At this point in my vocational career my strongest desire is teaching my students how to master the eight elements of self. Because I sincerely believe if they understand and learn to control each aspect of their lives using these lessons they will be ready and equipped to enjoy the greatest adventure of their lives, … Read more
I now fully realise that my work at the mental health coal face may well be drawing to an end. I have a desire, no a passion, driven by my personal time pressure, to tell the world that the major lessons contained in the Gem Journey are the solution to much of today’s mental health … Read more
8/15/19 Like all my previous years 2019 has been interesting and very busy. On the 30th of August Mary and I will have been married for fifty years. My youngest grandson was born in July and my oldest Granddaughter graduated from High School and is now onto University. Time, oh good, good time where have … Read more
Thus far 2018 has been a busy year for the Gem Journey in terms of the research project, a new set of video training modules and the on- going filming of a documentary dedicated to my work. I can’t help but be excited that ‘The Storyteller’ documentary will share the rich treasure of the Gem … Read more
There are a lot of new things happening in the TSI World, I get a sense that people are really catching on to the power of my stories and the potential impact of the programme in the lives of their children, students or clients.
The Gem journey enables the acquisition of identity – by answering the questions it poses and thinking through how they would act in the situation the story’s hero finds himself in – the hearer’s discover who they are and form a personal vision of who they aspire to be. They learn to be honest with themselves and they start to believe that they can make choices that result in them becoming their best selves.
Wow what a run. Twenty years in a mental health agency-‘gotta say something’. I’m both mildly excited and nostalgic about moving to the Centre for Youth Health. For the majority of present Whirinaki colleagues my departure is likely a non-event because I really don’t know you nor do you know me, which is a ‘loss … Read more
I am the Assistant Principal at the Kaikohe Christian School. Last term I completed reading/discussion through the chapters of Gem of the First Water with a group of Year 11 students at our school. A number of them have written personal thank you letters to Ron Phillips in appreciation of the story, and the impact … Read more
Hi, allow me the privilege of rambling on a bit I would like to describe some of my impressions regarding the Splendora Trilogy, and why I think the three books could be important to you. The first and second books have their aetiology from early in my career at Creative Alternatives, the residential treatment facility … Read more
I have over forty years experience working with children, adolescents and their families, first as a teacher then as a counsellor. For the last twenty-four years I have tested and refined the methods taught in the fable Gem of the First Water. I have spent countless hours telling this fable to children and families in my therapy practice and have had the rich privilege of seeing lives change for the better as a result.