. Creative Arts teachers have seen this transformation unfold time and time again.
This workshop will offer discussion, journaling, experiential activities, ideas, and strategies you can bring back to your own classrooms, to foster your students’ character development, explore their inner worlds, strengthen their interpersonal dynamics, and build self-confidence.
Tentative Agenda:
- The Power of the Creative Arts in Character Development – An overview and discussion
- Each topic will focus on specific social-emotional learning concepts and associated experiential activities:
- Writing
- Art
- Movement and music
- Performance activity
- Closing discussion and strategy session
Registration includes coffee and lunch
For more information, or to attend this workshop, please: Register Here
* * * * *
I am also available for individual and group workshops and consultations, please contact me directly at millernk@yahoo.com to arrange for a session.
_______________________________________________________________
See you Beyond the Story…Nicole Miller