Bernadette Kennedy, an alumnus of our Deepening Creative Practice with Organisations programme, manages several teams of healthcare workers who care for elderly people across South-West London. She noticed something going on within her teams. She sensed some fear and uncertainty from many of her team members when it came to transitioning between internal and external settings, such as when leaving a hospital setting to go and visit a patient at home, or vice versa. 

Bernadette reached out to Emily, who works at the Tavistock Institute; is a trainee psychotherapist; and who has worked as a professional opera singer and singing teacher. Emily uses these combined skills and interests to offer a unique contribution to the Tavistock Institute’s Arts & Organisations programme.

Together with Bernadette, Emily has worked to create a programme of workshops involving singing, movement and group process to help these teams explore experiences beyond their comfort zones, and to creatively work with the concepts of ‘out’ and ‘in’, and how to cross the boundaries of these territories. 

The workshops will culminate in a celebratory performance where participants will get to sing to a supportive audience. But even more important than this are the learnings and experiences the teams will have along the way.

This programme of work is generously funded by the Friends of Queen Mary’s Hospital.